AbstractWhile participating in a study of death attitudes, “Cary” (a pseudonym) completed two death orientation measures before and after his attempt to kill himself: Changes in his view of himself and death are examined as they reflect on a hypothesis regarding the impending collapse of a suicidal person's construct system and as they portray the meaning of Cary's self-destructive act. Implications are drawn with respect to a personal construct assessment of suicidal individuals and with respect to future research on suicidal behavior.