Body Identity and cold hands

[fingertrouble]

This video about Body Identity via Boing Boing I found really interesting; not just that it shows something which had been classed as a mental illness as having a neurological reason - body dysmorphia traditionally was seen as a sign of mental disease, probably hindering studies in it because the sufferers quite rightly stay quiet - but also the cold hands bit made me shiver.

Why? Well years ago there was an occasion I have mentioned where me and John was outside in the garden of his flat; my hands were very cold, it was fucking freezing in fact. He then touched my hand and was freaked when my hand went from frozen to hot 0-60 immediately. I thought this perfectly reasonable; the connection I have with John is strong so a physical basis isn't unlikely - bodies react to touch especially the touch of a loved one in different ways I think...so watching the hand bit brought this thought: Maybe I was extending my bodymap to include his at that moment? Maybe lovers bodies do become a part extension of your own?

Comments

[why-a-duck.livejournal.com]

I find the whole concept of body maps fascinating. It makes so much intuitive sense, but to find out that there are neuroligcal counterparts to it is wild.

[mellowtigger]

Yes, I think so. I think that artists and tools also become extended body parts as well. I've caught snippets of text in years long past about stories of riders and horses that would probably also fit this description.