Apotemnophilia is an erotic fetish where individuals become aroused or reach orgasm when they fantasize about themselves living as an amputee.
This phenomenon was first noted by psychologists Gregg Furth and John Money, who wrote about it in their 1977 article "Apotemnophilia: two cases of self-demand amputation as paraphilia." Medical and psychology academics often disagree about whether apotemnophilia is neurological or psychological. Most apotemnophiles are male, but female apotemnophiles have also been noted.
Apotemnophilia should not be confused with acrotomophilia, a fetish where individuals become aroused by other people who are amputees.