Citation

Gregory RJ. Psychiatric Times 2012; 29(5): 25-26.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

The conflict within health care providers over whether their patient's suicidal behavior and threats are legitimate mirrors a similar conflict within patients with BPD over whether their illness is legitimate, or whether they are totally to blame for their problems, attention-seeking, and needing to get their act together. Patients can rapidly switch states as they take one side of the conflict or the other, switching blame from self to others. Assessing the patient's current state of being, recent stressors, alcohol misuse, and support system informs the health care provider about immediate risk. The Table provides some management strategies to minimize risk of suicide. Staying empathic and keeping the conflict within the patient instead of between the patient and health care provider, is a key to successful management. Other keys include maintaining clear expectations and boundaries, building autonomous motivation, and helping patients verbalize experiences and emotions.

Language: en