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The phrase raises two questions. Let's grant that there's such a thing as a 'psychogenic' (non-physical) event. But then: is it a 'disorder', or an 'illness'? W

The phrase raises two questions. Let's grant that there's such a thing as a 'psychogenic' (non-physical) event. But then: is it a 'disorder', or an 'illness'? When population A starts using such a label on population B, that in itself can lead to dangers for population B. (Much of history has resulted from this kind of labelling. (Witch-hunts, for one easy example. Disagreements of differing religions for another.) 'Disorder' is a very vague label ... as is 'sick'. The parameters need careful definition; what guarantees that happens?

anon373839 2y ago
I don’t see that this distinction even needs to be made. Whichever word you choose, the focus should be on the fact that a person’s {mental, physical} health is suboptimal in some way. And the question then is: what sort of intervention will help — psychological or physiological?
retrochameleon 2y ago
Disorder has a clear clinical definition.
- coldtea 2y ago
  Which is mostly soft-science made up, and changes when the politics/ideology changes...
  - mystified5016 2y ago
    Tell me you don't understand science without saying you don't understand science
    - coldtea 2y ago
      You keep using this term "science". I don't think it means what you think it means. If you think the DSM is science the way Physics and Chemistry are sciences, I have a bridge to sell you... Perhaps in the 50s you'd be onboard with lobotomy too, because 'yay, science' (and after all "they corrected it, didn't they?").
rcxdude 2y ago
"Psychogenic" doesn't mean non-physical, it means "caused by the mind". That doesn't make the effects not real: they, at the minimum, affect the subjective experience of the person suffering from them, and in a lot of cases more than that. The main difference is in how one should try to treat the problem (just saying "it's all in your head" isn't usually effective)

anon373839 2y ago

I don’t see that this distinction even needs to be made. Whichever word you choose, the focus should be on the fact that a person’s {mental, physical} health is suboptimal in some way. And the question then is: what sort of intervention will help — psychological or physiological?

retrochameleon 2y ago

Disorder has a clear clinical definition.

coldtea 2y ago
Which is mostly soft-science made up, and changes when the politics/ideology changes...
- mystified5016 2y ago
  Tell me you don't understand science without saying you don't understand science
  - coldtea 2y ago
    You keep using this term "science". I don't think it means what you think it means. If you think the DSM is science the way Physics and Chemistry are sciences, I have a bridge to sell you... Perhaps in the 50s you'd be onboard with lobotomy too, because 'yay, science' (and after all "they corrected it, didn't they?").

rcxdude 2y ago

"Psychogenic" doesn't mean non-physical, it means "caused by the mind". That doesn't make the effects not real: they, at the minimum, affect the subjective experience of the person suffering from them, and in a lot of cases more than that. The main difference is in how one should try to treat the problem (just saying "it's all in your head" isn't usually effective)