Nocebo mechanisms in the social transmission of anxiety.

Gosling, Matilda · Br J Psychiatry · 2026

editorial · Level V

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Abstract

State anxiety contributes to the nocebo effect, which is a factor in socially transmissible symptoms (pain, mood, medication side-effects) and conditions. This guest editorial suggests that the nocebo effect, through negative expectations of poor functioning, contributes to the social transmission of anxiety disorders with anxiety acting as both input and output.

Medical subject headings