Disorder is a lack of order or organization, where things are messy or confused. In medicine, it also means a problem in the normal function of the body or mind.
From 'dis-' meaning 'not' and 'order' from Latin 'ordo' meaning 'arrangement, rank'. It literally means 'no order' or 'out of order'.
We use the same word for a messy room and a mental health condition, which shows how deeply we link 'health' with 'order'. But sometimes what looks like inner disorder is actually a fight with a badly ordered world.
"Disorder" in medical and psychological contexts has been applied unevenly across genders, sometimes pathologizing women’s and gender-diverse people’s responses to oppression. Diagnostic labels have also shifted over time, reflecting social norms as much as biology.
Use diagnostic terms carefully and avoid labeling people as "disordered" in casual speech; respect how individuals choose to describe their own conditions.
["condition","diagnosis","chaos","disorganization"]
When discussing mental or physical disorders, include the perspectives and advocacy of affected people, including women and gender minorities who have challenged stigmatizing frameworks.
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