By Shagun Rai
What is Apotemnophilia syndrome?
Often referred to as Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), apotemnophilia is defined as an obsessive disorder that attempts individuals to have one or multiple healthy body parts, commonly limbs, removed by amputation. This ends up resulting in the need for surgical amputation for that specific area.
What exactly causes Apotemnophilia?
Although not much is known about this condition, it is believed to be more of a neurological condition than a psychological one and has a relation with damage to the right parietal lobe in the brain, leading to the visual of a distorted body image. This condition can also trace back to an individual’s early childhood trauma and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. People with apotemnophilia often believe a certain limb of theirs does not actually belong to them which further leads them to want to amputate that limb off. They believe getting rid of that body part will help them decipher their problems easier. The individual also may have a sense of sexual arousal connected with the desire for loss of a limb or sense.
As doctors try to understand this condition further, they believe it is connected to the disappointment one may experience from their physical appearance.
Is this syndrome treatable?
Apotemnophilia is troubling partially as there is not enough information and cure provided for it just yet. Despite these difficulties, aversion and cognitive-behavioral therapies have been used as attempts in treating this condition. Other treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which aim to reduce the depression and distress associated with apotemnophilia, were also used as medical attempts to actively target the disorder.
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