Suicidal, psychiatric nonsuicidal & normal young males & females were administered pain measures. Additional study variables included diagnosis, past suicide attempts, severity of suicidal intent, & length of hospitalization. Suicidal individuals showed higher tolerance for pain & appraised the pain as less intense than did the other groups, regardless of diagnosis, length of hospitalization, & motivation to participate in the study. Findings are explained as a result of dissociative processes.