Can your thoughts really change your health? In this episode, we explore how belief—both positive and negative—impacts the healing process after breast cancer.
Learn what neuroscience, psychology, and real-life coaching reveal about the nocebo effect, the power of belief, and how to gently shift your thinking to support long-term wellness.
💡 In this episode:
🌱 Join The Better Than Before Breast Cancer Membership:
https://thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching
A 2007 study published in Science
Used harmless cream + expectation to trigger real pain—with brain scans showing activation in pain perception areas.
🔗 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aan1221 American Federation of Teachers+15Science+15Science in School+15
A 2011 study published in The Journal of Neuroscience
Found that people warned of negative side effects—even from a sugar pill—experienced those effects, with measurable physiological changes.
🔗 https://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/34/13784 WIREDresearchworks.creighton.edu+15The Journal of Neuroscience+15Nature+15
A 2001 study published in The Lancet
Showed patients who believed pain medication would help—even when it was a placebo—experienced real pain relief via endorphin release.
🔗 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/80579/ SAGE Journals+6PMC+6Science in School+6
A 2023 study in Frontiers in Psychology
Discussed cognitive inertia, explaining why our brains often stick with old thought patterns—even when we try to change.
🔗 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243711/full Verywell Mind+5ResearchGate+5WIRED+5Frontiers+2Frontiers+2Frontiers+2
A 1994 study in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Covered belief perseverance, showing people stick with false
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