“I am not my disease.”
Many patients feel that they have diseases. It has luckily become more common place to think of patients as people who live with disease and not diseased people. There is a movement to change the nomenclature (or naming) into People First language. Though, some of the most forward thinking physicians I know do not agree with this, as patients do not recognize this form of speech.
This form of linguistic prescriptivism is meant to stop the dehumanization when discussing people and the diseases they must deal with. “Diabetics” for “People living with Diabetes”, “Disabled People” for “People with Disabilities” or “Asthmatic” for “Person who has Asthma”.
Some may see this as semantics and cast it aside as another form of political correctness and may state that it is what it is. I challenge that there are many things that are not as they are in the world and that it is mainly a part of perception. I will refer people to a great TED talk (found at the bottom of the post), which brings up the great point that things are all about perception. Some people may think that we live on earth and that we are surrounded by two-thirds water vs. the fact that the we live in a ocean planet on which we live on the earthy part.
It is interesting to me that people who feel that we need to have patient centred care and yet not put the patient first when describing what challenges they have seems counter-intuitive. Those interested in learning more can consider going to the Disability Is Natural Website.
Enjoy your weekend!
drjvarughese 