SADO-MASOCHISTIC PATIENT.

"I'm going to kill myself." These were the words I heard as I entered the ward. Mary appeared to be about 25 years old. She kept repeating, "I'm going to kill myself." My first impulse was to walk past her and pretend not to hear. However, I had chosen her as my patient for the next two weeks, so I pulled up a chair and sat beside her. Mary immediately jumped to the floor and began jerking the lace from my shoe. This was the beginning of a series of events in which Mary seemed indirectly to be asking, pleading, and demanding physical blows, reprimands, or some sign of disapproval from me. Throughout the next two weeks she continued to unlace my shoes, punch me lightly with her fist, and talk about how she fought with other patients, smoked where not permitted, used profane language, lay on the floor, refused food, and wet her pants. Several times she slapped me on the shoulder and arms rather hard. Afterward, she acted guilty and said that she did not approve of the way she behaved but was unable to control herself.