Definition:
The nocebo effect is a negative placebo effect. When a patient is given a drug or a treatment, and that patient believes there will be a negative side effect, or a problem that results from the side effect, then the effect may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The negative side effects that are really only caused by the patient's thought process, and not really by the drug or treatment, may cause the patient to get sicker, or even to die.
The word "nocebo" comes from the Latin for "I shall harm."
Pronunciation: no-SEE-bo
