Have you heard of BIID before? How do you think we can treat this subject with more compassion?

Hey Jo, I really appreciate you talking about this topic. As someone who does suffer from BIID I wanted to thank you for talking about this with such compassion and empathy. It makes me feel less crazy to talk about it and I am getting help from a professional but it is very touch and go because as you said there is not a lot of research on it. But I love seeing your videos and love the vibes you give out from your video.

I have BIID and I can say from experience that this is by no means a choice. I want to feel normal, I want to look at my arm and not feel like screaming, but I can't, because those weren't the cards I was dealt. This disorder is terrifying, I'm always scared that one day it'll get too painful and I'll do something rash, that could kill me, or worse. It's not for pity, or resources, or attention. The urge is there to stop the constant mental suffering that comes from this disorder.

Wow. I am so grateful to have found this video! I do, in fact, have medically-diagnosed BID. Hearing such compassionate words from you absolutely melts my heart! Thank You! Sincerely, it means a lot to me. After all, it's kind of hard not to think of yourself as a horrible person for wanting to have a perfectly functional part of you voluntarily removed... I would know. In my case it's my left forearm. Midway between elbow and wrist. A 'transradial amputation.' I've felt I should be without my left forearm since I was seven. Again, thank you! ~Erika

I love how you talked about this with such empathy for both sides of the argument. Your compassion is so admirable. I think I’d be in the opposite side of the spectrum, someone who probably should live more as if they are disabled because right now I try too hard to live like an abled person and it causes me so much physical pain :P is there a diagnosis for that? Probably denial lol

I watched a show about a guy with BIID. He ended up sticking his own leg in a bucket of ice to kill the part he wanted removed. It was an eye-opener for sure. It was a good reminder that I don't know what's going on in the lives of strangers.

Hiya jo! I do suffer from BIID and have from a young age of 8. I don’t have a desire to be disabled, however I do feel as if my left leg does not belong to me. Funny thing is I am super active, scuba diving, hiking, biking etc. you are awesome in talking about this subject with such compassion and not being judgmental. You are now one of 5 people that knows about condition I have as I feel I can’t chat with anyone. If you have any questions I would be happy that chat with you. Your video piped up when I was trying to do research on BIID

Thank you for talking about hard things.

It's so refreshing to see someone talk about this disorder with compassion, most of the time when I try to tell people what it's like living with BIID they react very negatively, hell, I've gotten a couple death threats online because of it.

Thanks, Jo, for this very compassionate look at BIID. I suffered from BIID all my life and I have been a below knee amputee for 9 years. I love being that way and never get tired of it. You mentioned getting psychological help. I tried that for years, and it did not help at all. I have not heard of anyone who was helped with BIID by therapy. It is helpful to deal with other issues, and I think every BIID sufferer should try therapy for a while, just because some day someone may find something that helps. With a below knee amputation, I have no disability. I am more active than anyone I know of my age (74). When I am not doing outdoor sports or moving heavy things, I prefer to use crutches and not wear a prosthetic. I feel that I am really me that way. I expect that you will soon get back to being fully able-bodied and pain-free. Thanks again for the compassionate video.

Thank you from a health care provider for your compassion for those suffering with BIID.

I'm the most angry and bitter person I know but you are able to make me smile. Thank you

I’ve heard that this disorder happens because of the brain not mapping the body correctly, which explains why wanting a limb gone is so prominent for people with this disorder. I wish that there was more known about why it happens, because then I think people would have an easier time understanding what they’re going through rather than calling them ungrateful.

Off topic but you're becoming one of my favorite people on KZfaq.

I have a couple of friends with BIID. I think it's fairly common to be accused of having this disorder when in the position to choose amputation for a better life. I have been accused of having this disorder as well because I can go on with my foot for years and just deal with the pain, but I want my life back. My friends with this disorder laugh because they know I don't fit the criteria for it but it still kinda stings when people don't take my pain and my quality of life seriously.

From what I've read, BIID is almomst the opposite of phantom sensation. It has to do with the brain's map of the body. Phantom sensations happen because the brain still has a map of the missing limb. BIID is when the brain lacks a proper map of the affected limb.

Whoever diagnosed you in the comment section simply didn't watch any of your videos before they commented... This is really interesting, I appreciate your unbiased and thorough delivery. I remember years ago seeing a story about a guy that had a physically healthy arm but swore up and down that it gave him unbarable pain. The doctors said there was nothing physically wrong with it and refused to amputate. After years of suffering and begging countless doctors he built a guillotine in his back yard and a raging fire next to it. He put a tourniquet around his arm, chopped it off, threw it into the fire and waited for it to burn beyond repair before calling 911. Unfortunately the story still didn't have a happy ending. He still had phantom pain equally as bad and if I remember correctly committed suicide. Very sad stuff. I hope people with your compassion in the medical field will really pursue studying this and shed more light on what's going on and get these people whatever help they need. Wether physical or mental.

Thanks for being so open minded about this. I used to have BIID in my younger life. Now I've decided to accept what I have got, though to be honest I never truly grew out of it. I really respect those who decide to fulfill their wishes, it truly takes a lot of courage to make such a decision.

Hi Jo, this is my first time commenting on one of your videos, but I've been watching your channel for a while now. A few times I thought to ask what you thought about this topic as I myself suffer from it, but so much of the portrayal and commentary on BIID online is so negative and I was afraid that if I even brought it up anywhere on this platform I would just get harassed... But seeing how you talked about BIID in this video honestly brought me to tears (sorry for the dramatics lol). I've struggled with the amputation variant of BIID for most of my life but only recently was able to put a name to what and how I was feeling, and after seeing so many videos making fun of, ridiculing, and outright calling people with BIID crazy and saying they deserved to die? Your words were so sympathetic and understanding I just can't thank you enough for this. Sorry for the long paragraph 😅 God speed on your personal journey ♡ thank you again ♡

Wow, you are educating a lot of people!!! Never heard of biid before. Unfortunate people pass judgement without really knowing full situation.

I was never even aware of this, thank you for shining light on this topic! Interesting.

Another study found there is something wrong, the neurological make-up like the mapping may not been finished, and brain scans can prove this however the person have to be able to point this out, I have this disorder and I think I mentioned this before? I struggle a lot because it's like when you get the urge to just start to hurt your own self, you may find yourself doing it but not want to, I've gotten better at catching myself at this

hi everyone :) for anyone here that's still having an issue with accepting individuals with this disorder, you have a neuroscience major here :P! People with BIID have damage to their parietal lobe, which in charge of your sense of self in space and bodily awareness! Their brains are not the same as a healthy control! Please find sympathy for everyone who you do not understand, just like Jo says!

Thank you for this video! I have BIID, or at least I suspect that I do. Ever since I was a little kid, I've wanted to have my left eye removed and to have scar tissue there instead. I have attempted to cut my face and cut my eye out, but I was so frightened, only ended up doing a very small cut on my cheek that healed up within days. My cellphone battery is swelling and people say it's dangerous. I keep it beside my pillow every night, hoping it might explode in my face. So my BIID is focused on my face and eye. It's not super specific, but my inner struggle ranges from wanting a scar over the eye to having half my face entirely re-arranged. I go around with an eye patch on sometimes, although I do not need to, medically. I think I know why I have this... because thing is I'm already disabled, just not physically. I have autism to such an extent that I'm considered unable to work for life. Yet I've been bullied from early childhood for my invisible disability. As an adult, it's instead scoffed at and rejected. All my life people have told me I'm lazy and just not trying hard enough. I think I just want my disability to show on the outside, and for my struggles in life to be respected. Additionally to my autism, I'm deaf on my left ear since birth. It's a hearing impairment that's not "bad enough" to be considered a disability at all. But that doesn't mean I'm unaffected by it, it means that no one gives a fucking shit about how it affects me. No one can remember which ear it is, so they always walk/sit on the wrong side of me and then they play stupid when I keep running over to their other side. I'm tired. I've done that my whole life. Not even my mother can remember which ear it is. So, I don't think it's a coincidence that I wanna be very obviously blinded on my *left* side. To make people notice a physical issue that I already have. People don't care about issues that aren't visible. That's a big problem with society in general, I think, that "if I can't see it, it doesn't exist" ableist mindset, but also, unfortunately makes total sense. I too have trouble trusting and remembering things that aren't clearly visible. I can't know why other people with BIID have it, or speak for them, but I think it could be for similar reasons as I do. I feel really bad for people who are disabled and wish they weren't, as would be probably the very vast majority of people with disabilities. I'm very sorry you lost your foot. I actually genuinely am. Because clearly you didn't want for that to happen. Although I wanted to say that some people with BIID are actually disabled themselves too, as in not by choice, and it can be quite a moral dilemma, of essentially wanting to become *more* disabled, instead of less. Also, as a transsexual (female to male) I think BIID feels similar to gender dysphoria, except it's just even more fucked up. I wanted my breasts gone, and had a double mastectomy. Now I'm happy with my chest. But then that I want half my face gone too, is just a lot harder even for myself to grasp. I don't identify as transabled though, that feels too politicized. I didn't choose this, any of this.

That’s such an odd disorder. Kinda goes against your bodies natural want to stay whole and intact. Do you think, in the case of the man you mentioned, that it may even border on a type of self harm? I myself have struggled with self harm and to get past your bodies instinct of natural self preservation takes a LOT of mental anguish and a LOT of struggle. You always get my brain working, Jo. I appreciate ya!

To me, BIID is almost like Gender Dysphoria. You have something, but you don't necessarily want it for a number of reasons and it can be very upsetting to see it and not be able to do anything about it. I'm somewhat dysphoric with my chest where I don't want my boobs some days and it just puts me in a mood and makes me feel crappy. Why are people slightly more understanding of that, than someone who doesn't want a limb or something, because they don't feel like it belongs there?

For the record, if a person doesn't acknowledge that the limb is naturally their own, they do not fall under the category of BIID. Also, as someone who has studied this in depth as a bioethicist, there is data that suggests that there could, in fact, be a physical cause of BIID, so it's quite possible that the limb is not actually "healthy." :)

It seems as though you feel like you have to defend your decision to other people. I'm glad you address the issue in a very awesome way. I did see a story where a fellow decided he needed to have his leg amputated below the knee and was unable to convince the doctors to do it. So what he did was put his leg into a container of dry ice and ultimately had to have his leg amputated below the knee. And I believe compassion is the answer for people have struggled. You're awesome.

I love how compassionate you are. I used to want to be deaf as a child/young teen and would try and damaged my ears but as I got older I realised going deaf wouldn't stop the voice in my head. It takes a lot for someone to harm themselves like that. If going deaf would get rid of the voice I hear I would take that option. Living with it is horrendous and often dying seems like a good solution so in comparison to death being deaf doesn't seem so bad.

There's a condition called asomatognosia that can happen after a stroke/damage to the right parietal lobe, and it causes the person not to recognize a limb or even half their body as belonging to them. There's also somatoparaphrenia, which is where the brain basically compensates for this strange presence of body parts it doesn't recognize by coming up with explanations that they belong to someone else. BIID appears to be related to thus phenomenon. "Research provisionally found that people with BID were more likely to want removal of a left limb than right, in accordance with damage to the right parietal lobe; in addition, skin conductance response is significantly different above and below the line of desired amputation, and the line of desired amputation remains stable over time, with the desire often beginning in early childhood."

Your compassion towards the individuals with BIID is truly inspiring. You are able to look past your own feeling to sympathize for them

I don’t feel like you had a decision.you weren’t healing and that’s an impossible choice. I was born 35 years ago with my entire right side is disabled. I’m with you that I’d give anything to be 100% able bodied. Ive always felt different and like a burden. There has been a lot of times when I thought that cutting off my right leg would help but that was a terrible teenage thought. You are honestly a beautiful soul and I admire you a lot. Thank you for make me feel a bit more normal. I would love to shoot the breeze with you one day.

This was such a kind and level headed approach to a really sensitive topic

Thank you for a great and compassionate video. This is my wife's You Tube account, but I am Chloe Jennings-White, one of the people with BIID you mention in the video. I would like to add that around 75% of people with BIID already have disabilities not of their own choosing; so it is not really about able bodied people wanting to be disabled. If that were the case I would have been automatically cured a long time ago! I have had Fibromyalgia since 1986 and an accidental Spinal Cord Injury since 2006.

as someone who had Body Integrity Identity Disorder, i suffered from serious depression until the day i cut my hand off in a bandsaw, after that i never had depression again and even found life got easier for me, and 7 years later, ive a loving wife, and 11 kids and ive never once thought about if i regret it, because i dont

I’m so f*cking happy I found this 😂 I’ve been acting disabled since second grade and would pray every night I’d get into an accident and loose my right leg! Sounds awful but I’d cry over it every night and I just found out it’s called BIID!!! To bad it isn’t legal to actually do this :( but hopefully someday it will be so I don’t live in awful pain everyday!

Well, "by choice" is debatable. Don't misunderstand, I know you decided(in favor of less pain), but you are making progress. I believe in you😊😊😊

Chloe, the woman in the leg braces, is very opened about it and a wealth of knowledge on BIID. I don’t know if the article you read gave her full story, but some of her disability is real. I’ve connected here with a couple of disabled friends who were appalled at her existence, and they are now good friends, too. I would ask this: is being transabled and different than being transgender? I can’t imagine having my man parts removed and woman parts installed any more than I can imagine being disabled by choice. But, I fully respect those who do believe that they should be who they are not already physically. Oh, another interesting fact, many people who are transabled actually are disabled, but believe they have the wrong disability. Or they wish their disability was more severe. There are many disabled people who fit in that middle gray area. They are just disabled enough that they don’t fit in the able-bodied world, but they really don’t fit in the disabled world, either. This is extremely stressful on them, and they are some of the ones who may try to become more disabled so that they fit in with one group.

You're amazing and so strong! Your videos are amazing and have showed me so much.

Hi Joe ! Really interesting video especially as a disabled person yourself your insight into this is important. I have just finished my masters thesis on the ethics of amputations for those with BIID. Just one point to note … At 2.22 you state that the individual concerned says their leg is not their leg - it does not belong to them. This technically isn’t correct and is important. Individuals with BIID know the affected limb is theirs they merely feel as though it shouldn’t belong to them. This is significant, many have attempted to claim that BIID is delusional and individuals believe thir leg doesn’t belong to them. Rather individuals with BIID accept the leg is biologically and physically theirs, merely that they do not perceive to be part of their ideal body. This means that individuals with BIID are rational and non delusional people - something which many people get wrong. I hope this clarification helps!

As an amputee, when I first heard of this I think my reaction was like yours. I felt offended, really. That someone could be envious of me, when I have to deal with all the niggling little things I have to deal with as an amputee. But there is quite a lot of variation when it comes to how people feel about themselves. I think we need to be careful when we say "No medical need to do so." because there can be a lot of reasons someone might want to have a medical procedure performed on them. If a woman thinks her breasts are too small, should doctors bar her from having them enlarged? I think most people would think she should be allowed. In fact this operation is performed thousands of times a year. In most cases there is no medical need for her to do this. I'm not sure BIID should be blocked on the grounds that there is no medical need. There may be other reasons to bar it, but if we allow anyone to have any surgery even though there is no medical need, then we can't really bar anyone from having surgery on those same grounds for anything else. Personally I don't think I know enough to have an opinion on BIID. I do think people might regret having an elective amputation. The fantasy of what they want is rarely the same as the reality. Perhaps *THAT* should be grounds for baring it.

Some studies have shown that the area of the body they feel shouldn't be there is missing from the "map of their body" their brain has; so if you close your eyes you can still touch your nose because your brain knows where all the bits of your body are even when you can't see them. But in the case of BIID, even though they can move their limb and can feel it the sensations from it, somewhere in the brain the information is being processed differently (or for some of it maybe not at all) which leads to this very clear feeling of it not being like the rest of their body.

Mental illness is sad. Doesn’t matter whether it makes someone seen as a “bad person” or not. Whether you are depressed or a “psychopath”, your quality of life goes straight down. Even murderers aren’t happy, accomplished people. It’s sad for everyone.

My opinion is this: mental disorders and mental pain are not less than physical disorders and physical pain. People who suffer from BID deserve the utmost compassion and empathy as they deal with very unfortunate, often intense, very distressing symptoms. I think amputation needs to be a measure of last resorts. I know that some with BID are happier after having an amputation, but more studies need to be done on this population to ensure that doctors can determine for their patient if it is a justifiable course of action. I don't see people with BID as "selfish" or "glorifying disability" in most instances. They're rational and they know they aren't like most people. Most won't go up to a combat vet and say "ugh lucky." If they do, they're a jerk. I can also understand how many disabled people have a kneejerk reaction to the severe presentation of this disorder. Y'all went through a traumatic event that caused you to lose a part of yourself through no fault of your own. I can empathize the emotions a blind person who wishes they could see their child would go through when they see a person with BIID who intentionally blinded themselves. More understanding is needed on both sides

Oh my goodness! What a treat to come home and see another and even more fascinating video than the last. I actually work in a job where we deal with intellectual and physical disabilities including mental health and addictions... and I thought we had some interesting topics come up while in training, but this really sparked my curiosity. I have many thoughts on this, even though I haven't encountered BIID in the line of work I do. In reflection, I've thought about a few ideas on this, but unfortunately like a lot of things that we don't have much knowledge about yet, I'm sure it may be considered a little too controversial for some, so I'll just leave it with, your video again gave me much food for thought.... and I love that!

It's almost a mirror to phantom limbs. We know the brain often thinks a limb should be there when it isn't for amputees, it's reasonable that it might work in the other way, that your brain does not perceive your limb as your own.

I think I have a little understanding of BIID, I'm not saying I know what it's like, everybody is unique. Since puberty I wanted my uterus gone, I initially assumed this was a response to crippling menstruation problems. It took almost 20 years to find a doctor who took monthly problems seriously, and medication stopped the cycle, but I still desperately wanted a hysterectomy, my body felt wrong. When I did eventually get one I strangely felt 'whole' (not the reaction my doctor or counsellor expected). On the other hand, as a wheelchair user in constant pain, I also feel I understand the 'gut reaction' of people 'faking' disabilities, but people with BIID, while they may not have a physical problem, are NOT faking. They're not looking for sympathy or financial gain, it is a very real problem for them. On a slight tangent, I'm wondering what really is the difference between amputating an 'alien' limb and gender affirming care for mental wellbeing?

You handled this subject with so much more compassion and grace then I think I would be able to in your situation. There must be something strange going on in the brains of people with BIID to want to hurt themselves like that. I hope that they can figure out some good way to treat it. I heard of it in a novel, but I didn't realize it was so amputee specific.

We need more understanding people like you.

I found this video while researching for a video responding to The Illuminaughti's and thank you for being so much more compassionate. And then I realised that you're Footless Jo from Jimmy's channel! Heyo!

Coming from the channel of a worldwide renown spokesperson for the blind and your stance compared to her is refreshing like a spring breeze. Loved you instantly. You have my heartfelt admiration, dear lady.

We have to accept that mental illness is disability too, and deserves proper treatment and respect (not enabling disordered thinking/behaviour, but approaching with empathy and taking it seriously)

I’m curious for people with BId, and probably there would be different answers, if you had two buttons, one that if pressed would make you feel fine with your body as is, and another that could make your body the way you’d like it right now (so what ever part you want amputated just poofs out, which would you rather press? I think for people who would rather press the second we should just give them a safe means of getting the change they want.

Great topic and compassionately handled. There are so many disorders where amputation is a choice that has to made for medical reasons to improve quality of like. This post reminded me of a young girl (5 years old) with arthrogryposis. It results in deformity of body limbs that severely limits independence. This little girl wanted to be able to keep up with her friends. The family and this little girl jointly decided on amputation. She is now a little older and very happy with the decision. She goes to dace school , rides a bike and is generally independent.

I love your positivity so much! Thank you for educating me and for making my days brighter

I did know one man who had BIID who orchestrated an amputation of one lower leg. And he was very happy with the decision (basically he damaged the leg so much that doctors were forced to amputate). As a devotee, I don't really understand BIID or pretenders, but I'm glad you treated both with respect in this video.

Ive never heard of this condition Thanks for new info 💕

Hi, I'm also a disabled person (tho not physically, but neurologically), and I definetly think that these people definetly DON'T actually want to be disabled. It's a true neurological condition that makes you feel uncomfortable with a certain body feature, whether it's a limb or a sense. One thing is what you want, another one is what you need. I think this should be treated as the mental condition it is, and help people who suffer from it to learn to live with it. And no, if you see a kid wanting to be moved with a wheelchair only because they see somebody using one, that doesn't mean they have this disorder. It's just because they find it more comfortable than walking, and that they don't know the struggles people who use them have to face daily. At least that was my case when I was a child. I didn't like going walking, especially long distances, because my feet would end up hurting (they are too flat, which means that I have almost no arch, and that I need to use special shoes or insoles when I go on considerably intensive walks). 😅 But of course, I had no idea about what that and how much it could carry...

Thank you so much for this video. Love your vibe and your take on the subject with compassion. I can relate to that on so many levels. Big cheer for you

Hi! I’ve been watching you a while and I love you and your Channel!! I just love how you approached such a hard topic. So much compassion it just warms my heart :) You’re amazing keep doing what your doing!!

Like the old TV series NAKED CITY said...there over 1 million stories in the city. This is one of them. Come to today there are over 7.5 billion stories on this planet, BIID encompasses its share of stories. The only thing you can do is pray for their healing. Maybe the answer is an actual amputation or maybe just someone lending an ear. Whatever the answer is, it is an issue society needs to pay attention to so we can help someone ease their psychic pain. As you said Jo compassion is needed. You are a very thoughtful person who can look beyond a knee jerk reaction.

Another question: Did you get some kind of answer to the scan yesterday?

Great video. I had never heard of BIID before. You deal with this complicated subject with a lot of compassion. You also made me remember that when I was getting back from a broken leg a few people did say they wanted to know what it was like and they wouldn't mind the experience. I wonder if that's related?

In my opinion from what I know as both a newly qualified counsellor and a disabled person I can appreciate that although BIID isn’t a physical illness it is just as much a disability as someone who is a wheelchair user People with BIID are chronically suffering and it is disabling as it is for someone born with sight loss it affects there every day life and it shows real courage from the people in the comments that are speaking out about having this condition I admire the courage and hope u r all getting the support you deserve

Wow this is so interesting I never actually knew this was a disorder. Like you said I can imagine someone who is suffering with this must be tormented on the daily and feel like their only option in their mind is to chop off whatever body part they believe shouldn't be there. My first thought was to get frustrated but then I realized that people with this disorder probably get criticized all the time for the way their mind thinks and they can't help it. So as an amputee I choose to have compassion instead of spreading negativity.

I have never heard about this. I feel sorry for them and need so help.

Footless Jo! Very graciously answered darlin. love Steve Holliday

Thank you for bringing up something like this. I have honestly never heard about it before, but appreciate you informing us of this. I can't imagine anyone wanting to have chronic pain. If I could turn back time, I would do anything to change the way I feel now. I'm assuming that this other disorder is awful too though. I hope there was something that could help them.

Thank you for this!!! More awareness is DEFINITELY needed!

The late Dr. Oliver Saks wrote a really good book about freaky neural disorders. Very interesting - I highly recommend it. It’s called “The man who mistook a lamp for his wife” (or something close - I just scanned my bookshelves and didn’t find it)

I have these feelings and thoughts, but it's also the part of my body that's giving me the most trouble because I am disabled that I don't see as my own. Mind you I usually don't see my body as my own.

I have been in a wheelchair for 5 years and not by choice, I have Poly Neuropathy and Fibromyalgia, it's incredibly painful and crippling, I am very limited in daily life, I got sick 5 1/2 years ago.this is something that changes everything about daily life. Please forgive me but I just can't get my head around BIID. I really hope science will be able to help people with this disorder (?) I lived with amputees for 7 months and 25 days, I know all the every day struggles they go through and let alone when something else happens and they are at high risk to lose even more ( friend is 4x amputee , life is damned near impossible some days.

Omg I agree wholeheartedly. I read about this disorder a while back and felt the same way you do. I haven’t heard anyone agree with me yet! Ah I’m becoming obsessed with your channel. Also I love your ratties!

When I made my paper about depresion, in wich i read a part of the dsm-IV and taken intervieuws with psychiatrist. I could conclude that it is very hard for us to label a mental disorder. This is due to the fact that we don't know how the brain works. This was also confirmd by my biochemystrie studies at university. The way documents like dsm-IV is made, is by monitoring a lot of patiens with the same symptomes , and categorize them in ti groups. For a disorder like this it's really hard to do a lot of reasearch due to the fact that there aren't a lot of people who have these symptomes. I hope that in the future people with whatever disorden can be looked after.

I remember seeing some study or something on www.reddit.com/r/biid/ that indicated that therapy can help but isn't permanent, and usually lead to worse symptoms later, basically just delaying the problem.

Huh. I read something about this recently (a mention in a novel ) but had otherwise never heard of it. Ya learn something new every day

It’s crazy this isn’t in the DSM-5

You are rocking it!!! I love your videos.

i am suffring form BIID it was so bad recap i am a marine bioilgest and when i was in a cage and a great white came up i tried to put my arm out so it chould bite it off i am trying to find somewhere where i can get my amputted

As somebody with this it mist definitely is not a choice. I literally tried to fake a fall and get hit by a train because of it. Its terrifying and causes a lot of other mental issues

I like how you said you could get mad and offended, but you just feel sorry for the person. Clearly someone with BIID is struggling. It hard to imagine what they must feel like, but they're clearly very unhappy. It's good to get educated on these things and to hear your perspective as a person on the other end of the spectrum.

Speaking of similar conditions. There is some conditions that prohibit you to recognise your loved one's. You see them, you know they looks the same but you constantly feel that something is wrong, that it is not your wife but some reptiloid shapeshifter taking her form. Very possible that sometimes a brain can not recognise parts of body like his own.

I am able-bodied but I like riding in wheelchairs because you can get to places while also sitting, which is cool in my opinion. I am grateful for being able-bodied but I just think that wheelchairs can be fun. I also sometimes used to pretend that I was blind or deaf so that I could be “prepared” in case it happened for real. I didn’t do any of these things because I thought I should be disabled but just out of strange interest, I suppose.

Can you please do more videos on your rats and other pets?? P.S. I have no idea how I found your channel, but I'm so glad I did your personality is so bubbly and I just smile the whole time watching your videos

BIID is real but I would not call it trans amputee. I heard many stories here in Sweden about people how have the need to amputate their leg or arm, they usually drink them self half to death and put the limb on the train track. But many died because they lay down wrong on the tracks. They usually have a hate or a discomfort relationship to that limb. It’s not connected to I need to be handicapped, they feel hate for one of there limbs.

Maybe my opinion doesn't mean much as an able bodied person but I think our gut reaction of "that's really messed up" needs to be set aside to look at the bigger issue. Because YES it is messed up that an able bodied person wants to be disabled, I'm not saying it's not, but ... obviously there's something going on here for these people to truly feel like they should be disabled. No neurotypical person goes "yeah, I wanna be blind! I wanna blind myself today and just not be able to see anymore!" that's just not what healthy brains do. This is something that needs further study and needs to be taken seriously. Even if some of the cases of this disorder turn out to be people just "seeking attention" the fact that they've gone about doing *this* to get attention means something's going on with them as well, again, healthy brains don't do things like this.

This is a disorder and I do feel bad but some people are just taking advantage of this and pretending so that they can get free stuff and parking and stuff like that. I just wish people weren’t like that so that we could actually look at the real problem.

I have a condition called EDS so sometimes I get urgers to have my leg amputated or use crutches if wheelchair to relieve the discomfort, I hope that makes sense

Currently I’m undiagnosed, but I suspect I have BIID, or my autistic/ADHD brain is screwing me over again, it’s a 50/50. Either way, I have recently started wondering what it would be like if I was DAK amputee (right trans-femoral and left hip disarticulate), and that maybe that’s how I’m supposed to be.

I hope no one tells me that I must feel the need to be disabled. I accept there are issues with my mind and body. I just want them diagnosed so I can treat them properly and know how to handle it. It's not easy being told there's nothing wrong with you when there is something wrong

I’ve been accused of hypochondria and have considered that I might have this, and I struggle to tell if my pain and medical issues are real or if it’s just that. I’m looking into pursuing a diagnosis for hEDS, since I have a history of sprains and fractures, arthritis, POTS, and more, but I’m afraid to bring it up to my doctor for fear of being accused of hypochondria or BIID.

Very well put

Body dysmorphia in general is something I've never personally struggled with but I have a lot of compassion for. Considering you used to be anorexic I think you probably understand better than you think, it's just a more extreme version of dysmorphia. I definitely don't love my appearance but I know it's just a mental projection of myself. To actually take that feeling out on yourself must be an awful thing to live with

i dont have this disorder but i have had times that i wished i had no right arm... in my case its because i have severe ocd... for some reason i feel like everything i do with my right arm i must also do with my left arm... it has been so severe that i started to avoid my right arm... i actually rode my bike only using my left arm all the time even when it became dangerous... i would genuinly have been very relieved at that time if my right arm would have been cut off... i'm on good medication now which calms down the ocd so luckely its not that severe anymore... i felt like sharing my situation because who knows there may be a connection between these disorders...

I have OCD. I've had it for years. I've had to learn to live productively with it. It bugs me when someone wants something perfect and says they have OCD. You don't have OCD, you're just a perfectionist *I want to say but don't*. I've done things and someone will say "oh I've done that already..." I explain I have OCD and need to do it. I can't just turn my brain off and say stop. I've tried to fight it and to be a healthier person I've learned to just do certain things and let the OCD roll. Sadly having PTSD has helped my OCD. I'm on so many medications that they end up helping my OCD too. Side note: have you tried acupuncture? I get acupuncture in my ear for TMJ and I have found it helps out my knee pain. I've had knee surgery to fix a knee problem. The surgery caused other issues but hey I can walk now without falling so 🤷‍♀️. The acupuncture helps with the tentidious in my knee. And arthritis in my shoulder (don't tear your labrum lol). So now I get it once a week to help with TMJ and other issues. I didn't think it would work but ahh it did.

Hey Jo, I know this is a rather late response but I just found this video of yours after being subbed for, well... a fair bit. I actually struggle with BIID but it's not just an 'all in your head" sort of thing like a lot of the talk show interview Dr Phil type "Transabled" interviews paint it out to be. At least in my experience over the last 9 years that I've been dealing with these thoughts (yes they are of amputation (go figure)), I can pinpoint exactly where it came from. There have been a couple of studies that linked BIID to childhood trauma, in my case, personal trauma, specifically... a dislocation and multiple ligament tear so violent that my left leg was amputated. Two surgeries to sew it back together and 2 years total of physical therapy and I still have to walk with a cane, not to mention the chronic pain and nerve damage. My body map though, since that accident has ended at my left kneecap. I can see it, I can see it's there, but my brain doesn't register it, like it does but it doesn't. Kind of like clothes... or rather a work uniform for a job that you don't enjoy; it itches and chafes and your coworker aren't supportive or are even outright abusive and management could give a damn because the numbers are good enough and their bosses are happy because there aren't any lawsuits. And then you're there just suffering, because your GP refuses to contact your previous surgeon to get your medical records so you can get a referral to a specialist to see if you can get in to see if you need another surgery because of some medical gaslighting, even though the pain is getting worse every day and that last round of PT didn't do anything for your flexibility or your strength. Then there's media fascination that refuses to listen, they just want a puff piece, and then the propagandists catch wind of it and they just want to paint the worst view of it possible. I wish I didn't have this pain and the thought of 'cut it off to get rid of it because nothing else so far has helped,' I really do, and I think that is an important thing that is missed in a lot of the more personal stories rather than the glamorized stories.

People with biid should donate there limbs for transplant to People who lost limbs everybody wins

Yay, one of my requested videos! This topic and condition fascinates the crap out of me. One reason is because of the hypocritical approach to BIID versus transgender even though they boil down to the same thing: physical manifestation and mental representation not syncing up. I guess I'm also kinda retroactively BIID. I grew up hearing, but started going Deaf in college. I never would have chosen this as a kid and never felt transabled growing up, but now that it's happened, I would choose it. Given the chance, I wouldn't opt to have my hearing restored and made "normal" now or anytime since college. My life would be so different otherwise, and I don't think it'd be for the better. There'd be people I never would have met, opportunities/experiences I never would have had, and the advocacy I've done never would have occurred. That's just not with it to me. Yeah, sometimes it sucks and things would be eager easier if I were hearing. But overall, I think I came out ahead and the pros outweigh the cons. On the flip side...I also have narcolepsy and the cons far outweigh the pros there. I'd give that up in a heartbeat. Do not want.; totally not worth it. So it does depend on many different factors.

fiecare dată trebuie să ai curaj să te ridici nu contează când ai picioare sau nu ai altceva în schimb trebuie să ai curaj cu cât ai curaj cu Atâta îi putea să mergi mult mai repede peste traumele pe care le ai avut în viață trebuie să înțelegi că trebuie să te ridici în fiecare dată cu câte litigii cu atâta vei putea ajunge la nivel cât trage varul fier care poate să ajungă în situația asta fiecare dintre noi trebuie să ajutăm pe fiecare persoana respectivă cu câte ajutăm cu atâtea se poate ridica

I believe that there has been some neurological studies that give some credence to hypotheses indicating that. Some of the cause may be due to anomaly in the physical brain structure,