I very much identify with your post, as well as with significant points in other posts. It is a disease, because a disease is a biomedically determined cluster of (again biomedically defined/approved) symptoms for which a (biomedically designated) pathology or prognosis is applied/expected.  Being sick is different from feeling ill because we can convince other people that we are in a deviant/abnormal/undesirable temporary/permanent life state.  Its important for managing work/living/relationships that we can convince them - what is a sick day vs a holiday if we cant for example? Disease is a life state with specific conditions attached (cluster of symptoms, prognosis etc) that means we can convince powerful medical professionals (and lots of other folks and ourselves!) that what we  experience is real, is less temporary than sick and (usually) not under our own control.  Each type of state - ill, sick or diseased comes along with important consequences for our self-esteem, thoughts and feelings and for the way others treat us, as well as for our pockets and life choices.  What we subjectively/emotionally/bodily  experience is only a part of the 'illness' or sickness or disease.  Depression may be a highly reasonable reaction to an uninspiring and unhealthy life position, or it may be a baffling result of a tormented consciousness, a temporary, permanent or transient  experience of misery.  Managing physical symptoms such as pain can also follow this pattern.  If an asprin doesn't cure all pains, anti-depressants wont soothe all minds.  Nor does any other treatment work for any condition in isolation.  Sometimes asking people what they need is best, sometimes its worst.  Sometimes people need to talk, sometimes they need to exercise and move into new circumstances to get better, sometimes the pain is such that they don't have the faith in a different ending anymore. But putting people into boxes will fail most people, especially if they, as people and as a group,  haven't designed the box themselves.

Snooze

Snooze, a photo by grakki on Flickr.

After a busy day on the beach it's all too much

Mini-malism - Land of Cloaks

Surfers

Surfers, a photo by grakki on Flickr.

sunset 11june11

sunset 11june11 , a photo by grakki on Flickr.

fluffy cloud sort of day

fluffy cloud sort of day, a photo by grakki on Flickr.

Gentle breeze.
Warm.
Feeling lazy.
Drinking coffee.
Exploring.
Unwinding.