Recommendations for the Treatment of Persons with Body Integrity Identity Disorder (biid)

Abstract

Introduction Apotemnophilia or body integrity identity disorder (BIID) denotes a syndrome in which a person is preoccupied with the desire to amputate a healthy limb. The desire to amputate one’s healthy limb seems to be related to a disturbance in the person’s perception of one’s own identity. Patients suffering from BIID have a mismatch between their actual and perceived body schema, and they feel that being an amputee is a necessary and important aspect of their identity. Aims More investigations are needed in order to develop noninvasive treatment strategies in this domain in order to reduce the subjective symptoms and the physical discomfort of patients. BIID is not listed in the current DSM-V as an official disorder. Transability spectrum exists, but there is no diagnosis, it has no legal status. In order to recognize and reduce significant psychological suffering of people with BIID (anxiety, depressive symptoms, suicidal behavior etc.) the authors of this paper recommend the following: • the need for establishing clear diagnostic criteria and • therapeutic protocols in dealing with BIID Respectively the disorder should be better described so as to develop further and more specialized treatment strategies. Conclusions Considering the fact that there is a relative increase in the number of people with BIID, there is a need for setting precise diagnostic criteria. Also, a comparison with the transgender spectrum could be a good example- in terms of setting clear guidelines, such as there are in dealing with persons with GID.