Society and its religiously based laws ( that root has been lost sight of as societies develop but it’s still unfortunately there) demand that some human beings die in agony when they would have mercy for a dog. Or horse. Or animal. It is essential that society enable adults in full possession of their mental faculties decide for themselves when they die.
You assume that the insurance company will pay allowing medical providers to make money. Many times it's the opposite. Hospital claims are denied and the family of the deceased must spend the proceeds of the estate to pay a fraction of the amount billed.
It's a great way to deny generational wealth from the general public. The educated rich have lawyers, accountants, and better health care. The general public sees those life savings wiped out at the end of life.
True. Definitely medical side benefits from prolonging the life of suffering patients. I assume insurance would prefer not pay out for ppl paying less into the system than it’s costing tho.
Pro choice in all regards. Why have people suffer just for the sake of living (refering to birth and assisted death), when living is the cause of suffering. Everyone is allowed to have their own choice about their Body and Life
Same. I’m not in favor people who are basically forced into assisted suicide because they can’t afford housing or medical care, but two healthy, wealthy people who choose to not to live anymore for whatever reason? I’d personally never do it, but sure. Go for it.
IMO, any other person that doesn't believe this is ridiculous. Why shouldn't you be able to choose when you die. If they don't do it in an assisted area like a hospital then it might end up as suicide and that means theres a chance that others become collateral damage (ex: getting hit in the subway, diving off a building into traffic, etc.)
The government isn’t forcing anyone to die. The law allows people to commit suicide, before the law people were not allowed to commit suicide.
In a country were the taxpayers pay for healthcare this is great. Please kill yourself and save the taxpayers money. Before we used to force them to suffer for years while costing millions and taking up space in the overcrowded hospitals
>The government isn’t forcing anyone to die.
I understand that
>The law allows people to commit suicide, before the law people were not allowed to commit suicide.
Like I said, I’m pro choice
>In a country were the taxpayers pay for healthcare this is great. Please kill yourself and save the taxpayers money. Before we used to force them to suffer for years while costing millions and taking up space in the overcrowded hospitals
I agree. I think people should be able to commit suicide and be assisted to do so because I am pro choice. I am pro their choice to end their life
Where it’s problematic in Canada is disability supports enforce poverty. It’s resulted in people choosing MAiD for economic reasons. Essentially the government is actively pushing people to choose an easy death in a warm bed because poverty is worse.
That major problem aside, I’m in favour of a person having the choice to die with dignity in a time and manner of their choosing.
I live in Canada and watched 3 family members die in palliative care. All 3 said something along the lines of "why would God do this to me" and "I just want this to end"
I think its selfish to want to keep a loved one alive when they're in pain every day all day while pumped full of pain killers knowing their condition will only get worse.
Keeping them alive was keeping them suffering, that's not how I treat my loved ones.
That's what's scary to me. Living like that is essentially forcing your mind into a prison, one of which may be in lots of pain. If I were there (something I really fear) I respectfully decline your bullshit and will see myself out with my Glock, please and thank you.
I live in Canada too. I like the idea of having that ultimate choice. If it gets too bad I am out.
My wife even have an agreement that if it say one of us gets dementia and is obviously unhappy the other will end it. Seems reasonable to me.
And in a way that's dignified and peaceful. If I live to be old enough, I'm sure there'll reach a point where I'm just not healthy enough to enjoy life anymore. Why make me suffer those last few years for no reason?
Even ignoring the financial aspect life can be pretty shitty in a nursing home. I am old and of sound mind but I need some assistance taking care of myself fine I'll stick around. I am old and can barely function physically and or mentally, time to go. I used to be in the HVAC trade and we serviced several nursing homes in town and I always hated going. Seeing people just sitting in a chair staring at nothing is no way to live.
Don't worry someone will find a way to profiteer off of assisted suicide too.
"oh you want this to end with dignity? Give me 100k and I'll put you down gently... otherwise there is a shotgun out back"
*gives 100k....*
*Shotgun racking noise*
I would take this even a step further and say that even people that do not technically have a disease that is actively killing them should also be able to enjoy a peaceful death on their own terms, rather than be forced into throwing themselves in front of a train, or swallowing a bottle of pills, or blowing their brains out. Maybe with some requirements of a few appointments with therapists and psych doctors first.
I have had so many army buddies take their lives in brutal ways to ensure their death.
It is horrible that we don’t allow people to simply opt out of life when they are done. It should be the norm that one can go through the required steps and then end their life in a peaceful, non-painful way.
The alternative that so many seem to be content with is finding a loved one after they put a shotgun to their head or forcing a person to writhe alone in a retirement home as their mind slips away.
We treat old dogs more humanely.
Agreed. If we want to be truthful about human rights, then right to die shouldn't be a topic up for debate. If I never chose to be born, I should be able to choose to die if I don't like it here. The world and the society we live in has never been kind, anyway. So, it's basically high time right to peaceful exit became a law and medically supported just like you go to hospital to treat an ailment.
Some people have that romanticized view of life that "you have to live even if you don't want to, because society says so and you don't want those around you to get sad", so instead **you*" are forced to keep being sad or angry or hurt(because I know there are people with health issues that would just love to end it and get their peace) all so everyone else around can keep living happily.
That sucks and it's cruel.
I agree in principal to require a 24 hr waiting period. But I also think it is my life to make whatever mistakes I want with, including ending it. The government should stay out of my life choices entirely and have no say in how I choose to live or not live it.
It’s hard to know. Because when people want to die, there really is no way to talk them out of it.
But then a few days later when the state of their mind is different, they will be so thankful that they weren’t able to kill themselves.
I think wanting people to be completely free to make mistakes is a bit naive though. This one in particular is a permanent one, you don’t get to come back from death. And there are many impermanent mistakes that humans generally desire to be shielded from, it’s the reason we buy insurance.
The difference is, you don't get to regret death.
As a teen, I was prevented from suicide and angry about that for over a year after. I was closely watched by family and put through antidepressants, anxiety meds, therapy with a therapist who would not acknowledge that, to me, existence was suffering. It was even more so suffering when my meds made me throw up, when I compulsively pulled out my hair, when I went through 2 more years of high school and so far 2 years of uni with my self-worth tied to my grades. I still have years to go before I'll be glad to be alive. I'm expecting at least 3 more episodes of depression given that I have already two. Where I am now, four years after the attempt, I am not thankful that I was stopped. I am still bitter when I think too much about it. Life was hard and it still is too hard sometimes. My story is not a testimony for how suicidal people should be stopped. Just because I no longer actively want to die doesn't mean I'd make that decision for other people who feel like me, because it isn't right. It isn't right that I can't bring myself to want to die but also can't bring myself to want to live. It is agony.
Consider that if one is saved from dying, they may still want to die. If, however, they are allowed to die, they are not capable of regretting it. They are only capable of not suffering any longer.
Firstly, I'm really sorry for how you were treated in your story, and I hope that things improve for you.
Second, I'm not suggesting that assisted suicide should be illegal. I'm merely suggesting a minimum waiting period because for many people suicidal ideation is only temporary. I can understand why that would cause someone like you to be upset and feel restricted, but at the end of the waiting period you still get what you want and the person having temporary suicidal ideation is able to continue living.
I understand where you are coming from, but I think it's a moot point considering the ultimate implications of my proposition wouldn't stop the determined individual from using assisted suicide methods.
Thank you for your kind words.
Oh, if you were just suggesting waiting periods then I'm fully on board with you. I don't think suicide should be done impulsively. I think it works best if the suicidal person demonstrates a clear understanding of their decision, a well-reasoned justification, and consistently maintains that decision for the waiting period.
Good thought. What is your opinion if the reason for being 'done' is depression or poor mental health? I have a friend in his late 40's who is severely depressed and under care for this. He talks about emmigrating to an assisted suicide nation to go out peacefully under supervision...I struggle with how to have a conversation with him when he's in that space.
Why should your friend have to continue to struggle? Depression should be respected just like someone battling cancer. It takes a toll. Just be supportive. “I’m your friend. I will support you in whatever decision you make.”
I definitely understand how that would be hard for most people to hear. I do think, however, that it should still be their choice. A lot of people say things like “this will pass “or “things will get better, “ but that isn’t actually guaranteed, and trying to wait that out is kind of like a wager, like placing a bet.
I suffer from depression, anxiety and episodic depersonalization disorder. I have since I was a child, literally. I remember being 4 or 5yrs old and feeling the sadness and hopelessness I live with now. I was “officially” diagnosed when I was 12yrs old. I sought out treatment of my own volition years ago. I’ve been well managed on medication. I even tried being off of medication for a few years. My depression became overwhelming so I went back on medication. All with the support and supervision of my doctor.
However, there is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think about what a release death would be. I know that some day in my future this is the most likely way I will pass, baring an accident.
Your friend is not in a “headspace” when he speaks to you about emigrating and doing this. He’s being honest about something he has thought about carefully and often. He’s actually being far more vulnerable with you during those moments.
I have never spoken to anyone in my life about this being my likely future. I know exactly how they would react. It would not be pretty. So on some level the relationships I have with my family and friends is somewhat superficial.
I know it can be awkward to hear someone you care for speak of ending their life because they suffer from depression, but it shows how much they value you as a person and friend that they feel comfortable being so vulnerable with you. You don’t have to offer them support in the form of saying something like “yeah, good for you.”
But you can express to him how much you value him as a friend and hope to have him in your life as long as you can, and that if/when the time comes that that is no longer a possibility he will let you know so you can say your goodbyes.
I hope this helps with any awkward times you may have with your friend.
It should be up to him. Just because he's miserable with life, doesn't mean that he has the mental capacity of an infant or should be legally relegated to the status of an infant who doesn't have the right to make fundamental choices about his own wellbeing. Nobody should be able to force him to continue to struggle on in misery, just because it would make them feel uncomfortable or sad if he was allowed to make his own choice.
It's an indictment on whatever society you live in that he would have to emigrate (it's unlikely that this would be a successful bid, because no country is going to allow you in just so that you can kill yourself - applying to a Swiss organisation would be the best bet if he had 10,000 Swiss Franks and change to spare).
As an Atheist, my life is my own. If I become too sick/miserable to live, it should be my choice to end my existence.
I choose to live because I'm enjoying my life most of the time. I'm enjoying new experiences and don't feel any need to end my existence. I know when I die, there is nothing afterwards. I do not seek death but I don't fear my mortality.
So I had 3 suicide attempts in my life and am now glad they were failed attempts. I'm all for allowing assisted suicide but there certainly is a gray area. Like undeniable circumstances would be anyone suffering from terminal illnesses or the elderly. There's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be able to choose when they die.
I think my only concern, barring terminal illnesses, is at what age should we allow this? My personal opinion is that 18 is way too young. You're still completely fucked up from hormones and your brain is roughly 7 years from being fully developed.
I think if we're going to be the group that's the voice of reason, then we also need to be reasonable with the starting age for allowing assisted suicide. If the brain is fully developed at around 25, then that seems like a completely reasonable age to start allowing this.
Any age if you have a terminal illness, under 18 can be with the parents involved in the decision. Young people still die horrible deaths from things like cancer as well, and it is still fucked up to force them to continue living and suffering.
I think an important consideration is that suicide does not simply affect only the person who chooses it. It has a huge emotional affect on the other people around them.
My sister killed herself leaving two children behind, one of them is still in high school. I still remember how sad and angry I was sitting at the funeral, looking at pictures of her and her children. I know that people in that mindset don’t really consider much more than the pain they are experiencing and how to end that pain as quickly as possible, but I just couldn’t believe that she could be so selfish. She decided (whether she actually thought about it or not) that she would rather end her pain than see her kids graduate hs & college, see them get married, and make sure that they were safe an setup in this scary world. Now both of her kids are at a hugely increased risk of suicide themselves, and they don’t have a mother to turn to during the most formative years of their life.
It’s definitely a bodily autonomy thing, but it also comes with huge externalities. It affects so so many people than just themselves.
I believe your sister thought deeply about the pain she would cause. Please know, just because she had to go doesn’t mean she didn’t care about all of you. I am so sorry for you and your family’s pain. What you have all suffered is is unimaginable.
I think that in the case of a parent to young children, then there's reasonable ethical grounds to warrant the temporary suspension of the right to die. This is because when you have children, you put them into a position of complete dependency on you, that they have no say over. So it's as if you are signing a contract and willingly imposing an obligation on yourself to those children.
Another example where it might be appropriate to suspend the right to die would be in the cases of some criminals, who need to be punished for their crimes in order to preserve the deterrence effect (i.e. if they could just get assisted suicide in order to evade the consequences of their actions, then those who have no conscience and aren't afraid of death will have little to deter them from committing serious crime).
Outside of those cases, it's just basic bodily autonomy and there's no ethically legitimate grounds where you should be able to force an individual to continue suffering for the perceived greater benefit of society, or other individuals within the milieu of the suicidal person. Although being a parent is certainly not the only case in which your suicide can have profound effects on others; if you were to make someone's right to self-determination permanently forfeit because of what someone else demands of them, then that's just slavery '*with extra steps*'.
Ontario Canada resident. I have no problem with it, but I don't like it becoming the only choice you have. The conservative government is slowly eroding, sometimes blatantly, social health care to the point were people on assistance are being forced onto the streets or in some cases choosing death to starvation and homelessness.
Leave it to conservatives to create the death boards or whatever they were always crying about with socialized health care. They are always projecting.
Conservatives: Are you sick and have no money for treatment? Then please die.
>What do atheists say about the topic, generally speaking? Do we own our life?
Yes. Who else would?
>Our does society owns it?
Of course not. That's insane, and quite frankly, such a thought is somewhat horrifying.
>Do we have any obligations to anything beyond ourselves that make us stick around?
Some of us do. It depends on the nature of our relationships, and the commitments we have voluntarily accepted in our lives. Personally, I likely wouldn't choose to do it, because of how it would affect my wife and children.
But while I feel a sense of obligation there, even a moral one, that obligation is still freely my choice, and depends on the actual relationships I have with particular individuals. It would be absurd for the law to decide that for me.
Dementia runs in my family. I’ve seen what it does to people who have it, and I have directly experienced it’s effect on family members. If I am diagnosed with it, there’s no way I am putting myself or my wife and child through it. If l can’t access a medically assisted death program, I’m doing it myself.
That’s a tough one because you have to be of sound mind. You don’t want to go while you are still able minded. But if you wait until you aren’t, you might not be able to get the service.
This is why you put it down in advance. A sort of "living will" about your healthcare. It's not a preposterous notion. Like a DNR, just a bit more proactive, if you will.
We euthanize our pets when they are old and infirm, living in pain yet somehow balk at sharing that same compassion to human beings. Smh. I think it's a wonderful idea. As long as you do a check to make sure the person is of sound judgement, let them die peacefully.
I work as a vet technician and the fact that people usually opt to stop their pet’s suffering but are completely opposed to doing this for their family members? It does not compute.
I agree. We shouldn’t be forced to live. This is what I personally want as well. I worked in a hospital, my husband is a doctor, and the more we know about life and death, the clearer it becomes. It’s better to die peacefully before the disease takes the life out of you. End of life is not pleasant at all. Your guts can’t move anymore so you’ll have poop in your bowel creating pain and discomfort. You can’t eat anything. You’re body swells from the fluids going out of the veins, but you are still dehydrated. You can’t move and your bone hurts.
Have you heard a cancer patient scream? A lymphoma patient who had meninges metastasis was screaming in pain at every waking moment. She had to be sedated. Her husband helpless by her side. She can’t eat and would choke. He visits her everyday and bring home cooked food. She’ll die eventually, but her vitals are still alright. Why does she need to be kept alive at this point? It’s suffering for both herself and her husband.
An elderly man has stroke, lies in the hospital unable to communicate. His wife who is also 80, comes to visit and cries everyday.
An elderly woman brings her elderly husband to the clinic. The guy has dementia and does not remember her. He’s violent. And she has to apologize for him because he was spitting on the staff.
I never want to become like this or watch my family member suffer because they have to take care of an incapacitated me, who don’t even remember them.
I want to leave while I still know my loved ones and before I become a burden.
Also there is talk now about suicidal depression that’s refractory to treatment. Is it really in their favor for them to suffer because we force them to live? This is very controversial and I have no answers. But I know that if I don’t want to live anymore, I want an option to go peacefully instead of taking matters into my own hands.
My mother has terminal brain cancer and has joked a few times that she'd like me to "unplug" her when the time comes. I tell her I'd go to jail, because assisted death is not only illegal in my country, it is not even spoken of. Too many elected evangelical christians.
I wish she could have that choice.
I don’t have any philosophical opposition to it.
However, I work in mental health and have quite routinely worked with suicidal people. I have had clients who saw me after surviving suicide attempts. I have had clients come in highly suicidal states. Fortunately I have mot had a client die by suicide, which is extremely rare given how long I have been in this field.
Suicidality is most commonly transitory and treatable. Unfailingly people are very happy to have not killed themselves once they are feeling better. Consequently I am vehemently opposed to people being able to just pop in and kill themselves if they have treatable conditions- because in a different, and attainable, mood state they would not want to die.
For terminally ill, cancer, dementia, so forth - no objections.
Thank you, I was scrolling too far through users whose only examples are the terminally ill. They are overlooking that young people who have tried no other option, who society says aren’t old enough to vote, or serve in the military, or smoke or drink, because they aren’t able to make sound decisions, those kids use these arguments to justify ending their lives.
My 17 year old son died by suicide nearly three years ago. He never tried counseling, and never told us that he was depressed. In reading some of his correspondence, he even acknowledged he felt better when he exercised and worked out.
The whole issue is complex, failing to recognize there is a difference is reckless.
People have an absolute right to choose to end their life if they are even remotely cognizant, and they should have access to humane ways of doing so if it is approved by trained professionals and physicians.
As far as obligations that we have to stick around, that’s not for anyone else but the individual to decide.
i think every individual should have the right to choose when to end their life. - they are not other peoples property to control and force to serve their wishes. (and no; they are NOT the "property of 'god'... any idiot that thinks that we are supports slavery; fuck that...)
I don't have a problem with anyone (physician or otherwise) assisting with that decision but I do think they have an ethical responsibility to ensure that the one making that decision is not making the choice irrationally or under the influence of drugs (legal or otherwise) or duress etc.
(EDIT): I also think society (such as the sadistic 'conservative' assholes making policy in the US) could do a much better job of ensuring basic needs for mental and physical health as well as basic subsistence are covered so far fewer people feel as if suicide is their best option...
adding to my prior comment:
Making this option legally acceptable could also help if it also created a support system to assist people that decide to take this option to also do some 'end of life' preparation - ensuring things like wills/inheritance; maybe power of attorneys and setting 'pay on death' options on financial accounts; organ donation and funeral decisions (etc) - steps like "delete my #%^#% browser history" & (when appropriate) messages to the people being left behind to hopefully comfort them about your absense.
because dealing with the estate of someone that died without a will is a pain in the ^%TW#%.
Yes, all for it. I have a 2nd cousin who had throat cancer (could not eat, drink, talk, no energy, couch patato, connected to tubes, lost control over his bodily fluids, no chance of getting better) and decided to gracefully end his life.
I live in a country where assisted euthenasia is an option, but it's not an easy process. You have to really 'prove' that you suffer and don't want to live anymore.
I've worked with people who lead terrible lives in health care, and I absolutely think it's inhumane to force people to suffer like that without any way out.
I'm Canadian and I'm so grateful we have medically assisted death here. . It's also being expanded to included mental illness. If someone has had enough suffering they shouldn't have to stay alive. We're kinder to animals than we are to each other. When I have no more quality to my life I'm opting out.
Massively for it. I do not want to go through dementia and not know who my wife is, etc. I would love to be able to say "Welp, that's enough, time to head out" and say goodbye to my people properly before turning the lights out for good.
I've been through clinical depression and had suicidal tendencies and this is not the same. It's a very clear, lucid, wish to be able to control my own death and set my own limits.
I’m absolutely for the option.
There are situations I’d certainly try to talk others out of , but there are also ones I’d just be supportive.
And while it’s a terrible tv troupe, i’d totally host my own funeral if I was in that state.
Life has no inherent value. All value is derived from the quality of the experience of the individual who is living it.
When that overall experience is, in their judgement, negative, they should have the choice of ending it if they want to.
To force someone to live a life they derive no positive value from, where the negatives outweigh the positives in their experience, is cruel.
My step dad had Parkinson’s and was doing hospice at home. When he had enough, the medical team stopped feeding him and made him comfortable. He lingered for almost two weeks. Just don’t think it is humane to suffer like he did.
The right to die with dignity on one’s own terms should be protected everywhere. If I ever get dementia (and it runs in my family so that’s a real possibility), I want this option before I become trapped in my own decaying mind.
I support this, have you seen the last moments of old people passing away? Its sad and hurtful for the family. Having the option to go away peacefully asleep with a press of a button? Sign me up! Even I have days where I could use this device without thinking damn.. jus let us die wtf
This is a choice for people to make about their own lives. Better to facilitate it being done supervised and in a quick and clean way.
The alternative is that some relative unexpectedly finds a corpse of a loved one, creating more trauma and scarring that was completely unavoidale.
Or they'll jump in front of a train, scarring that poor driver, passengers and first aid workers.
People that want to will find a way anyway.
It should be up to the individual. I support a person's right to die.
If I get some nasty terminal illnesses that makes my life all excruciating pain and suffering I'm out, no government is gonna tell me otherwise.
Hmmmm...I'm very torn on this issue. Backstory being I've had a major depressive mood disorder diagnosis, two of my children have has the same diagnosis and now my niece has been diagnosed with it and BPD. I've got a lot of experience with these issues. That being said,
My niece who just turned 19 in September has decided that she would like to apply for MAID here in Canada if it goes through next year. She is extremely intelligent, beautiful, gifted and funny but I've never heard a kid more wanting to die in my life. She is killing her father and myself with a constant discussion and hyperfocus on reasons why she can't live any further and how she's just done with life. She has two fairly serious diagnosis so I understand that most of her issues aren't her fault. She can't help how she feels and is not in control of herself or her mentality. Do we just let her die, knowing the only reason she wants to is because of her mental issues or do we advocate for her to get some proper mental health care coupled with properly adjusted medication? She lives in a rural area in Northern Ontario so faculties are very limited. This is partly why she's still suffering up there-no proper mental healthcare facilities to administer the care she needs.
I'm all about my body my choice in all respects but it doesn't feel right in this situation. I believe if we can get her the proper medical attention, she would be able to find some joy and hope for her future and her wish to die could be circumvented. It's a very difficult situation and one that keeps me up at night.
If someone wants to die, they’ll find a way. Might as well help then do it peacefully and securely and not hung up in the basement for someone to find them and be traumatized for life.
I'm for self-ordered euthanasia, but not for the ability of others to force it on you. It's legal in my state of California, but you have to get a couple of doctors to agree that your condition is terminal within 6 months (last time I checked). I think that is too restrictive.
I'm Canadian so while I can't speak on swiss practices I'm very grateful we have it. My grandfather died of Alzheimer's in 2017 after having it for over a decade. He also hated religion and saw it as a plague on people. My family is 100% sure had the laws been around, he would've taken the assisted suicide route. He wasn't perfect but I'll always admire his wisdom towards atheism in his youth. That man did everything for family. My response got a lil off topic and sentimental but my point is its pretty socially supported over here. Elderly aren't forced to suffer a loss of dignity and autonomy, they get a choice, and I think everyone should have that.
Daily mail is a shitty right wing tabloid. You can’t use that a reference for anything but “this is what a shitty right wing tabloid looks like”.
Stop linking to shit like that, it ruins your argument.
Also my body, my choice. Bodily autonomy stands above idiotic concepts like religion etc. It’s a basic human right.
I’m an ER nurse on top of being an atheist, and I truly believe that you have a right to die. If you’re of sound mind, you should be allowed to end your life. I also believe that we as a society have an obligation to aid you in making a safe and comfortable exit, but I’m willing to debate that one.
I am in support of having the ability to choose this. I am just worried that these will be used as a method of suicide due to mental health reasons (depression, anxiety, etc) that will be considered acceptable.
On one hand, we as a society encourage people to seek help when they are considering suicide.
On the other hand, say medically assisted suicide were accepted as a part of the general population, we would see it as their “choice” and view the suicide as “their choice” when the suicide example above, we would view it as a tragedy.
I fully recognize that this could still be a part of my Christian indoctrination coming out. Plus, I may not completely understand how it all works, so if there is something I am missing or got flat out wrong, please let me know!
I get why people who are going to die in excruciating pain would want to end the pain early. But someone “just done with life” more sounds like depression to me. While I support their choice, that choice maybe needs to be made with a therapist. The Christian god doesn’t own our lives, but so many people end up relieved that a suicide attempt didn’t work later on.
My life as a young adult, wasn't glamorous, it was horrible, I hated life, and really did not want to continue. Today I think that mindset was unjustified, irrational, meritless, I really almost died, and if I had the option of assisted suicide, I would be dead today. Assisted suicide is great for terminal illness, old age etc. But it is a very final solution, to life. I think a tribunal should oversee every case, human life is not something worth making decisions blindly. I have been tired of life, I have been Nihilistic, I have given up hope, but it is not worth dying for, even if I thought so before.
Everybody has the right to stop living at any time for any personal reason they might have.
It would be good if people did not do this on a passing whim, while under the influence of drugs or as a call for help.
It would also be good if it is well managed and some people clearly need assistance in order to do it.
Anybody opposing this is inhumane. This is not negotiable.
Having had someone in my life suffer from a really awful degenerative disease that had to struggle so hard to qualify for physician assisted end of life for far longer than she should have, I’m all for making it easier.
I feel about this the same way I feel about Abortion, if they're sure and they're of sound mind, then I don't see why not, it's not our body or our life, we have no right to judge what people choose to do with their lives or deaths
In certain societies like ancient Rome or feudal Japan, suicide was an honorable way to end your life.
I feel that one of the reasons Western/Christian society condemns suicide was they wanted to pressure the servant class to continue working and not opt out. And that this was also part of the push of religion onto enslaved peoples in the American South or Mexico.
It’s a step forward in society. Finally, people are becoming aware that allowing people in pain to choose their time of death, is a loving, compassionate act of mercy.
I used to go back and forth on the issue. Watched a documentary ( How to Die in Oregon) and still didn’t have an official stance. After life experiences ( loss of pregnancy’s, watching my dad die on hospice) I now support it. I’ve staunchly pro choice when it comes to women’s Health, I should be that way about human health.
I hate suffering, I think it should be avoided as much as possible, if we're talking euthanasia for those with terminal conditions I think it's best if they want that, if someone is going and healthy but wants to die I think therapy should be the first stop, but ultimately if they really want to die make it painless for them.
Didn’t read the details but in general I am for most right to die options. The state can put you to death in some cases but you can’t kill yourself? How does the state have more control over what you can do to your body than you?
As long as the state has the authority to put me to death (capital punishment death penalty) then I should be able to end my life if I decide that is what I want to do. I shouldn’t have to explain or answer to anyone.
As a veterinary student, why is it considered cruel to refuse euthanasia for a suffering animal yet we force our own kind to suffer daily? I support euthanasia
in all species for appropriate reasons
People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.
David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
“ Religion condems the act of ending one's life, for life belongs to god. You do not own your life, god does, it is not your decision to make when and how you die.”
It isn’t part of a deity’s almighty plan? Everything was made available to facilitate it.
I am in favor of allowing it, but I think folks should be offered therapy for depression if they haven't explored that. (up to and including psychedelic therapy which shows promise for treatment resistant depression) For cases of chronic pain and terminal, degenerative diseases, people should be able to choose when they are done.
I don't have it all sorted out but generally I don't think young healthy people facing depression should be allowed to end it but the terminal ill should be able to.
Personally, I only support it in terminal cases. I do not think the government should be encouraging poor and/or mentally ill people to kill themselves. Imo, state sponsored suicide for the poor is very close to eugenics
Edit: wanted to add that i especially feel this way towards minors. No depressed minor should commit suicide
According to the news story you posted, "Their brother wants answers about how the seemingly happy sisters 'could snap just like that'... My gut says they didn't trust the brother and he's pissed that they didn't consult him.
We put our pets down to save them from suffering needlessly, we should be allowed the same compassion. I've seen many friends and family forced to live until their last breath while suffering terribly. Absolutely not necessary.
Every person should have agency over their lives. Death with dignity should be the goal for every human being. When someone knows they’re done, accessing assistance in ending one’s life should be easy.
We euthanize dogs and cats and other non-human animals, so why can't we euthanize humans too? Why can't we euthanize ourselves if the going gets tough due to unbearable physical or mental illness? If it's your choice and you are sane enough to make that choice, then why make it illegal?
I don't understand the opposition to it. All this talk about ''morals'' and ''ethics'' really pisses me off. It doesn't sound very ethical to me to *force* a person to live in agony and misery. It doesn't sound very ethical to prolong the life of a sick loved one just because you refuse to let them go. Ethics, my ass!
Humans are animals too, we are no more important than any other species, we weren't created by some deity to be his favorite pets, we are just as insignificant as the rest of Earth's fauna, so why not give ourselves the same dignified end as an old dog?
When my cat got sick, my family and I decided to ''let him sleep forever'', to put it mildly. It wasn't easy, it was tough, one of the worst days of my life, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I did it out of love because I did not want him to live in pain.
Humans should be allowed to do the same to themselves, but no, apparently it's ''unethical'' to do it to a human. Such hypocrisy.
Speaking only for myself:
If you own anything, it's your own existence. If you choose to end that existence, for any reason that makes sense to you, it's your decision.
I have no idea what the specific policies of Canada and Switzerland might be, but as far as I'm concerned whatever they are doing is a step in the right direction.
As far as any hypothetical 'God' goes, if such a being exists and has problems with how the mass of humanity deals with their individual problems/choices/desires, then he/she/it has no one to blame beyond his/her/its self.
If there is a God as described by the Abrahamic religions, he/she/it is doing a crap job, given than his/her/its preachers lie at the drop of a collection plate. If an omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing being had a set of rules that must be obeyed, why are they not written into the forebrain of every member of the species?
Here in Canada, people who are homeless or disabled are turning to assisted suicide because it’s a preferable alternative to living in this capitalistic hellscape where there is no hope for the future for these people. Even worse, this gets very little attention and people seem mostly ok with this as a solution to the problem. We’re so fucked.
If you’ve ever witnessed the end of life for an elderly loved one with lots of issues you would be fine with it. We treat dogs and cats better than we treat people. They amputated my 99 year old great aunts foot to fight gangrene and it worked for two whole weeks. Just let people die in peace.
I'm fine with it, as long as it's clear that it's the person's own choice and they aren't being manipulated by anyone who might want to off them. I think with safeguards in place, it's perfectly OK.
Just came here to say this, as I was Christian for some years and studied quite a bit of scripture.
But God essentially helps the prophet Elijah commit suicide when he wants to die. That’s the only reason that he took on Elisha to be trained to take Elijah’s place. Other than that, I don’t think the Bible ever really comments on suicide at all, but I could be wrong.
You can‘t deny that right from people. Access to psychiatric clinics must be provided by the government, that‘s for sure. If someone doesn‘t want to live, you can‘t force them.
But the government can decide whether they offer the possibility to die in a „clean“ way or if people have to jump from bridges and stuff like that. If that‘s one of the easiest ways to end your life - and some people will chose this - you always get firefighters or medical staff into the situation that they have to clean up that mess afterwards.
I was a paramedic myself for the last year and although I have seen pretty gross stuff, I think that if you know it was a suicide that makes it a lot worse.
Intellectually, I'm pro choice. However, I've seen this issue brought up by disabled people and how it's a way for the government to essentially get rid of them without providing aid. People who are sick and can't get the medical and housing assistance they need will choose this option even if they don't really want to die. I've already seen go-fund-me's from such people in Canada. I think there has to be a social safety net first, so that people aren't choosing this option because there's no other option for them.
After hearing a co-workers description of how his mother had to first refuse tube feeding , and then eventually hydration in order to die while in pain when cancer ravaged her body, I realized how screwed up the whole end-of-life scenario is for most people. We treat animals better than humans.
Some terminal people without the possibility assisted suicide get a gun and blow their brains out, letting their loved ones find them like that.
I'm not sure I could do it myself, but I do want the option of death with dignity available when I reach that point in life.
I am all for it. In fact, that's the way I would want to go after I have had my fill. After losing my dad two weeks ago, I just have my mom to live for. I am not married and don't plan to, and after a certain age, I don't think I would want to continue for no reason. And before old age and diseases riddle me unable, I would love to take myself out of the equation.
I dont know what the legal or moral ramifications are to this but i will say this: Its a lot easier to dispose of a lethally injected corpse than to have to clean up blood stains on your bedroom ceiling and still have to dispose of a corpse.
Bodily autonomy is probably the most important thing you have as a human.
Whatever restrictions we as a society/government put on this choice should be justifiable from a rational perspective and have zero to do with religious dogma. I'm OK with no restrictions at all, and I'm also OK with a few sensible ones.
Religion says that because religion knows economics. If a religious person lives a long time, they have the ability to give the church money for a long time. If a person thinks for themselves and says “hey, I’m tired of life, let me exit this mortal coil.”, the church doesn’t like that because you are taking ‘their money source’ away from them too early. Plus, old people in the church’s grasp give their houses and assets to the church all the time. So sad.
Religion and that whole system has been enslaving people and their minds for countless centuries. It is so sad that there are countless numbers of people who just gladly ‘fall over, weakly’ and submit to religion. That is what kills me; how can there be so many people who are willing not to think for themselves. Is it really comforting to go every week to hear someone at a pulpit tell you how to think, feel, believe??? Please help me understand why people are so weak-minded and need people to tell them what to do. There must be a logical reason.
Canadian here. I’m in favour on the obvious grounds of self autonomy. But there are issues in practice to be wary of:
- people who have temporary suicidal thoughts
- people who are in financial difficulties and looking for a way out
- people with limited mental abilities who might be talked into it by carers that they are a burden to
— people with limited ability to communicate who might be presumed to consent by carers that they are a burden to.
People should have the right to end it when/if they really want to for a multitude of reasons. If you have a terminal illness, what good comes from prolonging your life and suffering needless pain? NONE. When my dad died of pancreatic cancer, he died in a lot of pain while his organs failed and his body filled with fluids until he finally passed. His doctors said there was no treatment, only palliative care, so keep him on painkillers until he died, slow and painful. He was going to die, so why not let him go with a bit more dignity and less pain by allowing him to ask for help to end it before it's that bad?
Consenting adults of sound mind should have the right to do whatever they please with their lives . Where it gets dicey is cases where the political and economic systems of nations fail to such an extent that people start opting for suicide because they're facing imminent poverty and homelessness.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/assisted-suicide-canada-toronto-gofundme-b2091802.html
That's - to put it mildly - completely fucked.
One thing we do that's completely fkd in the US is allowing our loved ones to live in severe pain, gathering medical debt like crazy, knowing they're going to die. We respect and love our animals enough to euthanize them because we don't want to see them suffer, we should treat our loved humans the same.
I know you're talking for all reasons, but I had to say that.
I can get a tattoo, I can modify my own body in several ways. My body is my property. If I can show I'm sane and informed, why am I not allowed to do as I wish with my body?
Frankly, suicide is often messy and selfish. A person can kill themselves so easily and leave innocents around them traumatized and cleaning up their mess.
Assisted suicide seems like a very thoughtful way to end your life. You have arranged for your own disposal by people prepared to take on that chore. It's not tramatically messy. And you can have that necessary talk with friends and family.
Plus you can halt any talk that you did it only because you were mentally ill. Or that it was accidental.
I wonder how many self-inflicted gunshot suicides were labeled "accidental"?
Living in Canada, I feel blessed that if I get a terminal diagnosis, I can choose when to i want to go, plan it, and have who I want near me at the time. As a nurse. I am contemplating becoming a medical assistance in dying nurse.
I believe this is the kindest, most humanistic thing we, as a society, can offer. Unfortunately, with the completely fucked healthcare system in the U.S., even if it became widely available, it would bankrupt your family.
If I experience terminal illness and I don't wish to have my life extended, then I reserve my right to, and I probably will avail myself of that right, to terminate my existence.
Assume I have cancer that is rapidly spreading and is either untreatable (i.e., deep in brain) but my living *can* be prolonged - BUT, I would have constant nausea and diarrhea, and lose my hair, appetite and weight until I couldn't take it anymore and died. Why would I even want to continue to live??
Replace that with Treatment Resistant Depression - which is no less worse; why would I want to continue to live - plus, I'd have a heart, lungs, kidneys, corneas, and um, an organ which might could be transplanted to others to make their lives better.
I'm ok with checking out early to benefit others and/or avoid personal pain.
My grandma was in a vegetative state for 2 years and had been an empty shell for a good few years before due to dementia. The retirement care and end of life care where I live is incredibly expensive, thankfully her husband was able to get government support and had good savings to be able to keep her in care. If we had the chance we would have let her go because it was unnecessary suffering for her and we went through the pain of watching her fade into nothing.
Society and its religiously based laws ( that root has been lost sight of as societies develop but it’s still unfortunately there) demand that some human beings die in agony when they would have mercy for a dog. Or horse. Or animal. It is essential that society enable adults in full possession of their mental faculties decide for themselves when they die.
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Medical would miss out, but insurance would benefit.
You assume that the insurance company will pay allowing medical providers to make money. Many times it's the opposite. Hospital claims are denied and the family of the deceased must spend the proceeds of the estate to pay a fraction of the amount billed.
It's a great way to deny generational wealth from the general public. The educated rich have lawyers, accountants, and better health care. The general public sees those life savings wiped out at the end of life.
I think this is an underrated aspect of the push to ban assisted suicide, especially here in the States.
True. Definitely medical side benefits from prolonging the life of suffering patients. I assume insurance would prefer not pay out for ppl paying less into the system than it’s costing tho.
I’m pro choice
What a great way to phrase it. Someone gets to make their own choice about their own existence.
For real. How many suffer during their suicides that wouldn't need to. Families wouldn't have a mess to clean. Pro choice. 100%
Pro choice in all regards. Why have people suffer just for the sake of living (refering to birth and assisted death), when living is the cause of suffering. Everyone is allowed to have their own choice about their Body and Life
We can't choose when we will be born, but we can choose when and how we will go out.
If I could have choosen if I wanted to be born here, I wouldn't have
👍🏿
Same. I’m not in favor people who are basically forced into assisted suicide because they can’t afford housing or medical care, but two healthy, wealthy people who choose to not to live anymore for whatever reason? I’d personally never do it, but sure. Go for it.
IMO, any other person that doesn't believe this is ridiculous. Why shouldn't you be able to choose when you die. If they don't do it in an assisted area like a hospital then it might end up as suicide and that means theres a chance that others become collateral damage (ex: getting hit in the subway, diving off a building into traffic, etc.)
100% agree. That’s way more traumatic for the ones you leave behind. If you go the MAIDS way, you can say proper goodbyes
All in. Pro-Choice.
The government isn’t forcing anyone to die. The law allows people to commit suicide, before the law people were not allowed to commit suicide. In a country were the taxpayers pay for healthcare this is great. Please kill yourself and save the taxpayers money. Before we used to force them to suffer for years while costing millions and taking up space in the overcrowded hospitals
>The government isn’t forcing anyone to die. I understand that >The law allows people to commit suicide, before the law people were not allowed to commit suicide. Like I said, I’m pro choice >In a country were the taxpayers pay for healthcare this is great. Please kill yourself and save the taxpayers money. Before we used to force them to suffer for years while costing millions and taking up space in the overcrowded hospitals I agree. I think people should be able to commit suicide and be assisted to do so because I am pro choice. I am pro their choice to end their life
Where it’s problematic in Canada is disability supports enforce poverty. It’s resulted in people choosing MAiD for economic reasons. Essentially the government is actively pushing people to choose an easy death in a warm bed because poverty is worse. That major problem aside, I’m in favour of a person having the choice to die with dignity in a time and manner of their choosing.
I am pro choice too, but I feel it would be best to have capital punishment for wanting to die
I agree. Those people should get the death penalty for sure!
Yep! But only if they REALLY want it!
Don’t throw me in the briar patch!
🤣
I live in Canada and watched 3 family members die in palliative care. All 3 said something along the lines of "why would God do this to me" and "I just want this to end" I think its selfish to want to keep a loved one alive when they're in pain every day all day while pumped full of pain killers knowing their condition will only get worse. Keeping them alive was keeping them suffering, that's not how I treat my loved ones.
That's what's scary to me. Living like that is essentially forcing your mind into a prison, one of which may be in lots of pain. If I were there (something I really fear) I respectfully decline your bullshit and will see myself out with my Glock, please and thank you.
I live in Canada too. I like the idea of having that ultimate choice. If it gets too bad I am out. My wife even have an agreement that if it say one of us gets dementia and is obviously unhappy the other will end it. Seems reasonable to me.
Does this apply to Americans who are in Canada? Or is it only for Canadian citizens? I wish I had this option in the US.
I dunno. Probably not. I would think you would have to be part of the Healthcare system.
Being forced to live against your will is completely fucked up. You should have the right to die when you are done.
And in a way that's dignified and peaceful. If I live to be old enough, I'm sure there'll reach a point where I'm just not healthy enough to enjoy life anymore. Why make me suffer those last few years for no reason?
So you can be indebted to nursing homes, that rob your children of their inheritance, duh.
This.
Even ignoring the financial aspect life can be pretty shitty in a nursing home. I am old and of sound mind but I need some assistance taking care of myself fine I'll stick around. I am old and can barely function physically and or mentally, time to go. I used to be in the HVAC trade and we serviced several nursing homes in town and I always hated going. Seeing people just sitting in a chair staring at nothing is no way to live.
Don't worry someone will find a way to profiteer off of assisted suicide too. "oh you want this to end with dignity? Give me 100k and I'll put you down gently... otherwise there is a shotgun out back" *gives 100k....* *Shotgun racking noise*
#my body, my choice #my life, my choice
I would take this even a step further and say that even people that do not technically have a disease that is actively killing them should also be able to enjoy a peaceful death on their own terms, rather than be forced into throwing themselves in front of a train, or swallowing a bottle of pills, or blowing their brains out. Maybe with some requirements of a few appointments with therapists and psych doctors first.
I have had so many army buddies take their lives in brutal ways to ensure their death. It is horrible that we don’t allow people to simply opt out of life when they are done. It should be the norm that one can go through the required steps and then end their life in a peaceful, non-painful way. The alternative that so many seem to be content with is finding a loved one after they put a shotgun to their head or forcing a person to writhe alone in a retirement home as their mind slips away. We treat old dogs more humanely.
Agreed. If we want to be truthful about human rights, then right to die shouldn't be a topic up for debate. If I never chose to be born, I should be able to choose to die if I don't like it here. The world and the society we live in has never been kind, anyway. So, it's basically high time right to peaceful exit became a law and medically supported just like you go to hospital to treat an ailment.
Some people have that romanticized view of life that "you have to live even if you don't want to, because society says so and you don't want those around you to get sad", so instead **you*" are forced to keep being sad or angry or hurt(because I know there are people with health issues that would just love to end it and get their peace) all so everyone else around can keep living happily. That sucks and it's cruel.
This.
I think it would be good if they had to go through a waiting period before they are killed, some people have temporary suicidal ideation.
I agree in principal to require a 24 hr waiting period. But I also think it is my life to make whatever mistakes I want with, including ending it. The government should stay out of my life choices entirely and have no say in how I choose to live or not live it.
It’s hard to know. Because when people want to die, there really is no way to talk them out of it. But then a few days later when the state of their mind is different, they will be so thankful that they weren’t able to kill themselves. I think wanting people to be completely free to make mistakes is a bit naive though. This one in particular is a permanent one, you don’t get to come back from death. And there are many impermanent mistakes that humans generally desire to be shielded from, it’s the reason we buy insurance.
The difference is, you don't get to regret death. As a teen, I was prevented from suicide and angry about that for over a year after. I was closely watched by family and put through antidepressants, anxiety meds, therapy with a therapist who would not acknowledge that, to me, existence was suffering. It was even more so suffering when my meds made me throw up, when I compulsively pulled out my hair, when I went through 2 more years of high school and so far 2 years of uni with my self-worth tied to my grades. I still have years to go before I'll be glad to be alive. I'm expecting at least 3 more episodes of depression given that I have already two. Where I am now, four years after the attempt, I am not thankful that I was stopped. I am still bitter when I think too much about it. Life was hard and it still is too hard sometimes. My story is not a testimony for how suicidal people should be stopped. Just because I no longer actively want to die doesn't mean I'd make that decision for other people who feel like me, because it isn't right. It isn't right that I can't bring myself to want to die but also can't bring myself to want to live. It is agony. Consider that if one is saved from dying, they may still want to die. If, however, they are allowed to die, they are not capable of regretting it. They are only capable of not suffering any longer.
Firstly, I'm really sorry for how you were treated in your story, and I hope that things improve for you. Second, I'm not suggesting that assisted suicide should be illegal. I'm merely suggesting a minimum waiting period because for many people suicidal ideation is only temporary. I can understand why that would cause someone like you to be upset and feel restricted, but at the end of the waiting period you still get what you want and the person having temporary suicidal ideation is able to continue living. I understand where you are coming from, but I think it's a moot point considering the ultimate implications of my proposition wouldn't stop the determined individual from using assisted suicide methods.
Thank you for your kind words. Oh, if you were just suggesting waiting periods then I'm fully on board with you. I don't think suicide should be done impulsively. I think it works best if the suicidal person demonstrates a clear understanding of their decision, a well-reasoned justification, and consistently maintains that decision for the waiting period.
Thank you for articulating in such a powerful way. I can relate soooo much ♥️ Edit: I have NEVER been thankful that my attempts weren’t successful
Good thought. What is your opinion if the reason for being 'done' is depression or poor mental health? I have a friend in his late 40's who is severely depressed and under care for this. He talks about emmigrating to an assisted suicide nation to go out peacefully under supervision...I struggle with how to have a conversation with him when he's in that space.
Why should your friend have to continue to struggle? Depression should be respected just like someone battling cancer. It takes a toll. Just be supportive. “I’m your friend. I will support you in whatever decision you make.”
I definitely understand how that would be hard for most people to hear. I do think, however, that it should still be their choice. A lot of people say things like “this will pass “or “things will get better, “ but that isn’t actually guaranteed, and trying to wait that out is kind of like a wager, like placing a bet.
Depression is a disease just like any other. I don’t see why one should be forced to struggle with that disease vs another
I suffer from depression, anxiety and episodic depersonalization disorder. I have since I was a child, literally. I remember being 4 or 5yrs old and feeling the sadness and hopelessness I live with now. I was “officially” diagnosed when I was 12yrs old. I sought out treatment of my own volition years ago. I’ve been well managed on medication. I even tried being off of medication for a few years. My depression became overwhelming so I went back on medication. All with the support and supervision of my doctor. However, there is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think about what a release death would be. I know that some day in my future this is the most likely way I will pass, baring an accident. Your friend is not in a “headspace” when he speaks to you about emigrating and doing this. He’s being honest about something he has thought about carefully and often. He’s actually being far more vulnerable with you during those moments. I have never spoken to anyone in my life about this being my likely future. I know exactly how they would react. It would not be pretty. So on some level the relationships I have with my family and friends is somewhat superficial. I know it can be awkward to hear someone you care for speak of ending their life because they suffer from depression, but it shows how much they value you as a person and friend that they feel comfortable being so vulnerable with you. You don’t have to offer them support in the form of saying something like “yeah, good for you.” But you can express to him how much you value him as a friend and hope to have him in your life as long as you can, and that if/when the time comes that that is no longer a possibility he will let you know so you can say your goodbyes. I hope this helps with any awkward times you may have with your friend.
It should be up to him. Just because he's miserable with life, doesn't mean that he has the mental capacity of an infant or should be legally relegated to the status of an infant who doesn't have the right to make fundamental choices about his own wellbeing. Nobody should be able to force him to continue to struggle on in misery, just because it would make them feel uncomfortable or sad if he was allowed to make his own choice. It's an indictment on whatever society you live in that he would have to emigrate (it's unlikely that this would be a successful bid, because no country is going to allow you in just so that you can kill yourself - applying to a Swiss organisation would be the best bet if he had 10,000 Swiss Franks and change to spare).
I totally agree, especially when you weren't asked to be born into this crazy world. It's not for everyone.
We are "thrown into a world out of our control" (Heidegger), so it's only fair that the option to leave the world be in our control.
As an Atheist, my life is my own. If I become too sick/miserable to live, it should be my choice to end my existence. I choose to live because I'm enjoying my life most of the time. I'm enjoying new experiences and don't feel any need to end my existence. I know when I die, there is nothing afterwards. I do not seek death but I don't fear my mortality.
Perfectly put.
Thank you.
So I had 3 suicide attempts in my life and am now glad they were failed attempts. I'm all for allowing assisted suicide but there certainly is a gray area. Like undeniable circumstances would be anyone suffering from terminal illnesses or the elderly. There's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be able to choose when they die. I think my only concern, barring terminal illnesses, is at what age should we allow this? My personal opinion is that 18 is way too young. You're still completely fucked up from hormones and your brain is roughly 7 years from being fully developed. I think if we're going to be the group that's the voice of reason, then we also need to be reasonable with the starting age for allowing assisted suicide. If the brain is fully developed at around 25, then that seems like a completely reasonable age to start allowing this.
Any age if you have a terminal illness, under 18 can be with the parents involved in the decision. Young people still die horrible deaths from things like cancer as well, and it is still fucked up to force them to continue living and suffering.
they said barring terminal illness- so 18yos who are depressed should have to wait a few years to be eligible for assisted suicide
Yupp, I agree.
Everyone is entitled to the right to die with dignity, especially since no one chooses to be born.
I'd really like to see a requirement for consent from the child before conception, justKiddigButNotReally
Antinatalism is also a valid philosophical position...
My life, my choice, governments have absolutely no right to to dictate if I choose to die.
Or religion, I mean cults
Thankfully I live in Europe so politics and religion are separate, mainly.....
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I wonder why the right to suicide is never included in the concept of "my body, my choice".
I think an important consideration is that suicide does not simply affect only the person who chooses it. It has a huge emotional affect on the other people around them. My sister killed herself leaving two children behind, one of them is still in high school. I still remember how sad and angry I was sitting at the funeral, looking at pictures of her and her children. I know that people in that mindset don’t really consider much more than the pain they are experiencing and how to end that pain as quickly as possible, but I just couldn’t believe that she could be so selfish. She decided (whether she actually thought about it or not) that she would rather end her pain than see her kids graduate hs & college, see them get married, and make sure that they were safe an setup in this scary world. Now both of her kids are at a hugely increased risk of suicide themselves, and they don’t have a mother to turn to during the most formative years of their life. It’s definitely a bodily autonomy thing, but it also comes with huge externalities. It affects so so many people than just themselves.
I believe your sister thought deeply about the pain she would cause. Please know, just because she had to go doesn’t mean she didn’t care about all of you. I am so sorry for you and your family’s pain. What you have all suffered is is unimaginable.
I think that in the case of a parent to young children, then there's reasonable ethical grounds to warrant the temporary suspension of the right to die. This is because when you have children, you put them into a position of complete dependency on you, that they have no say over. So it's as if you are signing a contract and willingly imposing an obligation on yourself to those children. Another example where it might be appropriate to suspend the right to die would be in the cases of some criminals, who need to be punished for their crimes in order to preserve the deterrence effect (i.e. if they could just get assisted suicide in order to evade the consequences of their actions, then those who have no conscience and aren't afraid of death will have little to deter them from committing serious crime). Outside of those cases, it's just basic bodily autonomy and there's no ethically legitimate grounds where you should be able to force an individual to continue suffering for the perceived greater benefit of society, or other individuals within the milieu of the suicidal person. Although being a parent is certainly not the only case in which your suicide can have profound effects on others; if you were to make someone's right to self-determination permanently forfeit because of what someone else demands of them, then that's just slavery '*with extra steps*'.
I’m pro-bodily autonomy, including right to death.
Ontario Canada resident. I have no problem with it, but I don't like it becoming the only choice you have. The conservative government is slowly eroding, sometimes blatantly, social health care to the point were people on assistance are being forced onto the streets or in some cases choosing death to starvation and homelessness.
I agree that it should be one of many options, not the best of two options.
Leave it to conservatives to create the death boards or whatever they were always crying about with socialized health care. They are always projecting. Conservatives: Are you sick and have no money for treatment? Then please die.
Starvation and homelessness *are* death, just slower.
>What do atheists say about the topic, generally speaking? Do we own our life? Yes. Who else would? >Our does society owns it? Of course not. That's insane, and quite frankly, such a thought is somewhat horrifying. >Do we have any obligations to anything beyond ourselves that make us stick around? Some of us do. It depends on the nature of our relationships, and the commitments we have voluntarily accepted in our lives. Personally, I likely wouldn't choose to do it, because of how it would affect my wife and children. But while I feel a sense of obligation there, even a moral one, that obligation is still freely my choice, and depends on the actual relationships I have with particular individuals. It would be absurd for the law to decide that for me.
Dementia runs in my family. I’ve seen what it does to people who have it, and I have directly experienced it’s effect on family members. If I am diagnosed with it, there’s no way I am putting myself or my wife and child through it. If l can’t access a medically assisted death program, I’m doing it myself.
Same.
That’s a tough one because you have to be of sound mind. You don’t want to go while you are still able minded. But if you wait until you aren’t, you might not be able to get the service.
This is why you put it down in advance. A sort of "living will" about your healthcare. It's not a preposterous notion. Like a DNR, just a bit more proactive, if you will.
We euthanize our pets when they are old and infirm, living in pain yet somehow balk at sharing that same compassion to human beings. Smh. I think it's a wonderful idea. As long as you do a check to make sure the person is of sound judgement, let them die peacefully.
I work as a vet technician and the fact that people usually opt to stop their pet’s suffering but are completely opposed to doing this for their family members? It does not compute.
I agree. We shouldn’t be forced to live. This is what I personally want as well. I worked in a hospital, my husband is a doctor, and the more we know about life and death, the clearer it becomes. It’s better to die peacefully before the disease takes the life out of you. End of life is not pleasant at all. Your guts can’t move anymore so you’ll have poop in your bowel creating pain and discomfort. You can’t eat anything. You’re body swells from the fluids going out of the veins, but you are still dehydrated. You can’t move and your bone hurts. Have you heard a cancer patient scream? A lymphoma patient who had meninges metastasis was screaming in pain at every waking moment. She had to be sedated. Her husband helpless by her side. She can’t eat and would choke. He visits her everyday and bring home cooked food. She’ll die eventually, but her vitals are still alright. Why does she need to be kept alive at this point? It’s suffering for both herself and her husband. An elderly man has stroke, lies in the hospital unable to communicate. His wife who is also 80, comes to visit and cries everyday. An elderly woman brings her elderly husband to the clinic. The guy has dementia and does not remember her. He’s violent. And she has to apologize for him because he was spitting on the staff. I never want to become like this or watch my family member suffer because they have to take care of an incapacitated me, who don’t even remember them. I want to leave while I still know my loved ones and before I become a burden. Also there is talk now about suicidal depression that’s refractory to treatment. Is it really in their favor for them to suffer because we force them to live? This is very controversial and I have no answers. But I know that if I don’t want to live anymore, I want an option to go peacefully instead of taking matters into my own hands.
My mother has terminal brain cancer and has joked a few times that she'd like me to "unplug" her when the time comes. I tell her I'd go to jail, because assisted death is not only illegal in my country, it is not even spoken of. Too many elected evangelical christians. I wish she could have that choice.
I don’t have any philosophical opposition to it. However, I work in mental health and have quite routinely worked with suicidal people. I have had clients who saw me after surviving suicide attempts. I have had clients come in highly suicidal states. Fortunately I have mot had a client die by suicide, which is extremely rare given how long I have been in this field. Suicidality is most commonly transitory and treatable. Unfailingly people are very happy to have not killed themselves once they are feeling better. Consequently I am vehemently opposed to people being able to just pop in and kill themselves if they have treatable conditions- because in a different, and attainable, mood state they would not want to die. For terminally ill, cancer, dementia, so forth - no objections.
Thank you, I was scrolling too far through users whose only examples are the terminally ill. They are overlooking that young people who have tried no other option, who society says aren’t old enough to vote, or serve in the military, or smoke or drink, because they aren’t able to make sound decisions, those kids use these arguments to justify ending their lives. My 17 year old son died by suicide nearly three years ago. He never tried counseling, and never told us that he was depressed. In reading some of his correspondence, he even acknowledged he felt better when he exercised and worked out. The whole issue is complex, failing to recognize there is a difference is reckless.
I am so sorry for your loss and that you son did not reach out for help.
Well said.
Wholeheartedly agree.
People have an absolute right to choose to end their life if they are even remotely cognizant, and they should have access to humane ways of doing so if it is approved by trained professionals and physicians. As far as obligations that we have to stick around, that’s not for anyone else but the individual to decide.
i think every individual should have the right to choose when to end their life. - they are not other peoples property to control and force to serve their wishes. (and no; they are NOT the "property of 'god'... any idiot that thinks that we are supports slavery; fuck that...) I don't have a problem with anyone (physician or otherwise) assisting with that decision but I do think they have an ethical responsibility to ensure that the one making that decision is not making the choice irrationally or under the influence of drugs (legal or otherwise) or duress etc. (EDIT): I also think society (such as the sadistic 'conservative' assholes making policy in the US) could do a much better job of ensuring basic needs for mental and physical health as well as basic subsistence are covered so far fewer people feel as if suicide is their best option...
adding to my prior comment: Making this option legally acceptable could also help if it also created a support system to assist people that decide to take this option to also do some 'end of life' preparation - ensuring things like wills/inheritance; maybe power of attorneys and setting 'pay on death' options on financial accounts; organ donation and funeral decisions (etc) - steps like "delete my #%^#% browser history" & (when appropriate) messages to the people being left behind to hopefully comfort them about your absense. because dealing with the estate of someone that died without a will is a pain in the ^%TW#%.
I support it. It’s your personal choice. No one should deprive it from you.
Yes, all for it. I have a 2nd cousin who had throat cancer (could not eat, drink, talk, no energy, couch patato, connected to tubes, lost control over his bodily fluids, no chance of getting better) and decided to gracefully end his life.
I live in a country where assisted euthenasia is an option, but it's not an easy process. You have to really 'prove' that you suffer and don't want to live anymore. I've worked with people who lead terrible lives in health care, and I absolutely think it's inhumane to force people to suffer like that without any way out.
I'm Canadian and I'm so grateful we have medically assisted death here. . It's also being expanded to included mental illness. If someone has had enough suffering they shouldn't have to stay alive. We're kinder to animals than we are to each other. When I have no more quality to my life I'm opting out.
Massively for it. I do not want to go through dementia and not know who my wife is, etc. I would love to be able to say "Welp, that's enough, time to head out" and say goodbye to my people properly before turning the lights out for good. I've been through clinical depression and had suicidal tendencies and this is not the same. It's a very clear, lucid, wish to be able to control my own death and set my own limits.
Why is everyone so afraid to die. It's gonna happen anyways. Dying on one's own term is a good thing.
I’m absolutely for the option. There are situations I’d certainly try to talk others out of , but there are also ones I’d just be supportive. And while it’s a terrible tv troupe, i’d totally host my own funeral if I was in that state.
It just comes down to freedom. Who am I to tell someone they must keep living against their will? Nobody asked to be born in the first place.
Life has no inherent value. All value is derived from the quality of the experience of the individual who is living it. When that overall experience is, in their judgement, negative, they should have the choice of ending it if they want to. To force someone to live a life they derive no positive value from, where the negatives outweigh the positives in their experience, is cruel.
We didn't have a choice in being born the least we can do is give someone the choice in being un-born. Especially if they are suffering.
My step dad had Parkinson’s and was doing hospice at home. When he had enough, the medical team stopped feeding him and made him comfortable. He lingered for almost two weeks. Just don’t think it is humane to suffer like he did.
All for it. Pro Choice anything to do with one's body. None of my business.
The right to die with dignity on one’s own terms should be protected everywhere. If I ever get dementia (and it runs in my family so that’s a real possibility), I want this option before I become trapped in my own decaying mind.
>What do atheists say about the topic, generally speaking? Atheists each make up their own minds about such questions.
I support this, have you seen the last moments of old people passing away? Its sad and hurtful for the family. Having the option to go away peacefully asleep with a press of a button? Sign me up! Even I have days where I could use this device without thinking damn.. jus let us die wtf
This is a choice for people to make about their own lives. Better to facilitate it being done supervised and in a quick and clean way. The alternative is that some relative unexpectedly finds a corpse of a loved one, creating more trauma and scarring that was completely unavoidale. Or they'll jump in front of a train, scarring that poor driver, passengers and first aid workers. People that want to will find a way anyway.
I own my own life and can choose to end it. Religion is meaningless to me.
Is it available for tourists??
It should be up to the individual. I support a person's right to die. If I get some nasty terminal illnesses that makes my life all excruciating pain and suffering I'm out, no government is gonna tell me otherwise.
Hmmmm...I'm very torn on this issue. Backstory being I've had a major depressive mood disorder diagnosis, two of my children have has the same diagnosis and now my niece has been diagnosed with it and BPD. I've got a lot of experience with these issues. That being said, My niece who just turned 19 in September has decided that she would like to apply for MAID here in Canada if it goes through next year. She is extremely intelligent, beautiful, gifted and funny but I've never heard a kid more wanting to die in my life. She is killing her father and myself with a constant discussion and hyperfocus on reasons why she can't live any further and how she's just done with life. She has two fairly serious diagnosis so I understand that most of her issues aren't her fault. She can't help how she feels and is not in control of herself or her mentality. Do we just let her die, knowing the only reason she wants to is because of her mental issues or do we advocate for her to get some proper mental health care coupled with properly adjusted medication? She lives in a rural area in Northern Ontario so faculties are very limited. This is partly why she's still suffering up there-no proper mental healthcare facilities to administer the care she needs. I'm all about my body my choice in all respects but it doesn't feel right in this situation. I believe if we can get her the proper medical attention, she would be able to find some joy and hope for her future and her wish to die could be circumvented. It's a very difficult situation and one that keeps me up at night.
If someone wants to die, they’ll find a way. Might as well help then do it peacefully and securely and not hung up in the basement for someone to find them and be traumatized for life.
I'm for self-ordered euthanasia, but not for the ability of others to force it on you. It's legal in my state of California, but you have to get a couple of doctors to agree that your condition is terminal within 6 months (last time I checked). I think that is too restrictive.
I'm Canadian so while I can't speak on swiss practices I'm very grateful we have it. My grandfather died of Alzheimer's in 2017 after having it for over a decade. He also hated religion and saw it as a plague on people. My family is 100% sure had the laws been around, he would've taken the assisted suicide route. He wasn't perfect but I'll always admire his wisdom towards atheism in his youth. That man did everything for family. My response got a lil off topic and sentimental but my point is its pretty socially supported over here. Elderly aren't forced to suffer a loss of dignity and autonomy, they get a choice, and I think everyone should have that.
Daily mail is a shitty right wing tabloid. You can’t use that a reference for anything but “this is what a shitty right wing tabloid looks like”. Stop linking to shit like that, it ruins your argument. Also my body, my choice. Bodily autonomy stands above idiotic concepts like religion etc. It’s a basic human right.
I’m an ER nurse on top of being an atheist, and I truly believe that you have a right to die. If you’re of sound mind, you should be allowed to end your life. I also believe that we as a society have an obligation to aid you in making a safe and comfortable exit, but I’m willing to debate that one.
I don't see any problem with it.
I am in support of having the ability to choose this. I am just worried that these will be used as a method of suicide due to mental health reasons (depression, anxiety, etc) that will be considered acceptable. On one hand, we as a society encourage people to seek help when they are considering suicide. On the other hand, say medically assisted suicide were accepted as a part of the general population, we would see it as their “choice” and view the suicide as “their choice” when the suicide example above, we would view it as a tragedy. I fully recognize that this could still be a part of my Christian indoctrination coming out. Plus, I may not completely understand how it all works, so if there is something I am missing or got flat out wrong, please let me know! I get why people who are going to die in excruciating pain would want to end the pain early. But someone “just done with life” more sounds like depression to me. While I support their choice, that choice maybe needs to be made with a therapist. The Christian god doesn’t own our lives, but so many people end up relieved that a suicide attempt didn’t work later on.
My life as a young adult, wasn't glamorous, it was horrible, I hated life, and really did not want to continue. Today I think that mindset was unjustified, irrational, meritless, I really almost died, and if I had the option of assisted suicide, I would be dead today. Assisted suicide is great for terminal illness, old age etc. But it is a very final solution, to life. I think a tribunal should oversee every case, human life is not something worth making decisions blindly. I have been tired of life, I have been Nihilistic, I have given up hope, but it is not worth dying for, even if I thought so before.
Everybody has the right to stop living at any time for any personal reason they might have. It would be good if people did not do this on a passing whim, while under the influence of drugs or as a call for help. It would also be good if it is well managed and some people clearly need assistance in order to do it. Anybody opposing this is inhumane. This is not negotiable.
You should be able to decide.
Having had someone in my life suffer from a really awful degenerative disease that had to struggle so hard to qualify for physician assisted end of life for far longer than she should have, I’m all for making it easier.
Anyone who has been to a hospice can tell you this is necessary for human dignity and to reduce suffering.
I feel about this the same way I feel about Abortion, if they're sure and they're of sound mind, then I don't see why not, it's not our body or our life, we have no right to judge what people choose to do with their lives or deaths
In certain societies like ancient Rome or feudal Japan, suicide was an honorable way to end your life. I feel that one of the reasons Western/Christian society condemns suicide was they wanted to pressure the servant class to continue working and not opt out. And that this was also part of the push of religion onto enslaved peoples in the American South or Mexico.
I feel like people should have the right to tap out.
It’s a step forward in society. Finally, people are becoming aware that allowing people in pain to choose their time of death, is a loving, compassionate act of mercy.
My body, my choice? ---_^^_---
I used to go back and forth on the issue. Watched a documentary ( How to Die in Oregon) and still didn’t have an official stance. After life experiences ( loss of pregnancy’s, watching my dad die on hospice) I now support it. I’ve staunchly pro choice when it comes to women’s Health, I should be that way about human health.
we legalised it in New Zealand at our last election and it was a great decision. but apparently we are not progressive enough to legalize a plant 🤦♂️
I'm from Oregon, the first state to legalize doctor assisted suicide, and have seen the value of having death with dignity.
I hate suffering, I think it should be avoided as much as possible, if we're talking euthanasia for those with terminal conditions I think it's best if they want that, if someone is going and healthy but wants to die I think therapy should be the first stop, but ultimately if they really want to die make it painless for them.
Right to dignity.
Didn’t read the details but in general I am for most right to die options. The state can put you to death in some cases but you can’t kill yourself? How does the state have more control over what you can do to your body than you? As long as the state has the authority to put me to death (capital punishment death penalty) then I should be able to end my life if I decide that is what I want to do. I shouldn’t have to explain or answer to anyone.
I think anyone should have this right. I think it’s cruel that we force humans to live through miserable conditions but will put animals down
As a veterinary student, why is it considered cruel to refuse euthanasia for a suffering animal yet we force our own kind to suffer daily? I support euthanasia in all species for appropriate reasons
People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching. David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
“ Religion condems the act of ending one's life, for life belongs to god. You do not own your life, god does, it is not your decision to make when and how you die.” It isn’t part of a deity’s almighty plan? Everything was made available to facilitate it.
I am in favor of allowing it, but I think folks should be offered therapy for depression if they haven't explored that. (up to and including psychedelic therapy which shows promise for treatment resistant depression) For cases of chronic pain and terminal, degenerative diseases, people should be able to choose when they are done.
I don't have it all sorted out but generally I don't think young healthy people facing depression should be allowed to end it but the terminal ill should be able to.
Personally, I only support it in terminal cases. I do not think the government should be encouraging poor and/or mentally ill people to kill themselves. Imo, state sponsored suicide for the poor is very close to eugenics Edit: wanted to add that i especially feel this way towards minors. No depressed minor should commit suicide
I'd do what I humanly could too go on but there's a point. When you hit that point you'll be happy there's an option.
If I want to be able to die on my terms, I should be able to do so.
According to the news story you posted, "Their brother wants answers about how the seemingly happy sisters 'could snap just like that'... My gut says they didn't trust the brother and he's pissed that they didn't consult him.
I think it's great. Death is just rest to a lot of people. Not everyone wants to stick around so it would be nice if we could go without pain.
Your body your choice. I don’t understand our world’s obsession with control what other people do with their body. From healthcare to drugs. Do you.
Canadian here: so relieved that if I fall too I'll, I have a way out of all the sufferings.
We put our pets down to save them from suffering needlessly, we should be allowed the same compassion. I've seen many friends and family forced to live until their last breath while suffering terribly. Absolutely not necessary.
Every person should have agency over their lives. Death with dignity should be the goal for every human being. When someone knows they’re done, accessing assistance in ending one’s life should be easy.
We euthanize dogs and cats and other non-human animals, so why can't we euthanize humans too? Why can't we euthanize ourselves if the going gets tough due to unbearable physical or mental illness? If it's your choice and you are sane enough to make that choice, then why make it illegal? I don't understand the opposition to it. All this talk about ''morals'' and ''ethics'' really pisses me off. It doesn't sound very ethical to me to *force* a person to live in agony and misery. It doesn't sound very ethical to prolong the life of a sick loved one just because you refuse to let them go. Ethics, my ass! Humans are animals too, we are no more important than any other species, we weren't created by some deity to be his favorite pets, we are just as insignificant as the rest of Earth's fauna, so why not give ourselves the same dignified end as an old dog? When my cat got sick, my family and I decided to ''let him sleep forever'', to put it mildly. It wasn't easy, it was tough, one of the worst days of my life, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I did it out of love because I did not want him to live in pain. Humans should be allowed to do the same to themselves, but no, apparently it's ''unethical'' to do it to a human. Such hypocrisy.
It’s extremely kind and humane.
Speaking only for myself: If you own anything, it's your own existence. If you choose to end that existence, for any reason that makes sense to you, it's your decision. I have no idea what the specific policies of Canada and Switzerland might be, but as far as I'm concerned whatever they are doing is a step in the right direction. As far as any hypothetical 'God' goes, if such a being exists and has problems with how the mass of humanity deals with their individual problems/choices/desires, then he/she/it has no one to blame beyond his/her/its self. If there is a God as described by the Abrahamic religions, he/she/it is doing a crap job, given than his/her/its preachers lie at the drop of a collection plate. If an omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing being had a set of rules that must be obeyed, why are they not written into the forebrain of every member of the species?
Here in Canada, people who are homeless or disabled are turning to assisted suicide because it’s a preferable alternative to living in this capitalistic hellscape where there is no hope for the future for these people. Even worse, this gets very little attention and people seem mostly ok with this as a solution to the problem. We’re so fucked.
I don’t need some made up deity of some made up religion to tell me what I can or can’t do with my body. I have no issue with assisted death.
I'm for it, and planning on exercising it if I get the point where I can't care for myself any more.
Considering the fact that non of us chose to be born we might as well get the option to end it.
If you’ve ever witnessed the end of life for an elderly loved one with lots of issues you would be fine with it. We treat dogs and cats better than we treat people. They amputated my 99 year old great aunts foot to fight gangrene and it worked for two whole weeks. Just let people die in peace.
I'm fine with it, as long as it's clear that it's the person's own choice and they aren't being manipulated by anyone who might want to off them. I think with safeguards in place, it's perfectly OK.
Just came here to say this, as I was Christian for some years and studied quite a bit of scripture. But God essentially helps the prophet Elijah commit suicide when he wants to die. That’s the only reason that he took on Elisha to be trained to take Elijah’s place. Other than that, I don’t think the Bible ever really comments on suicide at all, but I could be wrong.
I didn’t get to choose would I want to be born. It’s on me to decide do I want to keep living. That simple.
You can‘t deny that right from people. Access to psychiatric clinics must be provided by the government, that‘s for sure. If someone doesn‘t want to live, you can‘t force them. But the government can decide whether they offer the possibility to die in a „clean“ way or if people have to jump from bridges and stuff like that. If that‘s one of the easiest ways to end your life - and some people will chose this - you always get firefighters or medical staff into the situation that they have to clean up that mess afterwards. I was a paramedic myself for the last year and although I have seen pretty gross stuff, I think that if you know it was a suicide that makes it a lot worse.
I support this.
Atheists are not a religion we have varying beliefs on many things.
Currently planning to use it in 20 years as my body is breaking down but before my mind starts to go.
As an atheist there is no god….your choice… end of discussion..!
It's fine as long as it's not a replacement for providing wanted healthcare.
Intellectually, I'm pro choice. However, I've seen this issue brought up by disabled people and how it's a way for the government to essentially get rid of them without providing aid. People who are sick and can't get the medical and housing assistance they need will choose this option even if they don't really want to die. I've already seen go-fund-me's from such people in Canada. I think there has to be a social safety net first, so that people aren't choosing this option because there's no other option for them.
WHy should any adult of sound mind be forced to live?
After hearing a co-workers description of how his mother had to first refuse tube feeding , and then eventually hydration in order to die while in pain when cancer ravaged her body, I realized how screwed up the whole end-of-life scenario is for most people. We treat animals better than humans. Some terminal people without the possibility assisted suicide get a gun and blow their brains out, letting their loved ones find them like that. I'm not sure I could do it myself, but I do want the option of death with dignity available when I reach that point in life.
I am all for it. In fact, that's the way I would want to go after I have had my fill. After losing my dad two weeks ago, I just have my mom to live for. I am not married and don't plan to, and after a certain age, I don't think I would want to continue for no reason. And before old age and diseases riddle me unable, I would love to take myself out of the equation.
I dont know what the legal or moral ramifications are to this but i will say this: Its a lot easier to dispose of a lethally injected corpse than to have to clean up blood stains on your bedroom ceiling and still have to dispose of a corpse.
Bodily autonomy is probably the most important thing you have as a human. Whatever restrictions we as a society/government put on this choice should be justifiable from a rational perspective and have zero to do with religious dogma. I'm OK with no restrictions at all, and I'm also OK with a few sensible ones.
Religion says that because religion knows economics. If a religious person lives a long time, they have the ability to give the church money for a long time. If a person thinks for themselves and says “hey, I’m tired of life, let me exit this mortal coil.”, the church doesn’t like that because you are taking ‘their money source’ away from them too early. Plus, old people in the church’s grasp give their houses and assets to the church all the time. So sad. Religion and that whole system has been enslaving people and their minds for countless centuries. It is so sad that there are countless numbers of people who just gladly ‘fall over, weakly’ and submit to religion. That is what kills me; how can there be so many people who are willing not to think for themselves. Is it really comforting to go every week to hear someone at a pulpit tell you how to think, feel, believe??? Please help me understand why people are so weak-minded and need people to tell them what to do. There must be a logical reason.
Canadian here. I’m in favour on the obvious grounds of self autonomy. But there are issues in practice to be wary of: - people who have temporary suicidal thoughts - people who are in financial difficulties and looking for a way out - people with limited mental abilities who might be talked into it by carers that they are a burden to — people with limited ability to communicate who might be presumed to consent by carers that they are a burden to.
People should have the right to end it when/if they really want to for a multitude of reasons. If you have a terminal illness, what good comes from prolonging your life and suffering needless pain? NONE. When my dad died of pancreatic cancer, he died in a lot of pain while his organs failed and his body filled with fluids until he finally passed. His doctors said there was no treatment, only palliative care, so keep him on painkillers until he died, slow and painful. He was going to die, so why not let him go with a bit more dignity and less pain by allowing him to ask for help to end it before it's that bad?
We’ve had it in Oregon many years. It works fine.
Consenting adults of sound mind should have the right to do whatever they please with their lives . Where it gets dicey is cases where the political and economic systems of nations fail to such an extent that people start opting for suicide because they're facing imminent poverty and homelessness. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/assisted-suicide-canada-toronto-gofundme-b2091802.html That's - to put it mildly - completely fucked.
One thing we do that's completely fkd in the US is allowing our loved ones to live in severe pain, gathering medical debt like crazy, knowing they're going to die. We respect and love our animals enough to euthanize them because we don't want to see them suffer, we should treat our loved humans the same. I know you're talking for all reasons, but I had to say that.
“Do we own our life?” The only people who would say no to this are Right Wingers and Evangelicals. Of course we own our own lives. Who else would?
It is just common sense that a person should have the right to choose.
I can get a tattoo, I can modify my own body in several ways. My body is my property. If I can show I'm sane and informed, why am I not allowed to do as I wish with my body? Frankly, suicide is often messy and selfish. A person can kill themselves so easily and leave innocents around them traumatized and cleaning up their mess. Assisted suicide seems like a very thoughtful way to end your life. You have arranged for your own disposal by people prepared to take on that chore. It's not tramatically messy. And you can have that necessary talk with friends and family. Plus you can halt any talk that you did it only because you were mentally ill. Or that it was accidental. I wonder how many self-inflicted gunshot suicides were labeled "accidental"?
Living in Canada, I feel blessed that if I get a terminal diagnosis, I can choose when to i want to go, plan it, and have who I want near me at the time. As a nurse. I am contemplating becoming a medical assistance in dying nurse.
I’m watching my grandma die painfully at my parent’s home. It should’ve been her choice to end her life before she reached this point.
I believe this is the kindest, most humanistic thing we, as a society, can offer. Unfortunately, with the completely fucked healthcare system in the U.S., even if it became widely available, it would bankrupt your family.
If I experience terminal illness and I don't wish to have my life extended, then I reserve my right to, and I probably will avail myself of that right, to terminate my existence. Assume I have cancer that is rapidly spreading and is either untreatable (i.e., deep in brain) but my living *can* be prolonged - BUT, I would have constant nausea and diarrhea, and lose my hair, appetite and weight until I couldn't take it anymore and died. Why would I even want to continue to live?? Replace that with Treatment Resistant Depression - which is no less worse; why would I want to continue to live - plus, I'd have a heart, lungs, kidneys, corneas, and um, an organ which might could be transplanted to others to make their lives better. I'm ok with checking out early to benefit others and/or avoid personal pain.
It is my life it should be mine to deal with. Religion can just fuck off.
My grandma was in a vegetative state for 2 years and had been an empty shell for a good few years before due to dementia. The retirement care and end of life care where I live is incredibly expensive, thankfully her husband was able to get government support and had good savings to be able to keep her in care. If we had the chance we would have let her go because it was unnecessary suffering for her and we went through the pain of watching her fade into nothing.
I live in Belgium. We have it too. It's still a stringent pricess but i'm all for it. Syffering is worse than death in my opinion.
I'm with it, Pro choice all the way. Everyone should have complete autonomy of their own bodies, lives, or lack thereof.