Apotemnophilia

Apotemnophilia is the erotic interest in being or looking like an amputee. [Money, J., Jobaris, R., & Furth, G. (1977). Apotemnophilia: Two cases of self demand amputation as a sexual preference. "The Journal of Sex Research, 13," 115–124.] [Everaerd, W. (1983). A case of apotemnophilia: A handicap as sexual preference. "American Journal of Psychotherapy, 37," 285–293.] It should not be confused with acrotomophilia, which is the erotic interest in people who "are" amputees. [Dixon, D. (1983). An erotic attraction to amputees. "Sexuality and Disability, 6," 3–19.] When experienced very strongly, some people with apotemnophilia come to feel discontented with their bodies and want to actually remove an otherwise healthy limb, a condition called Body Integrity Identity Disorder. Some apotemnophiles seek surgeons to perform an amputation or purposefully injure a limb in order to force emergency medical amputation. [Bensler, J. M., & Paauw, D. S. (2003). Apotemnophilia masquerading as medical morbidity. "Southern Medical Journal, 96," 674–676.] [Berger, B. D., Lehrmann, J. A., Larson, G., Alverno, L., & Tsao, C. I. (2005). Nonpsychotic, nonparaphilic self-amputation and the internet. "Comprehensive Psychiatry, 46," 380–383.]

Research Studies

Among a convenience sample of 52 apotemnophiles recruited from internet groups, the great majority wanted a single leg removed, cut above the knee. [First, M. B. (2005). Desire for amputation of a limb: Paraphilia, psychosis, or a new type of identity disorder. "Psychological Medicine, 35," 919–928.] There are parallels between apotemnophilia as a motivation for Body Integrity Identity Disorder and autogynephilia as a motivation for some cases of male-to-female Gender Identity Disorder. [Lawrence, A. A. (2006). Clinical and theoretical parallels between desire for limb amputation and gender identity disorder. "Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35," 263–278.]

ee Also

* Disability pretenders, those who behave as if they are disabled
* Attraction to disability

References