Background: The syndrome of apotemnophilia, body integrity or amputee identity disorder, is defined as
the desire for amputation of a healthy limb
, and may be accompanied by behaviour of pretending to be an amputee and sometimes, but not necessarily, by sexual arousal.
Is apotemnophilia a mental illness?
Apotemnophilia is
a rare, uncommonly studied condition
, which blurs the limits between psychiatry and neurology. We must be aware that this disorder is more frequent in unusual places like websites and others. A better understanding of this condition is crucial for the development of effective treatment.
What are the causes of apotemnophilia?
We proposed that apotemnophilia, like somatoparaphre- nia, is caused by
dysfunction of the right parietal lobe leading to a distorted body image and a desire for an amputation of one or more limbs
[8]. This neurological, as opposed to psychodynamic, view of apotemnophilia is supported by four observations.
Is apotemnophilia the same as BIID?
More recently, the term used to describe apotemnophilia is
body integrity image disorder (BIID)
also known as Amputee Identity Disorder (AID). The first person to use the term BIID was US psychiatrist Michael First, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University.
Is apotemnophilia curable?
How Is BIID Treated? This condition is troubling partially because there is little information about it and
no cure
.
What is Somatoparaphrenia?
Somatoparaphrenia is defined by the belief that
a limb or limbs do not belong to oneself
and is associated with right parietal lobe damage, particularly the TPJ.
What are symptoms of Apotemnophilia?
| Body integrity dysphoria | Other names Body integrity identity disorder | Specialty Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology | Symptoms Desire to become disabled, discomfort with being able-bodied | Complications Self-amputation |
|---|
Why do I want to cut my limbs off?
They suffer from a very rare condition called
body integrity identity disorder or BIID
. It’s a psychological condition in which a person has the uncontrollable desire to electively amputate a limb. People with this disorder often feel one of their limbs is truly not their own.
Why do I feel like my leg isn’t mine?
The feeling a limb doesn’t belong is
linked to lack of brain structure and connection
. Summary: People with body integrity dysphoria (BID) often feel as though one of their healthy limbs isn’t meant to be a part of their bodies. They may act as though the limb is missing or even seek its amputation ‘to feel complete.
How do you diagnose Apotemnophilia?
Transability spectrum exists, but
there is no diagnosis, it has no legal status
. In order to recognize and reduce significant psychological suffering of people with BIID (anxiety, depressive symptoms, suicidal behavior etc.)
What does Xenomelia mean?
Xenomelia is
the oppressive feeling that one or more limbs of one’s body do not belong to one’s self
. We present the results of a thorough examination of the characteristics of the disorder in 15 males with a strong desire for amputation of one or both legs.
What is gender dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is a term that
describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity
. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life.
What’s it called when you cut off a limb?
Amputation
is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, hand, toe, or finger.
Can you self amputate?
Self-amputation, the extreme form of self-mutilation, is
uncommon
. The vast majority of cases are associated with psychosis, with a small number being assigned the controversial diagnosis of body identity integrity disorder (BIID).
Is BIID a real disorder?
The term body integrity identity disorder (BIID) describes the extremely rare phenomenon of persons who desire the amputation of one or more healthy limbs or who desire a
paralysis
. Some of these persons mutilate themselves; others ask surgeons for an amputation or for the transection of their spinal cord.
Is BIID a neurological disorder?
Neurological results suggest that BIID is
a brain disorder producing a disruption of the body image
, for which parallels for stroke patients are known.
