WHAT IS MY LIFE IF YOU LEAVE ME - SUICIDA LITY AND FEMALE SADOMASOCHISTIC RELATIONSHIP STRUCTURES

In psychotherapeutic practice we are confronted with female patients s uffering from a disturbance which is all too lightly categorized as '' typical female masochism''. Ln other words, these patients are not onl y entrenched in what for them are unbearable relationship structures, in which they are physically and/or psychologically abused, but they a lso decompensate suicidally if the relationship is terminated by a par tner. A similar reaction often recurs in the therapeutic relationship. Whenever the subject of ending the sadomasochistic relationship is de alt with in the therapy and the patients are faced with thoughts and w ishes of separation from their partner, the inevitable result is a pro duction of the ''weak and helpless therapist'' and the patients threat en to break off treatment. The complicated and seemingly contradictory connection between suicidality and the sadomasochistic relationship a rrangement will be presented and interpreted with the aid of a detaile d case study.