by Tom - 30 November 2008
I have wanted all my life to be disabled. It started at an early age. And the kind of disability doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is just to be disabled. In that sense, I suppose I’m not a "genuine case of BIID", if I may say so. Amputation? Paralysis? Upper limb? Lower limb? One, two, three or four limbs? Or a sensorial impairment? As a matter of fact, I can’t recognise myself as a BIID sufferer in the sense that my "condition" doesn’t involve a specific type of impairment but rather a need to have something different – and disabled – in my body. There are, however, disabilities that I like better than others and, as I explained elsewhere, my body image is basically that of a one handed – an lbe amputee. But it is not just about my own image, since I also admire other disabled persons. Perhaps I am both a BIID case and an admirer.
Je me Souviens continues »
by Sean - 13 November 2008
Last September in a conversation on the Yahoo! Group Fighting-It, I mentionned that I was usualy hyper-aware of my legs. Someone asked if anyone had tried "hyper-hyper-awareness", forcing onces to think of nothing else but paralysis for long periods of time.
Hyper-hyper awareness of one’s legs continues »
by Sean - 18 August 2008
I’ve been having a really rough time over the last couple months. Depression hitting harder than usual, and BIID being its usual fierce self. I was not hardy enough, I was not able to duck under cover and let this storm pass. I crashed. Hard. I went to my GP and asked for help. We discussed things and I agreed to try a course of anti-depressants and to go see a psychiatrist. The anti-depressants are not showing great signs of helping, but I can’t swear they aren’t either. Today was my first visit to the psychiatrist. It did not go badly. But it did not achieve anything either.
Psychiatrist tells me “I cannot help you with BIID” continues »
by Sean - 9 August 2008
A blog post that mentions Body Integrity Identity Disorder generated several comments, and these comments lead me to write this post. There are two main topics on the table today. First, the question of "control" of BIID. Then, the ugliness of people’s reaction about BIID.
Control over BIID and vitriolic response from people continues »
by Sean - 13 June 2008
I have been exchanging emails with a psychologist about Body Integrity Identity Disorder. This person is not in clinical duties, but rather does research, and is working closely with a team of neurologists who are trying to understand BIID. I’m continuing discussion because it is of the utmost importance we get a better understanding of what BIID is. But I have been having a strange vibe that was telling me "something’s not quite right". I did not know what until someone else who has been speaking to them told me about a discussion they had with their therapist, and that therapist’s comment about normalcy and happiness.
Body Integrity Identity Disorder, the battle between Normal and Happy continues »