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Re: This was a rhetorical question everyone » alexandra_k

Posted by Larry Hoover on November 6, 2005, at 12:16:16

In reply to Re: This was a rhetorical question everyone, posted by alexandra_k on November 5, 2005, at 18:39:56

> > Guess what? According to this dictionary definition, both mental illness and addiction would qualify as disease. I think this definition serves as an interesting guideline to further this discussion.
>
> I would say that a medical dictionary would be one better.

Here are some medical dictionary definitions I found on the net:

Disease
A definite pathologic process with a characteristic set of signs and symptoms. It may affect the whole body or any of its parts, and its etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown.

an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors

Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs).

An alteration in the state of the body or of some of its organs, interrupting or disturbing the performance of the vital functions, and causing or threatening pain and weakness

An interruption, cessation, or disorder of body function, system, or organ. Syn: illness, morbus, sickness
A morbid entity characterized usually by at least two of these criteria: recognized etiologic agent(s), identifiable group of signs and symptoms, or consistent anatomic alterations.
Literally, dis-ease, the opposite of ease, when something is wrong with a bodily function.


What I see is that a disease is disruptive of health, has a recognized etiology, with characteristic signs and symptoms.


> But I don't see how considering it a 'disease' helps.

It allows people, the community, to direct supportive treatment and resources to those so afflicted. If for no other reason, bureaucracy requires a disease definition.

There are also issues of attribution of responsibility, but I don't intend to get into discussions of blame or such.

 

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