Assisted Suicide

[Flea]

I am a bit confused as to what your point is hear. I guess I did not eat my Wheaties this morning.

Quite all right. I think Wheaties are overrated anyway .... I'm a Waffle House woman myself.

My point is that mental illness should get the same respect that cancer and other illnesses have. Not only for how debilitating they can be in general, but also as candidates for assisted suicide. For me it's the principle of rejecting the double standard. Not that I want to see anyone choose to die, that's a very sad thing, but we should all have the same dignity and respect when facing a decision like that.

Here's another interesting facet: There's a disability-rights group opposed to assisted suicide. The micro-manifesto of Not Dead Yet reads thusly:

Since 1983, many people with disabilities have opposed the assisted suicide and euthanasia movement. Though often described as compassionate, legalized medical killing is really about a deadly double standard for people with severe disabilities, including both conditions that are labeled terminal and those that are not.

Personally I think that's a bit rabid, but I respect their depth of feeling.

 

[celtic_crippler]

More great points...

The family suffers along with the suffering. It's tough on everyone involved.

As I said earlier, it's a shame we won't give the same mercy and dignity to our fellow man that we give a dog.

However, it's extremely important...and this can't be stressed enough... to ensure that it doesn't turn into a tool for ridding society of "undesirables."

It absolutely has to be the decision of the person whose life is in question.

The subject becomes more complicated when it involves someone who has never had the mental capacity to make such a decision though. Unfortuneately, decisions affecting them have and probably always will be made by somebody else. However, if they have no serious medical condition then it should be a non-issue.

 

[KELLYG]

Flea,

MMMM whaffles! Thanks, that clears it up.

 

[theletch1]

More great points...

The family suffers along with the suffering. It's tough on everyone involved.

As I said earlier, it's a shame we won't give the same mercy and dignity to our fellow man that we give a dog.

However, it's extremely important...and this can't be stressed enough... to ensure that it doesn't turn into a tool for ridding society of "undesirables."

It absolutely has to be the decision of the person whose life is in question.

The subject becomes more complicated when it involves someone who has never had the mental capacity to make such a decision though. Unfortuneately, decisions affecting them have and probably always will be made by somebody else. However, if they have no serious medical condition then it should be a non-issue.

//Bolding mine//I think, to a point, that's what Flea is discussing. I'm sure she'll correct me if I'm wrong. Severe mental illness can often be debilitating... progressing over time until quality of life is negligible. At this point would the individual not be in the same position as someone with terminal cancer? The big difference that I see there is that the person with cancer generally knows that they'll find the relief of death relatively shortly. The debilitating effects of mental illness (Alzhiemers for example) can drag on for years.

 

[Flea]

No corrections necessary, Letch.

The subject becomes more complicated when it involves someone who has never had the mental capacity to make such a decision though. Unfortuneately, decisions affecting them have and probably always will be made by somebody else.

As an aside, there are ways around that. I know many people with a psychiatric advance directive. It serves the purpose of any other AD, but it's more specialized. And of course, someone with power of attorney can also make mental health decisions too.

This is a little timely for me because a close friend of mine found himself going through a surprise surgery last night, and possibly another this afternoon. We've talked on the phone a couple times but he's not really lucid enough to tell me what's up. I'm sure it isn't mortal, but ... it still makes ya think. I hope to drop in on him tonight.

 

[Flea]

Flea,

MMMM whaffles! Thanks, that clears it up.

Waffles do have a way of doing that, don't they? :boing2:

 

[Live True]

I don't know, it's a touchy subject. While I wouldn't want to inflict additional pain and suffering on an individual, I also don't want to provide others with a financial incentive to encourage someone to end their own life.

While I agree with you to a point...On the other hand, Cory, we currently provide financial incentives to KEEP people alive and prolong their lives through medical intervention. At the same time, we create a situation that either puts the family finances through extreme financial pressure (know what the cost of a single day in the hospital is, not counting medicines, breathing aparatus, etc.?) OR we have a significant portion written off and that comes back to the hospitals and local economy in some fashion. So, we certainly need to avoid your point and CC's by not making assisted suicide a money making proposition.....we also need to consider that not doing assisted suicide already IS a money making proposition.

I've thought on this topic a lot as my mother in law is in the last stages of alzheimers, and it's sad to see who she was and who she is now....with no cure in site for her situation. I think assisted suicide should be an option available; eventhough there are those who will CHOOSE to not use it. Any allowance, though, should be strictly regulated so that it
1)is primarily the individuals choice (either at the time, if they are conginzant, or prior through living will)
2)a family member, gov't, etc cannot override the written wishes of the individual
3)doctors can only assist under very specific situations and/or after a reasonable time period (for example, deep coma with no likelihood of recovery and a week/month of non improvement...or a terminal diagnosis with patient request) This would help to prevent some of the money making concerns noted above.
4)when at all possible, this should be carried out through some type of program similar to hospice...as the point is quality of life...and dignity...do not divorce the point behind it from the process itself.

I'm sure there are other concerns, but those are the top items that ding my radar. Life should be treated as sacred, but that includes the quality of that life and the choices of the individual. All should be respected.

 

[Tez3]

Over here new guidelines have been issued about assisted suicides in respect of how relatives stand with the law. It will still remain illegal to assist a suicide though assisted suicide families won't be prosecuted if it's clear everything is above board. A rather British compromise but in the end workable I think.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/feb/19/assisted-suicide-law

and a very interesting article to go with that.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/07/assisted-suicide-guidelines-mental-health


I think the fear is that people could be pressured to commit suicide, made to feel they are such a burden perhaps that they would do everyone a favour if they shuffled off or in fact they could be just plain murdered.

 

[celtic_crippler]

There definately has to be safeguards in place to help protect against abuse and misuse.

 

[Bruno@MT]

People can always commit suicide themselves, often in a messy way, causing trauma for the people left behind and the person(s) finding the body. And the ones not able to commit the physical act can be forcefd and kept in pain and misery against their will. Not that humane either.

By legalizing it to commit suicide, at east it can be done in a humane way, people have the opportunity to put all their affairs in order, and the family is not left with tons of questions.

In Belgium where I live, this is legal. The person has to request it himself, and there are a couple of safeguards: waiting period, psych eval, talks with the doctor. But then you are allowed to choose your date and make an appointment. Doctors are not forced to do this if their consience holds them back.

 

[Live True]

People can always commit suicide themselves, often in a messy way, causing trauma for the people left behind and the person(s) finding the body. And the ones not able to commit the physical act can be forcefd and kept in pain and misery against their will. Not that humane either.

By legalizing it to commit suicide, at east it can be done in a humane way, people have the opportunity to put all their affairs in order, and the family is not left with tons of questions.

In Belgium where I live, this is legal. The person has to request it himself, and there are a couple of safeguards: waiting period, psych eval, talks with the doctor. But then you are allowed to choose your date and make an appointment. Doctors are not forced to do this if their consience holds them back.

THis seems to me to be a very good format..thanks for sharing Bruno!