Disorder vs Disease: Difference and Comparison

Is there a difference between disorder and disease (disorder vs disease)?

Most people are not aware that there is a difference between disorder and disease. Unless you are into medical studies, it’s often difficult to differentiate between disorder and disease.

A disease is an abnormal condition that affects the body or mind causing discomfort and dysfunction, while a disorder is characterized by functional impairment and a disruption to the body’s function.

Unlike diseases that indicate a patient has a specific health issue and can be diagnosed by a health care provider, disorders are disruptions in the normal function of the body.

What is a Disorder?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a disorder is an irregularity or lack of function of the organ or sense, an illness affecting the body’s normal physical or mental function.

Disorders are physical or mental conditions that disrupt the regular functions of the body. Disorders can take up a longer period of time and complicate the normal functioning of a person.

For example, epilepsy is a disorder of the human body, as it disrupts the function of the nervous system.

Rheumatoid arthritis is classified as an autoimmune disorder, which is a group of disorders that cause the immune system to attack the body. Autoimmune disorder causes the immune system to attack the body instead of fighting off viruses or bacteria entering the body.

For someone suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, their immune system attacks the joint, causing discomfort to the body.

Disorders can be cured by a doctor, psychologist, counsellor, and other health care practitioners.

Additionally, disorders can be relapsing and remitting as well as persistent.

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What Is a Disease?

A disease is a medical condition associated with certain signs and symptoms. The American Medical Association (AMA) defines disease as a condition in which the system of the body is affected due to various causes such as inflammation, infection, genetic defects, and environmental factors.

A disease affecting the body may be caused by external factors like pathogens or by internal dysfunctions. Internal dysfunction of the immune system can result in a variety of diseases- including several forms of hypersensitivity, immunodeficiency, autoimmune disorders, and allergies.

Diseases are usually referred to as any health condition that causes dysfunction, discomfort, distress, pain or death to the individual affected by a disease. In this case, it sometimes refers to disabilities, injuries, syndromes, etc.

Diseases cause discomfort and can affect an individual physically and mentally.

Generally, there are four types of diseases which include infectious diseases, hereditary diseases, deficiency diseases, and psychological diseases. Hereditary diseases both include genetic and non-genetic hereditary diseases.

Disorder vs Disease: Classification of Disease

Diseases are also classified into two parts which are communicable and on-communicable diseases.

Communicable Diseases

This is a highly infectious disease that is usually transmitted from one affected individual to another. Communicable diseases can transmitted through food, water, and air.

The following are some examples of communicable diseases;

Tuberculosis (TB)- a disease that can be transmitted through the air
Hepatitis (Jaundice)- a disease transmitted through food and water
Cholera- can be transmitted through contaminated food and water
Influenza (Flu)- can be transmitted through the air
Malaria- a deadly disease transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes
Typhoid- a disease transmitted through food and water
Measles- a disease transmitted through air

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Non-Communicable Disease (NCD)

Unlike communicable diseases, this type of disease is not transmitted directly from one person to another. They are also called non-contagious diseases and here are a few examples.

Cancer
Alzheimer
Cataract
Stroke
Kidney disease
Heart disease
Osteoporosis

Disorder vs Disease: Types of Disorder

Generally, there are different types of disorders that affect the function of the human body.

Physical Disorder

Physical disorder is a type of disorder that causes some behavioural changes such as the state of mental confusion and emotional disturbance. This type of disorder may cause disorders like genetic disorders, injury, and severe illness.

For instance, epilepsy is a neurological condition/disorder that usually causes repeated seizures. This type of disorder affects the change in behaviour, motility, and loss of consciousness.

Epilepsy can also occur as a result of a brain injury, infection, structural abnormalities in the human brain, as well as some genetic factors.

Genetic Disorder

This type of disorder is generally caused by the abnormalities formed by the genome. A few examples of genetic disorders include haemophilia, sickle cell anaemia, colour blindness, cystic fibrosis, and Down syndrome.

Behavioural Disorder

It’s a type of psychological disorder that affects the behaviour of an individual. Behavioural disorder is characterized by inappropriate behaviour such as fighting, cursing, and insulting.

People with behavioural disorders tend to always blame other people, argue uncontrollably, and will likely start an unnecessary fight.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines autism spectrum disorder as a type of disorder that affects children in different ways. It affects children’s behaviour and how they socialize.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

This is a mental condition, a type of disorder that affects a person during infancy and adolescence. Oppositional defiant disorder is characterized by anger, vindictive behaviour, unnecessary arguments, speaking harshly, and being easily irritated by others.

Disorder vs Disease: Other Examples of Disorders

Other examples of disorders include;

Bipolar disorder
Attention deficit disorder
Sleep disorder (insomnia and hypersomnia)
Schizophrenia
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS)

Disorder vs Disease: Difference between Disorder and Disease

Disorders are physical or mental conditions that disrupt the regular functions of the body. A disorder describes the symptoms and behaviours of a person.

For example, epilepsy is a disorder of the human body, as it disrupts the function of the nervous system.

Diseases are usually referred to as any health condition that causes dysfunction, discomfort, distress, pain or death to the individual affected by a disease.

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Disorder vs Disease: Comparison Chart

	Disorder	Disease
Definition	A disorder is an irregularity or lack of function of the organ or sense, an illness affecting the body’s normal physical or mental function.	A disease is a medical condition that is associated with certain signs and symptoms.
Types/ Classification	Physical disorder, behavioural disorder, genetic disorder, autism spectrum disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, etc.	Communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases.
Examples	Bipolar disorder, Attention deficit disorder, Sleep disorder (insomnia and hypersomnia), Schizophrenia, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS)	Cancer, Tuberculosis, Stroke, Malaria, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis, Kidney disease, Heart disease, Measles, Influenza, Osteoporosis, Cataract, etc.

Conclusion

Non-communicable diseases are diseases that are not contagious such as heart disease, stroke, and cataracts. Communicable diseases are very contagious- some can even cause death such as the COVID-19 virus and tuberculosis.

Disorders can treated by health care providers through medication or therapy.

Recommendations

References

Wikipedia: Disease
Verywellhealth: What Is the Difference Between a Disease and a Disorder?
Dr Shashank Tiwari & Ms Shreya Talreja: Do you think disease and disorder are the same? –here is the comparative review to brush up your knowledge
OXscience: Difference between Disorder and disease