Tonight's picture was sent to us by our Facebook friend, Tim Beck. Tim surprised us by creating this pumpkin composition for us. Tim found this photo of Mattie painting a pumpkin and transposed it on a larger pumpkin. The photo of Mattie painting a pumpkin was taken at the hospital in October of 2008. I can remember that day perfectly, as Mattie was just admitted to the hospital and as he was getting hydrated to start chemotherapy, he went to the child life playroom for this activity. Mattie LOVED pumpkins and also eating anything pumpkin related! As I told Tim, this was a lovely surprise on such a grey and dreary day!
Quote of the day: What is important is to spread confusion, not eliminate it. ~ Salvador Dalí
I went onto Facebook this morning and a fellow clinician had posted a story about this woman who has Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID). I have to admit I never heard of this disorder before today, but now that I know about it, I am deeply confused.
Currently BIID is not included in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases 11 or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (though it is defined now in the DSM-V). As such this disorder is often not known to surgeons, neurologist and psychiatrists. To exasperate this issue, BIID individuals typically avoid healthcare and often act out their desires by pretending they are disabled or perform actual self-amputation (Psychological Medicine, 2005).
Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) is a rare, infrequently studied and highly secretive condition in which there is a mismatch between the mental body image and the physical body. Subjects suffering from BIID have an intense desire to become disabled, for example by desiring an amputation of a major limb or sever the spinal cord in order to become paralyzed. Or as the article (below) which I received today illustrates, the desire to be BLIND.
Typically I am very open to understanding the plight of mental illness as well as understanding both sides of the coin. But in this case, I am absolutely confused because after seeing Mattie suffer with limb salvaging surgeries which he did not ELECT to have, I can't imagine that someone with healthy limbs would want to have a leg removed. Or with healthy and functioning eyes, to want to be blind.
In the case presented below, this woman felt that she was meant to be born blind, but unfortunately for her was born with perfect vision. She became obsessed with the desire to become blind and sought the help of a psychologist, who after working with her to two weeks agreed to assist her achieve her desire. The psychologist poured bleach into this woman's eyes.
All I know is I am happy I am not presiding over the ethical hearing of this mental health provider. Because clearly his license will be in jeopardy and his competence to practice will be coming into question. As you read the second article I posted below, there have been several studies which indicate that psychotherapy is not helpful for such patients with BIID, and in many cases, these patients resort to disfiguring their own bodies if assistance isn't offered to them.
I wonder as you read this story and watch the video embedded in that link, if you will be just as confused as I am? Her friend commends her decision to put bleach in her eyes and go blind. He says that she "is an inspiration to the blind community." All I can say is wow! I would love to check in with those who are blind (due to illness or genetics) and determine their reaction.
I Poured Drain Cleaner in my eyes to blind myself:
http://nypost.com/2015/10/01/i-blinded-myself-on-purpose-and-have-never-been-happier/
Amputees by choice:
http://www.philosophy.ox.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/1087/amputees.pdf
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