[Countertransference problems with suicidal patients in inpatient psychiatric treatment]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis
• Psychology of Self and Relationships

Background:

• Transference offers protection against suicidal impulses in psychiatric patients.
• Suicidal patients present unique challenges in therapeutic relationships due to ambivalence.

Observation:

• Therapists are often utilized as selfobjects by suicidal patients.
• This selfobject transference can disrupt the therapist's narcissistic equilibrium.
• Patients may replicate childhood attacks on therapists, creating selfobject transference.

Findings:

• Suicidal patients' interactions with therapists can lead to significant transference issues.
• The use of therapists as selfobjects alters the patient's narcissistic equilibrium.
• Therapists may experience selfobject countertransference, impacting their sense of self-worth.

Implications:

• Understanding selfobject transference is crucial for managing suicidal patients.
• Therapists must be aware of potential selfobject countertransference dynamics.
• This dynamic highlights the intricate nature of treating suicidal ideation within a psychotherapeutic framework.