Masochistic patients. How to help the person who finds 'joy in pain'

Masochistic patients are encountered in all fields of medicine. They do not behave in the expected "normal" manner: They want to be cared for rather than cured. Treatment of these patients is possible if the physician recognizes and deals with any negative feelings toward the patient on his or her own part and then follows some elementary guidelines, such as not stressing progress, minimizing expectations for cure, showing appreciation for the patients' suffering, and establishing a relationship that is both supportive and nondemanding.