What is the difference between a disorder and disease?

Answer 1

mental disease and mental disorder are synonyms for the term mental illness, which seems to be the preferred term. Mental disease could not even be located in Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. The only place where there is a difference is in legal terminology, where there a subtle legal difference between mental illness and mental disease. The following are the various definitions as culled from http://www.dictionary.com/
Main Entry: mental disorder
Function: noun
: a mental or bodily condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological functioning of the individual called also mental illness
(Source: Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, ? 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.)

mental illness n.
Any of various conditions characterized by impairment of an individual's normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, or other factors, such as infection or head trauma. Also called emotional illness, mental disease, mental disorder.
(Source: The American Heritage? Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright ? 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.)
Main Entry: mental disease
an abnormal mental condition that interferes with mental or emotional processes and internal behavioral control and that is not manifest only in repeated criminal or antisocial conduct; broadly : MENTAL ILLNESS
NOTE: Mental disease and mental illness are in general use synonymous, but mental disease has developed a settled meaning in criminal law while mental illness is often explained or defined by reference to the medical community's understanding of the term.
(Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, ? 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.)

Main Entry: mental ill?ness
Function: noun
1 : MENTAL DISEASE
2 : a mental condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological and often social functioning of the individual called also mental disorder
(Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, ? 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.)
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Answer 2

hi that replaced into an exciting question. yet in accordance to me ailment is malfunctioning of body equipment while ailment reffers to unsuitable/out of order of body function .it may also be because of any infections yet both ailment and ailment are interrelated to each otherand seems similar. and in both situations body's resistance andfuntion is decreased. desire NOW U UNDERSTOOD the version.

Answer 3

disorder in internal abnormality, where as disease causes from external attacks by bacterias and viruses.

Answer 4

desease stands for suffering one for largely suffering with physical energy and organs. but disorder means one has to go with angry situation and stress and tensions.
this is only the different between them.