The Suicidal Patient-Doctor Relationship (IN: Suicide – an Unnecessary Death, edited by D Wasserman)

This chapter examines issues of transference & countertransference in the suicidal patient-doctor relationship. The interaction between the suicidal patient’s & the doctor’s ambivalence is described. Patients may “hide” their suicidal feelings or plans & as a consequence, doctors may not detect the patient’s suicidality if they are neither inclined nor trained to recognize it. The doctor’s role in suicide assessment & the difficulties of such an assessment are discussed. (7 refs.)