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Every time I see someone post about how they are "highly" allergic to something, or that a substance is "highly" addictive, I just roll my eyes, and immediately question the poster, their motivation for posting, and the source of their information.
Either something is addictive, or it's not.
Either you're allergic to something, or you're not.
There aren't different levels of addiction or allergy. It's an on-off toggle.
What there ARE, are different levels of behavior as a result of an addiction or allergy, and different levels of risks when someone has an allergy or addiction.
You can have severe allergic reactions. You might have very mild reactions. You are no more or less allergic to something, regardless of the reaction you have when exposed to the allergen.
And - if you are addicted to a substance, you're addicted. It has a very specific meaning: your body has chosen to crave it, and will protest if it can't get it. How will it protest? That is the "level" of addiction. The how. Not the what. The what is - you're addicted. You are no more or less addicted than someone who goes into delirium tremens during withdrawal, even though you just get a bit of nausea til you get your next fix.
You are equally addicted, because addiction is also an on-off toggle.
BTW I feel the same about the word when used in law. Nothing is "highly" illegal. It's either illegal, or it's not. There are different degrees of crime, but all crime is equally illegal.
I have to disagree with the OP. When one has allergy tests, the reaction to the allergen is rated on a scale of 0-5, if the RAST test is used. There are other allergy tests which have their own scale to delineate the severity of the allergic reaction. The lower the rating number, the less severe the allergy. And obviously, the higher the number, the more severe the allergy. That can change over time, as I personally know all too well.
As someone who is severely allergic to many substances and who has experienced anaphylaxis on three separate occasions from unknown allergens (at the time--I know now!), I can attest to the severity being a real issue.
As an example, if someone is stung by one bee for the first time, they might have a mild local reaction and then test as mildly allergic to bees, like a 1 or 2. Then the same person at another time is stung by one bee. That person could experience the life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. At that time, testing would likely be repeated with a higher rated result, maybe a 4 or a 5. At that point the person would now be considered "highly" allergic, aka "severely" allergic.
I have to disagree with the OP. When one has allergy tests, the reaction to the allergen is rated on a scale of 0-5, if the RAST test is used. There are other allergy tests which have their own scale to delineate the severity of the allergic reaction. The lower the rating number, the less severe the allergy. And obviously, the higher the number, the more severe the allergy. That can change over time, as I personally know all too well.
As someone who is severely allergic to many substances and who has experienced anaphylaxis on three separate occasions from unknown allergens (at the time--I know now!), I can attest to the severity being a real issue.
As an example, if someone is stung by one bee for the first time, they might have a mild local reaction and then test as mildly allergic to bees, like a 1 or 2. Then the same person at another time is stung by one bee. That person could experience the life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. At that time, testing would likely be repeated with a higher rated result, maybe a 4 or a 5. At that point the person would now be considered "highly" allergic, aka "severely" allergic.
You're actually agreeing with me 100%. I was pretty specific:
The REACTION has different levels. The fact that you are allergic - does not.
You are either allergic, or you're not allergic. That is the on-off toggle.
HOW YOU REACT is what has different levels. You might have a "highly reactive" system. Or you might havea "barely reactive" system. But the allergy is still the same allergy, regardless of how your body reacts to it.
The same with addiction - being falling-down drunk every day of your life because you can't stop drinking, and being "functionally capable" but still unable to stop drinking - are both equally "alcoholic." You are an alcoholic. Not a "highly alcoholic" or "mildly alcoholic." You're either an alcoholic or you're not.
Every time I see someone post about how they are "highly" allergic to something, or that a substance is "highly" addictive, I just roll my eyes, and immediately question the poster, their motivation for posting, and the source of their information.
Either something is addictive, or it's not.
Either you're allergic to something, or you're not.
There aren't different levels of addiction or allergy. It's an on-off toggle.
What there ARE, are different levels of behavior as a result of an addiction or allergy, and different levels of risks when someone has an allergy or addiction.
You can have severe allergic reactions. You might have very mild reactions. You are no more or less allergic to something, regardless of the reaction you have when exposed to the allergen.
And - if you are addicted to a substance, you're addicted. It has a very specific meaning: your body has chosen to crave it, and will protest if it can't get it. How will it protest? That is the "level" of addiction. The how. Not the what. The what is - you're addicted. You are no more or less addicted than someone who goes into delirium tremens during withdrawal, even though you just get a bit of nausea til you get your next fix.
You are equally addicted, because addiction is also an on-off toggle.
BTW I feel the same about the word when used in law. Nothing is "highly" illegal. It's either illegal, or it's not. There are different degrees of crime, but all crime is equally illegal.
It would appear that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and Johns Hopkins do not share your apparent disdain for the term "highly allergic"
"According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people." https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heal...es-in-children
Every time I see someone post about how they are "highly" allergic to something, or that a substance is "highly" addictive, I just roll my eyes, and immediately question the poster, their motivation for posting, and the source of their information.
Either something is addictive, or it's not.
Either you're allergic to something, or you're not.
There aren't different levels of addiction or allergy. It's an on-off toggle.
What there ARE, are different levels of behavior as a result of an addiction or allergy, and different levels of risks when someone has an allergy or addiction.
You can have severe allergic reactions. You might have very mild reactions. You are no more or less allergic to something, regardless of the reaction you have when exposed to the allergen.
And - if you are addicted to a substance, you're addicted. It has a very specific meaning: your body has chosen to crave it, and will protest if it can't get it. How will it protest? That is the "level" of addiction. The how. Not the what. The what is - you're addicted. You are no more or less addicted than someone who goes into delirium tremens during withdrawal, even though you just get a bit of nausea til you get your next fix.
You are equally addicted, because addiction is also an on-off toggle.
BTW I feel the same about the word when used in law. Nothing is "highly" illegal. It's either illegal, or it's not. There are different degrees of crime, but all crime is equally illegal.
OP, I'm sure you're technically correct, but you're flying in the face of accepted common usage. You might as well argue about the Oxford comma, or rail against the widespread use of "I could care less." You're fighting a losing battle.
It would appear that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and Johns Hopkins do not share your apparent disdain for the term "highly allergic"
"According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people." https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heal...es-in-children
But hey...what do they know
Carry on with your misguided rant....
Again - that's the description of the person, not the allergy. A person who is prone to allergies - is a highly allergic person. The allergy itself, is either - existing, or not existing. Another analogy: You can be "highly fertile" but you wouldn't be "highly pregnant." Either you're pregnant or you're not. The extent to which you can GET pregnant has levels. But the fact of pregnancy is an on-off toggle.
Again - that's the description of the person, not the allergy. A person who is prone to allergies - is a highly allergic person. The allergy itself, is either - existing, or not existing. Another analogy: You can be "highly fertile" but you wouldn't be "highly pregnant." Either you're pregnant or you're not. The extent to which you can GET pregnant has levels. But the fact of pregnancy is an on-off toggle.
What are you going on about with this nonsense??
READ the quote I provided for you....
.....it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people....
Of course it's a description of the PERSON in regards to a PARTICULAR ALLERGEN....
Explain how THIS use of the term HIGHLY ALLERGIC varies from your initial rant about being disturbed how in YOUR mind people use the word HIGHLY ALLERGIC when talking about a specific reaction improperly...
It is the EXACT same use of the term.....but keep trying to twist yourself into knots with examples that aren't even remotely similar...
Clearly there ARE degrees of allergic response....hence someone can absolutely be HIGHLY ALLERGIC or BARELY ALLERGIC for that matter
There are however clearly NOT degrees of being pregnant...I would really love to hear your explanation of how the "extent" to which you can GET pregnant has levels...
That is the most nonsensical line in this whole thread and yet you are getting bent out of shape over people using the term HIGHLY ALLERGIC correctly....but you don't even understand how pregnancy works...extent you can get pregnant....LOL
.....it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people....
Of course it's a description of the PERSON in regards to a PARTICULAR ALLERGEN....
Explain how THIS use of the term HIGHLY ALLERGIC varies from your initial rant about being disturbed how in YOUR mind people use the word HIGHLY ALLERGIC when talking about a specific reaction improperly...
It is the EXACT same use of the term.....but keep trying to twist yourself into knots with examples that aren't even remotely similar...
Clearly there ARE degrees of allergic response....hence someone can absolutely be HIGHLY ALLERGIC or BARELY ALLERGIC for that matter
There are however clearly NOT degrees of being pregnant...I would really love to hear your explanation of how the "extent" to which you can GET pregnant has levels...
That is the most nonsensical line in this whole thread and yet you are getting bent out of shape over people using the term HIGHLY ALLERGIC correctly....but you don't even understand how pregnancy works...extent you can get pregnant....LOL
I guess you never learned about hormones and fertility. Here it is in layman's terms: Some women get pregnant very easily. Some women do not. Some women can get pregnant right within the window that medical science considers average. The ability of any given fertile woman to actually get pregnant varies. However, once they are pregnant, they're never "very" pregnant, or "highly" pregnant, or "just a little" pregnant. They're either pregnant, or they're not.
The same is with allergies. Some people have severe reactions to allergies. Some have mild reactions to allergies. The severity to an allergy will vary from person to person. However, once a person has an allergy, they are not "highly" allergic, or "very" allergic, or "just a little allergic." They're either allergic, or they're not.
The same is with crime. Some people commit really horrible crimes. Some people commit insignificant crimes. The severity of a crime will vary from criminal to criminal. However, once a person has committed a crime, they are not "extreme criminals" or "very" criminal or "just a little criminal." They're either a criminal or they're not.
Are you noticing a trend yet? If so, you get it. If not, please feel free to re-read.
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