I won't be happy until I lose my legs

[karrie]

Whatever keeps us breathing eh? Mine are grown and the powers that be tell me Im better off away from the real world lol boy are they right, I panic at the grocers. I can feel for that girl. I know why some cant but I do.

I can't imagine feeling as extremely as she does, that's for sure.

But what really struck me while reading the article, was what her poor husband must be going through. To see someone you love cause themself so much pain. Geez, I just can't imagine. I know it might sound odd, but at least with suicide, most people can understand why someone would do it, and while you mourn them, they are gone, and beyond pain. To watch your wife maim herself to such a scary degree, and not because she wants to die, but just because she wants to change. How scary. And to know it's probably just a matter of time until she tries to take off the next leg. *shudders*

 

[selfactivated]

I'm going to light a candle

 

[sanctus]

Whatever keeps us breathing eh? Mine are grown and the powers that be tell me Im better off away from the real world lol boy are they right, I panic at the grocers. I can feel for that girl. I know why some cant but I do.

I cannot understand what motivates her thinking. How very alone she must feel.

 

[karrie]

I cannot understand what motivates her thinking. How very alone she must feel.

I've been reading up on it on the net tonight, and from the sounds of it, she's not as alone as she likely thinks. The websites I've found on it all point out that people with BIID are amongst the most secretive about their issues. One site even went so far as to suggest that finding true statistics would be next to impossible, because so many BIID sufferes disguise their amputations as accidents. Fire arm discharges, machinery accidents, failed suicides.... no one can be certain how many were actually succesful BIID issues.

What I found most intriguing, is that the other body dysmorphic issues I was thinking it was related to, seem to be relatively unrelated. This issue is one which is firmly imprinted early on, as early as 4 or 5 years old, rather than after puberty like the others such as anorexia. Some theorize that neural links fail to form between the cerebral cortex and the affected limbs, making the body literally think they do not belong.

 

[selfactivated]

I've been reading up on it on the net tonight, and from the sounds of it, she's not as alone as she likely thinks. The websites I've found on it all point out that people with BIID are amongst the most secretive about their issues. One site even went so far as to suggest that finding true statistics would be next to impossible, because so many BIID sufferes disguise their amputations as accidents. Fire arm discharges, machinery accidents, failed suicides.... no one can be certain how many were actually succesful BIID issues.

What I found most intriguing, is that the other body dysmorphic issues I was thinking it was related to, seem to be relatively unrelated. This issue is one which is firmly imprinted early on, as early as 4 or 5 years old, rather than after puberty like the others such as anorexia. Some theorize that neural links fail to form between the cerebral cortex and the affected limbs, making the body literally think they do not belong.

You be a smart cookie

But feeling alone is a big part of it dont you think. Lonliness kills.

 

[sanctus]

I've been reading up on it on the net tonight, and from the sounds of it, she's not as alone as she likely thinks. The websites I've found on it all point out that people with BIID are amongst the most secretive about their issues. One site even went so far as to suggest that finding true statistics would be next to impossible, because so many BIID sufferes disguise their amputations as accidents. Fire arm discharges, machinery accidents, failed suicides.... no one can be certain how many were actually succesful BIID issues.

What I found most intriguing, is that the other body dysmorphic issues I was thinking it was related to, seem to be relatively unrelated. This issue is one which is firmly imprinted early on, as early as 4 or 5 years old, rather than after puberty like the others such as anorexia. Some theorize that neural links fail to form between the cerebral cortex and the affected limbs, making the body literally think they do not belong.

Fascinating. I've heard the odd thing here and there about this sort of thing, but never any stat's or information. Thanks for the information.

What a peculiar disorder. Did your reading suggest that there is any sort of a hatred or dislike for those parts of the body they did not want?

 

[karrie]

Fascinating. I've heard the odd thing here and there about this sort of thing, but never any stat's or information. Thanks for the information.

What a peculiar disorder. Did your reading suggest that there is any sort of a hatred or dislike for those parts of the body they did not want?

it doesn't seem to be that there is really any hatred. Simply a feeling of being incomplete, and that the amputation will fix it. Interestingly, it is mostly men who suffer from this, predominantly a leg which is the issue, and the person usually has a definite idea of where they want it amputated, typically an above the knee amputation. Odd that so many would feel the exact same way in the exact same limbs. To me, it definitely implies more than a psych problem.

 

[karrie]

You be a smart cookie

But feeling alone is a big part of it dont you think. Lonliness kills.

To be honest, I think loneliness is probably what stops them from going through with it for so long. The articles I've found on it have stated that it hasn't ever really been cured. The compulsion can be controlled, but is never gotten rid of. I think if the sufferer felt understood, and accepted, they'd simply cause an amputation, feeling that it would all be okay and they'd be accepted no matter what. Feeling that no one would understand is one of the only things stopping a lot of these people from the sounds of it. It seems to defy all conventional thought in the realm of disorders where one wants to cause themselves bodily harm.

 

[selfactivated]

To be honest, I think loneliness is probably what stops them from going through with it for so long. The articles I've found on it have stated that it hasn't ever really been cured. The compulsion can be controlled, but is never gotten rid of. I think if the sufferer felt understood, and accepted, they'd simply cause an amputation, feeling that it would all be okay and they'd be accepted no matter what. Feeling that no one would understand is one of the only things stopping a lot of these people from the sounds of it. It seems to defy all conventional thought in the realm of disorders where one wants to cause themselves bodily harm.

Its beyond even me and Im the nuttiest I know

 

[karrie]

oh tam, I'm sure you know people who are nuttier than you, you just are honest and show it (like me!). lol. personally, I prefer that to the people who are crazy INSIDE. lol.

 

[selfactivated]

oh tam, I'm sure you know people who are nuttier than you, you just are honest and show it (like me!). lol. personally, I prefer that to the people who are crazy INSIDE. lol.

LOL Im a bit TOO honest for most but we're learning alot about eachother arent we Im not to bad for a Pagan and your not so bad for a Catholic Now we know both sides are nuts!

 

[karrie]

LOL Im a bit TOO honest for most but we're learning alot about eachother arent we Im not to bad for a Pagan and your not so bad for a Catholic Now we know both sides are nuts!

I'd say, both sides are simply, human. lol

 

[L Gilbert]

What I found most intriguing, is that the other body dysmorphic issues I was thinking it was related to, seem to be relatively unrelated. This issue is one which is firmly imprinted early on, as early as 4 or 5 years old, rather than after puberty like the others such as anorexia. Some theorize that neural links fail to form between the cerebral cortex and the affected limbs, making the body literally think they do not belong.

I've read that, too. I don't really think there is one reason why people have this disorder, but more than one. I read somewhere, or maybe thought of it sometime, but it could be a control thing. I knew a girl who's husband was a control freak and the only control she felt she had was over her body and it wasn't very much control at that because she wasn't allowed to make any permanent or long-lasting changes. She changed here hair color a lot. There are various reasons why some people feel they have no control, as well (some mental, some physical), so the issue can get extremely involved. Then there could always be the complexities where a combination of maladies are at work at the same time.
Any which way, though, ridicule is fool's play. Compassion is the appropriate road.

 

[smilingfish]

This is so unfair.
Someone who has healthy legs wants to cut them off, while my whole family wish my dad could walk without crutches.

 

[sanctus]

I've read that, too. I don't really think there is one reason why people have this disorder, but more than one. I read somewhere, or maybe thought of it sometime, but it could be a control thing. I knew a girl who's husband was a control freak and the only control she felt she had was over her body and it wasn't very much control at that because she wasn't allowed to make any permanent or long-lasting changes. She changed here hair color a lot. There are various reasons why some people feel they have no control, as well (some mental, some physical), so the issue can get extremely involved. Then there could always be the complexities where a combination of maladies are at work at the same time.
Any which way, though, ridicule is fool's play. Compassion is the appropriate road.

That's an interesting point of view! I wonder that anyone can arrive at this type of thought, in other words, that control involves dismembering themselves. Compassion is indeed the only option, I agree. I confess that this dysfunction is one that totally mystifies me. I wonder how many people, roughly, are actually afflicted with this disorder?