that’s why there are controls in place -where I live, the person does have a terminal illness expected to cause death within the next 6 - 12 months and t o get progressively worse in that time and this is verified by 2 doctors
You cant just get it on a whim because of a temporary mental illness - or indeed any mental illness. Mental illness is not an eligible criteria
What is (a) “terminal” or a “temporary” illness? What is an “illness” if a person decides that he/she/whatever does not want to continue? Who sets the “criteria” if not the person itself?
Persons determine it by themselves unless they are being kept in a (kind of clinical) “prison” by people who think that they can judge it better…
I know first hand when you see your beloved Pet fading away over months and one cannot face the outcome of a Vet Visit the pain and the grief can be as bad if not worse than the lose of a Human Being.
Saber was one special Cat and I except loosing him now as part of what happens sadly in our lives when illness takes us, but Husband, 1 year later has not been able to come to terms with loosing him.
He is like a lost Soul as Saber was a huge part of his day.
I think you are confusing terminal illness with suicide Frank.
No I do not confuse them. The thread is about (assisted) suicide and in my opinion that is not necessarily linked to an (terminal) illness.
The personal desire to voluntarily terminate your own life should (in my opinion) also be possible with assistance. Even without an illness.
In that case why not just jump off a bridge, you don’t need anyone’s permission.
That is true but it is not the point which I wanted to make. My point is that it should be possible to get assistance if one should want it. For example if somebody has no ‘proper’ means (gun, lethal substances, nearby bridge, …) to use.
No I disagree Frank. People should try to prevent that fatal jump and they might just thank you for it later. If anyone’s serious about ending it all they will succeed, but I would still argue that it might be mental stress that has driven them to such lengths, and they should certainly not be helped to commit suicide or else where do you draw the line…It’s technically murder!
But who would be willing to assist under those circumstances?
I know i wouldn’t.
It is tricky, I admit that. Maybe that it is technically murder, legally (at least in Germany) it is not as far as I know. Murder needs the “will to kill somebody for low motives”. I guess here it would rather be homicide.
Anyway my opinion is that it is the persons own decision to continue his/her life or terminate it.
It really is a very difficult subject. There are countries where lethal drugs can be given from doctors to patients legally when certain circumstances are given.
My only point is: why ist that only possible when a person is terminally ill? There may be other (non health related) very strong reasons for a person to want to end the life. Maybe in such situations the person also suffers very much like when having a terminal illness.
Can you give some examples, or reasons why they would be similar to having a terminal illness?
I can give two at the moment. At least I guess that they are good examples.
Example 1: when my uncle died, my aunt - his wife - told me that after having been married for more than fifty years, losing the partner is like losing half of yourself. I guess that this suffering must be very similar to being terminally ill and knowing that you will die.
Example 2: there was a case in German media these days where a doctor was convicted because he had assisted suicide. While reading about it I stumbled into a page where some people discussed sucicide stuff. One person (I think it was a younger man) wrote that he was very lonely, had no family left, had no friends at all and was not successful in his job/life. He wrote that he was really tired of living and saw no sense in continuing so that he wanted to end his life. He was not ill, at least he did not mention anything like that.
These are IMHO examples where a person can suffer enough to think of suicide without being ill.
Except that a person can come back from loneliness, and depression with some help, and maybe find a new life, or learn to accept things and smile again.
There is no coming back from a terminal illness, and the inevitable suffering this will cause.
Would be interesting to talk to someone who tried to commit suicide, (as thousands do every year) and either failed, or was prevented from doing so by another person.
How many would say they are pleased they did not succeed, as life is now so much better for them.
I do not dispute that but that was not my point. The person can/could/would come back, change things, do things differently, whatsoever. That might happen but my point is that the person does not want to do that. If the person comes to the decision to quit, then it should be possible to get assistance (maybe because the person is afraid of jumping from bridges or other ways).
If the person suffers very much then why not? It is his/her own decision in my opinion.
I think the last paragraph of my post explains the point i’m trying to make, but naturally we have very different opinions.
TC.
I believe that we are here for a purpose. Life isn’t always fair nor fun. Yes I didn’t ask to be here but I am. I am trying to be the best person I am while I still have time. That is my take on it.
I think what is a terminal illness is fairly self explanatory - and whilst I agree with voluntary assisted dying, I agree with it having checks and controls - as we do here, where it is already legal, and links were provided by Bretick and myself for our states
As stated in that link, the disease must be irreversible and progressive and expected to cause death within 6 - 12 months and this must be verified by 2 doctors.
Well I had through Mental Trauma and although I have regrets I am lucky to be alive this day…Can’t explain now what happened as your in a different mind set and so many things can go wrong within the brain that is quite unknown in truth…I do regret all that happened but I had absolutely no control at that time as to my Destiney.
Am I worried what people will think of me…Yes as not to many know this…
