Metaphoric illnesses make it easy for average people to understand certain illnesses, the assumption is most people don't have adequate biology knowledge. These "created" ilnesses are taken serious, even when it turns out to be dubious that they are existing. People use these metaphoric ailments to criticise others who are believed to cause them. For example people may accuse US administration because of the GWS, despite of its controversial existance. Glassner says that a metaphoric illness is the one either created for the sake of simplicity to help people to understand a certain "real" illness or just because it fits to the general belief (or structure) of the society.

Halil

Glassner says that metaphoric illnesses are a way for society to adapt to the medical illnesses they are incapable or just do not want to understand. People make metaphoric illnesses to be the fault of illnesses when they is no relation there. When this happens people become superstitous and believe what they hear. The Gulf War Syndrome, at one point, was reported to the public that it could even be contagious, even though there was not a syndrome. It was proven in a study that they didn't even pass it to there children.

I dont want to seem to negative but Metaphoric Illnesses are just another way of the media to make us fear certain things. I don't get why they go through with all these lies. What is the point of all this. Wow! We are scared. How is that helping them? I just don't get it. OK! Cant they find any more productive ways to increase ratings/sells. This fear approach is getting old.

I get the sense that Glassner is suggesting that Metaphoric Illness is not something that is physically created illness but rather caused by psychological reactions of ones mind, such as Neurasthenia is caused by modern technology.