Does naming a disease help the patient heal? When dealing with a mysterious illness, or difficult diagnosis, research suggests that the feeling of relief after finally identifying the condition can actually help people feel better. Even if there is no clear treatment or cure. 

Dr. Alan Levinovitz, professor of philosophy and religion at James Madison University, explores the surprising relationship between language, belief, science, and medicine. Together with psychiatrist Dr. Awais Aftab, he coined the term “The Rumpelstiltskin Effect.” Their study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Bulletin, found that patients feel seen, understood, and more connected to a community when they hear an official name for what they’re experiencing.