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Apotemnophilia

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Apotemnophilia is the erotic interest in being an amputee. It should not be confused with acrotomophilia, which is the erotic interest in people who are amputees. When experienced very strongly, apotemnophilia can motivate Body Integrity Identity Disorder, the desire to actually remove an otherwise healthy limb. Some apotemnophiles seek surgeons to perform an amputation or purposefully injure a limb in order to force emergency medical amputation.

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. 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.

References

  1. 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.
  2. Everaerd, W. (1983). A case of apotemnophilia: A handicap as sexual preference. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 37, 285–293.
  3. Dixon, D. (1983). An erotic attraction to amputees. Sexuality and Disability, 6, 3–19.
  4. Bensler, J. M., & Paauw, D. S. (2003). Apotemnophilia masquerading as medical morbidity. Southern Medical Journal, 96, 674–676.
  5. 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.
  6. First, M. B. (2005). Desire for amputation of a limb: Paraphilia, psychosis, or a new type of identity disorder. Psychological Medicine, 35, 919–928.
  7. Lawrence, A. A. (2006). Clinical and theoretical parallels between desire for limb amputation and gender identity disorder. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 263–278.