Man cuts off his genitals while dreaming that he's cutting meat

A man in Ghana has been left with devastating injuries after cutting off his own genitals while dreaming about cutting meat.

As reported by BBC News Pidgin, Kofi Atta - a farmer from the town of Assin Fosum - endured a painful experience when a dream he was having turned into a real-life nightmare.

Atta claims that he was half-asleep and dreaming that he was slaughtering a goat, when he suddenly woke up to see that his genitals had been "cut off". GHOne TV reports that the incident took place on August 12, with Atta still being treated in hospital for his injuries.

The 47-year-old told the BBC four days after the incident: "I dey sit inside chair wey I doze off, so as I dey sleep I dream say I dey cut meat wey dey in front of me."

The farmer says he was dreaming about cutting meat. Credit: Cseh Ioan / Alamy

After calling his neighbors for help, they found Atta covered in blood and urgently called the man's wife.

Despite the severity of his injuries, they are fortunately not life-threatening. However, Atta is having to raise the funds for additional surgeries.

"Right now I dey hospital for here, all dem dey give me be fluids den some injections but I dey need surgery," he told the BBC. "I no get money to fuel ambulance wey go carry me go Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for surgery."

The farmer woke up in incredible pain. Credit: GHOne TV

The farmer says he fell asleep while sitting on a chair and is still confused about how the knife came to be in his hand. "

"I dey sit inside chair wey I doze off, so as I dey sleep I dream say I dey cut meat wey dey in front of me," he said, adding: "I no remember how I carry de knife, even me I dey confused.”

Atta's wife, Adwoa Konadu, was reportedly traveling at the time of the incident, and returned home to find her husband bleeding and in agony. Konadu was able to help reduce the blood loss with a diaper before rushing him to a local hospital for treatment.

Incidents such as the one Atta describes are often referred to as parasomnias, and include a range of different disorders such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, night terrors, and confusional arousal.

We wish Atta all the best in his continued recovery.

Featured image credit: Fir Mamat / Alamy