Life in the BUD Lane

摘要

BUD(Body Integrity Identity Disorder) is a strong impulse among otherwise normal humans to amputate a healthy limb,usually a leg or arm and sometimes both.It is more psychiatrically described as a persistent desire to physically match an idealized image such humans have of themselves.Obviously to "BUDS," less is somehow more.I recently watched a documentary(ironically titled "Whole") about this disorder on the Sundance Channel,the same that delivers AL Franken late at night.It explored the lives of several men(most BUD victims are male) whose worlds were made whole and happy again by amputating perfectly good legs.At least they seemed happy enough hobbling around on crutches in their kitchens and down sidewalks,chatting and smiling at the camera.It was strangely disturbing,though,to see videos taken of them only a few weeks earlier doing the same things,but without crutches,unhappy and grumpy.