Body Integrity Identity Disorder is a disorder that has rarely been heard of. Many sufferers try to keep their longing for an amputation to themselves all of the more keeping them feeling more and more alone and ashamed. They may feel as though no one can really relate to what they are feeling so they are left without solace. Being a person to lend a helping hand may not only be beneficial for the BIID individual but for the person helping as well, in terms of understanding the disorder. BIID is the longing for an amputation. Many people living with this disorder feel as if they are not a complete person and they so not feel like themselves if they have all of their limbs. It may sound somewhat silly but it’s a real disorder and real people are suffering from it everyday. Learning to be there for them and keep an open mind when they need to talk is the best intervention that anyone could provide. BIID may be hard to understand for many but trying is half of the battle. The natural reaction that most may have to loosing a limb may generally be despair but for the BIID individual it has become the complete opposite. A BIID sufferer would be ecstatic for the time being. Future responses to actually living without a limb for the long term may be detrimental to some.
Wanting an amputation to accomplish the feeling of completeness can be pretty lonely. Finding people that understand and can help with the problem is like a victory in the healing process. While the feeling of wanting an amputation may not ever completely go away there will at least be someone there to confide in. You as a friend or loved one can help tremendously in the life of someone suffering from body integrity identity disorder. You may be one of the pieces missing to help them feel whole.
