Some healthy people want to be amputated because they have a syndrome called identity disorder and body integrity, although DSM-V doesn’t recognize it.
This psychological disorder may be associated with apotemnophilia, in which people, although seemingly healthy, are not satisfied with their own body or feel that a certain part of the body is not part of themselves, thus wishing for amputation of an arm or leg. , or even want to go blind.
- These people have been dissatisfied with their own body since childhood and this can lead them to cause accidents by losing the body part they feel have “left.
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This disorder shows the first signs in early childhood or adolescence, when the individual begins to talk about dissatisfaction, pretend that the limb does not exist, or is attracted to people with disabilities, there is still no cause for this problem, but it appears to be related to childhood emotional disorders and the need for care. It may also be associated with the neurological failure responsible for body mapping within the brain, located in the right parietal lobe.
Because these people’s brains don’t recognize the existence of any part of the body, such as a hand or leg, for example, they end up rejecting the limb and wanting it to disappear. People with this disorder often play extreme sports, or cause accidents in an attempt to lose the unwanted part of the body, and some people even have limb amputations on their own, at high risk of bleeding, infections and death.
Initially the treatment of this disorder involves therapy with the psychologist and psychiatrist, and the use of medications to try to control anxiety and identify the problem, however, this disorder is incurable and patients continue with the desire to lose a specific part of the body. until this happens.
Although surgical treatment is not recognized, some doctors support the decision and amputate the healthy limbs of these people, who claim they have already finished after surgery.
Family members and friends of people with bodily identity and integrity disorders must understand the disease and learn to live with the patient. Like people who want to change their sex, these people believe that only withdrawal surgery on a limb is the solution to the problem.
However, it is important to make sure that people with this disorder do not cause accidents on their own or protect their limbs without medical assistance. In addition, it is important to note that some people after amputation surgery have the same problem in other parts of the country. Body.