Welcoming the desire to die: A preliminary step to psychotherapeutic work with the patient at risk of suicide

Abstract

The author, starting from Bion’s theorization about the role of the alpha function and the container-contained
dynamics, outlines a possible position of the psychoanalytic therapist in the face of the patient’s suicidal risk
and the related anguishes of death. Specifically, the need for a deep emotional involvement of the therapist in
the relationship with the patient is highlighted, which is not based on a taken for granted tendency to
encourage the patient or reduce his/her psychic suffering as soon as possible. Instaead, such an involvement
is oriented to welcome and psychically focus his/her pain so that it may be gradually elaborated by the
therapeutic couple, avoiding to immediately assume guiding attitudes or moral condemnation with regard to
the patient’s suicidal tendency.