Virginia

Thank you for your extremely well written and informative article.

I have been a mental health professional since 1978. And to be sure, I have seen and heard some pretty strange stuff over the years.

I sit here recalling the many, many seriously disturbed young people who I have nursed. I would be very concerned if they had accessed the visual material that you have linked readers to on this thread (this is not a criticism of you or your article). The notion of "copy cat" stuff is of very real concern for young people who are floridly psychotic.

The last young person (18 years) our team nursed with body dysmorphic disorder cut off his testicles. We were so shocked and saddened for him. He was anhedonic and showed no emotion whatsoever.

And of course, there are those "normal" people whose sexual fetish and fantasy is to only have sex with amputees.

I was not impressed by the comments of some of the above posters who seem to find this ethical dilemna amusing.

Thank you again for your article.

Cheers
Kay

kalweb wrote:

"We were so shocked and saddened for him. He was anhedonic and showed no emotion whatsoever."

Confronting though it may be, if these people don't respond to "treatment", surely we should be supporting whatever sort of relief they can find, rather than appealing to the emotional response that *we* believe it appropriate for them to have.

"And of course, there are those 'normal' people whose sexual fetish and fantasy is to only have sex with amputees."

It's almost as though you'd prefer people to be disgusted by amputees. I really hope that's not how you feel.

"I was not impressed by the comments of some of the above posters who seem to find this ethical dilemna amusing."

To me it seems more compassionate to laugh at tangled webs like this one, than be disgusted and patronising.

Solution: straightjackets.

These are people with a disease. Not visible like a skin cancer that can be surgically removed ...which is generally an acceptable treatment option. For those with body dysmorphic disorder a hole bored in the skull or an amputated limb also seems like an acceptable treatment option ... but is not acceptable. It's all a matter of perspective.
However, if the person wanting a voluntary amputation if not assessed properly or given alternative treatment options first, there is a high risk of the "slippery slope" where one limb (for instance) is not enough.

"Should we censor Internet sites promoting radical body modifications?"

Is this a futile question? Censorship of child pornographic sites (much more harmful to the vunerable in our society!)has failed miserably....what will make censorsip of sites promoting radical body modifications any more successful? Am I being pessimistic in the extreme?

There is a possible plus for such internet sites - For those "in need" these sites can provide confirmation that they are not alone...maybe prevent a few suicides

Dewi

I have absolutely no idea how you gained the impression from my post that I am disgusted and patronising. Mental health nurses cannot be judgemental. That would fly in the face of our Code of Conduct and our philosophy.

I have always found it a privilege to care for people with serious mental health problems.

Kay

great read Virginia - and you posed some challengeing questions. My only other comment judging by your web links is that you might have a little tooo much time on your hands.

Your friend Sneekee