Management of a dying patient in group therapy

Abstract

In the last few years there has been an increased interest in the psychosocial aspect as well as in the therapeuticRenewed interest has been given in the psychiatric literature to the issues of death and dying, as exemplified by the work of Kubler-Ross (1969) and others. The attitude of the physician towards the dying patient creates significant countertransference problems (Bean, 1958;Eissler, 1955). The relative lack of clinical material about the management of dying patients may reflect the difficulties in dealing with the subject of death. Both Freud (1915) and Eissler (1955) discussed the conscious and unconscious elements responsible for the avoidance of the dying patient by physician and family alike. Marmor (1974) and Troup and Greene (1974) have observed the denial, anger and withdrawal as common defenses in the families of dying patients.Much has been written about the psychiatrist's therapeutic role with the dying patient in the hospital. Some attention has been given in the Edgar M. Frenkel, M.D., is