Introduction (Criteria/Objective/Term)

This assignment aims to assist us in applying our knowledge learned regarding the characteristics of definitions to a selected term. The assignment will allow us to understand the importance of the variations of definitions that can be used depending on the targeted audience. 

The term being defined in this assignment is apotemnophilia.

Parenthetical Definition

Apotemnophilia is a rare mental health condition (disorder or illness) in which the patient has an obsessive yearning (desire) to amputate (remove or excise) a healthy limb (body part) (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p. 1255).

Sentence Definition

Term: Apotemnophilia

Class: Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p.1261)

Distinguishing Features: 

  • Caused by dysfunction of the right parietal lobe (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p. 1259). 
  • Characterized by an uncontrollable urgency to permanently damage a part of one’s body and become an amputee (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p. 1255). 

Apotemnophilia is also identified as a body integrity identity disorder that is caused by dysfunction of the right parietal lobe. This mental illness can be characterized by one’s uncontrollable urgency to permanently damage a healthy body part and become an amputee (Sedda and Bottini, 2014). 

Expanded Definition

Etymology: The term apotemnophilia is derived from the Greek words apo meaning “away from”, temno meaning “piece cut off”, and philia meaning “love” (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p.1256). All three of these words combine to create a general definition of “love for amputation” (Sedda and Bottini, 2014, p.1256).

History: In 1977, this condition was first described by psychologists as primarily sexually orientated (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). It didn’t receive much attention until the late 1990s when two healthy individuals insisted their surgeon amputate their limbs (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). In 2004, it was officially identified as a body integrity identity disorder (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). However, research to determine whether it is a neurological or a psychotic disorder is still ongoing (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). 

Symptoms: The principal sign of this disorder is the intense desire to amputate a limb or lose a function such as eyesight or hearing (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). Sometimes, the patient may display a sexual arousal connection with this desire (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). 

Compare and Contrast: This term can often be confused with acrotomophilia which is the desire to be with or being sexually interested in an amputee (Money and Simcoe, 1984, p.43). Apotemnophilia is the desire or sexual interest to be the amputee themself. 

Figure 1. An example of an amputee (person with a removed limb). (Dove, 2021).

Visual: It is difficult to present a picture of a disorder, however here is an image of a person with an amputated leg to help create a visualization sufficiently close. If we were to assume the woman in the picture herself suffers from apotemnophilia, it is safe to believe she is satisfied by her amputation. 

 

Dove, E. (2021, April 22). Amputee Lianne Forrest shares her story of body confidence. Good 

Housekeeping. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/health/a36001775/amputee-

body-confidence/. 

Money, J., & Simcoe, K. W. (1984). Acrotomophilia, sex and disability: New concepts and case 

report. Sexuality and Disability, 7(1-2), 43–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01101829 

Sedda, A., & Bottini, G. (2014). Apotemnophilia, body integrity identity disorder or xenomelia? 

Psychiatric and neurologic etiologies face each other. Neuropsychiatric Disease and 

Treatment, 1255. https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s53385 

Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, May 24). Body integrity dysphoria. Wikipedia. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_integrity_dysphoria#:~:text=Apotemnophilia%20was

%20first%20described%20in,2004%20were%20generally%20case%20studies.