Is mental illness a disease?
Merriam-Webster says: Main Entry: dis·ease Pronunciation: di-‘zEz Function: noun Etymology: Middle English disese, from Anglo-French desease, desaise, from des- dis- + eise ease 1 obsolete : TROUBLE 2 : a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms : SICKNESS, MALADY 3 : a harmful development (as in a social institution) – dis·eased /-‘zEzd/ adjective A disease is not always caused by an organic pathogen (i.e.: bacteria, virus, poison, etc…). It can also be caused my environmental conditions or genetic disorders. The brain is as subject to disease as any other organ. Yes, a mental illness is a disease but is usually not qualified as such simply to avoid the stigma of a contagious disorder (such as, say, the flu). This is often the case because many people are unaware of what the words they use really mean. Sounds like your health teacher could use both a good dicti
