FAQ

Frequently asked questions and misunderstandings

What is a wannabe/apotemnophiliac?

A wannabe is an individual who experience his or her body as foreign having all four limbs intact. The amputated body is believed to be the normal state. A true wannabe is very specific about what has to be amputated. For example. right leg right below the knee or the left arm at the shoulder. It is not primarily a sexual motivation behind.

An apotemnophiliac should perhaps more accurately be described as a person desiring amputation as a part of a sexual fantasy. The desired kind and level of amputation frequently change.

The problem is that these groups can overlap making the correct diagnosis difficult. Also there are other kinds of wannabes that have other objectives like becoming paraplegic.

The true wannabes are those who might benefit from amputation.

Note though that the current nomenclature probably will change in the future to more accurately describe the syndrome.

Is this a sexual fetish?

This is the heaviest burden you have to bear as a wannabe. Yes, there are people who wants amputation as a means to fulfill a sexual fantasy but for a "true" wannabe the drive is not sexual. Problem is that these two groups can overlap.

How many wannabes are there in the world?

This is a question without a good answer. Estimates indicates that there may be one on every five million people or up to 10.000 people world wide. Of them there are a few that now are actual amputees.

Do wannabes wish to harm themselves?

No, but some are driven to harm themselves in order to try becoming amputees. This should not be necessary.

All wannabes are Homo- or bisexual males

Wrong! Male or female, gay, BI or straight does not matter. There are wannabes in all groups.

Wannabes have a distorted perception of reality

As persons wannabes are as normal or abnormal as anyone else. There is no proven correlation between a distorted perception of reality and "wannabeism".

Wannabes are not as intelligent and less educated than the general population

Wrong again. There is no scientific proof of this either. I am generally skeptical to IQ tests but I have scored 159 (if you believe this or not is up to you).

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