Body-Integrity-Identity-Disorder: Description of the clinical picture and assessment public opinion on matter

"You have a physical disability!" - a diagnosis that initially plunges most people affected into a state of shock and despair. The fear of never being able to lead a normal life again, or to do the things they used to enjoy, is the primary concern for those affected, due to their physical limitations. It is, however, hard to imagine that there are people who actually desire this very condition and wish to bring it about deliberately. "Body Integrity Identity Disorder" (BIID) is a body image disorder in which anatomically healthy people wish to become disabled through bodily alterations such as amputations, paralysis or immobilisation. This work provides a detailed description of the clinical picture and, based on a survey, examines the prevailing social attitudes towards the condition among those affected and those not affected.