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:

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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 beliefs even after receiving clear contradictory evidence.
🔗 https://www.overcominghateportal.org/belief-perseverance.html Frontiers+15overcominghateportal.org+15ResearchGate+15

 

A 2019 review in Nature Reviews Neuroscience
Explored neuroplasticity and how repeating new beliefs and thoughts reshapes brain wiring.
🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01514-1 (for related imaging insights)
🔗 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7047599/ (neuroplasticity review) 

 

Carol Dweck's 2007 Child Development study
Found that those with a growth mindset (believing they could improve) showed greater learning, resilience, and brain adaptability.
🔗 https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x WIRED+1Verywell Mind+1srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

 

A 2025 imaging-based study summarized in The Guardian
Revealed that optimists share similar brain activation patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex when thinking about the future—supporting motivation and planning.

🔗 Article summary: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/21/optimists-share-similar-brain-patterns-when-thinking-about-the-future-scans-show

 

 

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