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Disorder. Brain disease would be like literal infection of the brain my guy. Like prions disease.
I think disease and disorder seem to be pretty synonymous. I am seeing different stuff online.
This is the closest source I could find that offered a definition of the distinction.
• “Disease denotes a condition characterized by functional impairment, structural change, and the presence of specific signs and symptoms. “
• “Disorder, in contrast, denotes a condition characterized by functional impairment without structural change and, while certain disorders or categories of disorders might be accompanied by specific signs and symptoms”
https://amastyleinsider.com/2011/11/21/condition-disease-disorder/
So I think you are ultimately right, because ADHD and many mental illnesses don’t imply a structural change to the brain. But even something non infectious like Alzheimer’s could be considered a disease.
You're closer to the truth than they are
Disorders were literally called sicknesses before, or mental illnesses even now. I'm 99% sure the term disease (like "disease of the mind") was thrown around even just a few decades ago. Probably even in actual papers.
They just changed the term because it sounds bad.
Just like you don't say he's a hobo or a bum, you say he's homeless. Or how the term homeless is changing to "Unhoused" to get away from the negative connotations...
Yeah that’s part of it. When I was researching it was mentioned that the term disease should be limited when discussing mental illnesses, because of the negative connotations.
That seems to be the core of most commenters reactions against the term, rather than correctness. I did not think about this initially, because to me disorder also sounds quite negative and on a lot of academic sources the terms are used interchangeably.
I think that’s why you have people saying things like neurodivergent now. I think eventually though any term for an illness will develop some negative connotations and a new term will have to be introduced.
From what I have read here and on the internet, ADHD seems similar to a personality trait you are born with and it will always be a part of you no matter what the healthcare industry can do for it. Some will jump on it and instantly call it a personality disorder. What would we do if we didn't have our experts who will profit from it.