Deficiency Diseases
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Deficiency Diseases
In Abraham Maslow’s framework, Deficiency Disease refers to the physical, emotional, psychological, and developmental harms that arise when an individual's Seven Essential Needs are unmet. When these needs are neglected or inadequately fulfilled, the resulting deficiency creates distress and dysfunction within the individual, leading to what he termed “deficiency disease.
Concept Map
- Eupsychian Education
- Eupsychian Management
- Eupsychian Psychology
- Eupsychian Theory
- Eupsychian Therapy
- Humanistic Psychology
- Transpersonal Psychology
D-Realm > D-Cognition, Deficiency Diseases
Syncretic Terms
Related LP Terms
Non-LP Related Terms
Notes
Deficiency diseases are caused by failure to sufficiently satisfy ones Seven Essential Needs. As Maslow says, The key concept is the "loss of the basic-need satisfactions of safety and protection, belongingness, love, respect, self esteem, identity, and self-actualization produces illnesses and deficiency diseases."[1] Maslow made strong statement on this.
if one pursues any "physical'" illness far enough and deep enough, one will find inevitably intrapsychic. intrapersona, and socia] variables that are also involved as determinants. This definitely is not to etherealize tuberculosis or broken bones. It simply means that in the study of tuberculosis one finds that poverty is also a factor.[1]
Deficiency disease manifests in various ways:
- Physiological Deficiencies: Malnutrition, lack of rest, or unsafe environments can cause physical ailments, impacting long-term health.
- Emotional and Psychological Deficiencies: The absence of love, esteem, or belonging can lead to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, loneliness, and diminished self-worth.
- Developmental Impacts: Chronic unmet needs can disrupt or distort psychological and emotional development, limiting the individual's potential and sense of well-being.
Maslow suggested that to avoid deficiency disease, environments should support all basic needs consistently. In the Lightning Path framework, the concept of deficiency disease aligns with the 5Ds of Toxic Existence (diminishment, dysfunction, disease, disconnection, and death) that emerge when essential needs are unfulfilled. Addressing deficiency disease through need satisfaction enables healthier, more resilient individuals, supporting personal growth and connection.
For more, see the SW entry on Seven Essential Needs
Abraham Maslow Index
- Aggridant
- B-Cognition
- B-Needs
- B-Realm
- B-Values
- Being-Guilt
- Big Problem
- D-Cognition
- D-Realm
- Deficiency Diseases
- Diminished Human Being
- Eupsychia
- Eupsychian Education
- Eupsychian Management
- Eupsychian Psychology
- Eupsychian Theory
- Eupsychian Therapy
- Good Chooser
- Good Person
- Good Science
- Good Society
- Good Specimen
- Growing-Tip Statistics
- Hierarchy of Basic Needs
- Hierarchy of Cognitive Needs
- Horticultural Model
- Human Diminution
- Human Motivation
- Human Potential
- Humanistic Psychology
- Inner Signals
- Intrinsic Conscience
- Jonah Complex
- Metapathology
- Motivation
- Normalcy
- Normative Biology
- Peak Experience
- Plateau Experience
- Real Self
- Sculptural Model
- Self-Actualization
- Transcending Self-Actualizers
- Transhumanistic
- Transpersonal Psychology
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Footnotes