The "Sick" Label Can Simply Be Perception

We remove those in society that do not fall within a narrow band of behavioral and appearance standards. Those outside those boundaries are "sick" and treated as such. This band of acceptance is somewhat different from person to person, and is usually wider in those who have interacted with more people. Tolerance, if that is the appropriate term, is widened by exposure to the thing--whatever it is--that is not tolerable.

But, for most, instead of becoming more tolerant to the differences of those outside of this band of acceptance, or expanding or eliminating it, we tend to push those outside of it away and pretend they don't exist, or label them as defective and, therefore, not worthy of consideration. We create institutions, neighborhoods, clans, etc. to separate these "broken" people from the rest. If someone is determined to be floating toward this "broken" group--moving outside that band of acceptance--others will try and pull them back, at first...try to "fix" them. But if the "fix" doesn't work, then the person is discarded like all the rest outside the band.

The thing that constitutes this "broken" state can be anything from new associations, changes in behavior, altered dress, mood, etc., not usually things that should be considered an ailment.