Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of color plates
- List of contributors
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- PART I THE MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE
- PART II TREATMENT
- PART III SPECIAL ISSUES
- PART IV THE PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
- 10 Physical disease and mental illness: pathology and psychopathology
- 11 Psychopathology and the mental status examination
- 12 Psychopathology and phenomenology
- 13 Specific psychological therapies
- PART V AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
- Bibliography
- Index
- Plate section
10 - Physical disease and mental illness: pathology and psychopathology
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of color plates
- List of contributors
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- PART I THE MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE
- PART II TREATMENT
- PART III SPECIAL ISSUES
- PART IV THE PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
- 10 Physical disease and mental illness: pathology and psychopathology
- 11 Psychopathology and the mental status examination
- 12 Psychopathology and phenomenology
- 13 Specific psychological therapies
- PART V AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
- Bibliography
- Index
- Plate section
Summary
The implied dualism between body and mind may upset the good physician, who rightly sees the whole human being as their province of interest. “Disease” and “illness” are synonyms in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, one deriving from old French, the other from Gothic. Nevertheless, there is heuristic value in distinguishing between the two. It has been suggested that the word “disease” be reserved for a condition in which AN abnormality of function has been brought about by a change in anatomy, histology, biochemistry, physiology, or molecular biology — in other words, AN underlying pathology. Disease is a useful concept in all the biological sciences. Any organism may suffer from disease. Illness, on the other hand, is a social rather than a biological concept. It is appropriately applied only to human beings — one does not attribute illness to AN earthworm, although one may be tempted to do so to a favorite dog. Illness indicates that the person affected is not as they should be — not behaving, or not thinking, or not feeling as they or other members of their community think is appropriate. Illness is merely one way of explaining this dissonance — others might include a cold wind blowing or because there has been a recent serious loss or trauma. Illness has specific social implications in that it conveys certain privileges and responsibilities to the ill person, e.g. they may be excused from attending work or school.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Medical Management of Eating DisordersA Practical Handbook for Healthcare Professionals, pp. 209 - 210Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2004