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.