title: The suicidal character.
abstract: Suicidal behavior is generally taken to be symptomatic in nature rather than egosyntonic. However, any behavior which comes to be used as a means of adaptation to the world long enough tends to become ego-syntonic. There are some suicidal people for whom suicidality has become a means of securing nurturance from the interpersonal world. The usual "crisis response" to suicidality reinforces such patients in their suicidal styles. Increased long-term risk becomes the price of short-term nurturance. Specific alterations of treatment and management are indicated if such patients are to be helped to long-term survival.
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010551:Personality; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention