It is argued that bodily experiences & attitudes toward the body in suicidal individuals, such as rejection of the body, detachment, numbness, physical anhedonia, & lack of protection, can facilitate acts of self-destruction. This argument is supported by theories of developmental psychology, theories on suicide, & empirical data. It is demonstrated that suicidal individuals experience their body differently from other populations & that these are related to suicidal behavior. (31 refs)