Assisted Suicide

[sp1814]

A very complicated and by necessity, emotive subject...

...but what do you think of the ethics behind assisted suicide?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44069885

Are there circumstances where it is not justified?

Are there circumstances where it is?

Would you support a family member who wanted to end their life?

Or does the sanctity of life trump all else?

[Islay]

Excuse me spath?
How dare you! Unless you are an ed!
I asked respectfully answered and elaborated as did the OP!

[Islay]

There was nothing 'warped' about my response - you are trying to cause trouble!

[rowanwitch]

I don't have a problem with the idea of help to die if a person is no longer able to perform the act themself, e.g unable to take a fatal dose of something unaided, or to commit suicide by other conventional means. What I would like to see is an increase and use of advance directives, preventing life extending treatments that are of no significant benefit to the patient. Mine also requests adequate analgesia to facilitate peace in the process of dying. Not to end life although the doses required would almost certainly have that effect.

It is far harder in areas of significant psychological distress where a person may repeatedly express a desire to die because they find living unbearable. Do you struggle on with them in the hope of recovery or a new treatment coming along, maybe against their will ie under the mental health act, or assuming they have enough insight to satisfy an appropriate panel of medical professionals provide the means to a peaceful end.

I wouldn't want to travel to a strange place, to die among strangers, but if I had a degenerative condition I might face the choice of acting while physically able rather than when I was mentally ready.

You could solve the greedy relatives issue by making a law where those who chose this route are required to leave their estate to charity. Might dissuade those who want to die to protect the kids inheritance.

[anotheoldgit]

Islay
/// There was nothing 'warped' about my response - you are trying to cause trouble! ///

It is you who is causing trouble as always, spath was polite at all times.

[anthro-nerd]

Assisted suicide 100% yes should be allowed if the person is terminally ill and of sound mind. Having personally witnessed my mother suffering, it would have been much kinder to end her life sooner - before she was unable to wipe herself, unable to eat, unable to have the strength to hold the hands of her children in her final days, unable to talk to say goodbye when the time came. To make someone endure a slow and painful death should be morally wrong, especially when we can do something about it. There should be options. She was terminally ill and of sound mind and should have been given a choice.

[Mamyalynne]

Spath overstepped the mark by intervening in the way he did - you can sort things out between yourselves.

[hereIam]

Oh spath be a man and stop grovelling !

[anotheoldgit]

Mamyalynne
/// Spath overstepped the mark by intervening in the way he did - you can sort things out between yourselves. ///

There are some ABers i.e. those who don't belong to the coven and who are fed up with Islay's trouble making attitude, why she should have such support is anyone's guess.

Imagine a none protected species talking about their mother in law as she does, they would be hounded from all sides.

[derek-33]

as far as i know its only for terminally ill or for people in intractable pain and suffering and only with multiple doctors say so....NO kids marching old folks off the the chamber so to speak

[Mamyalynne]

I think the sadness is, that most of those who wish never to see another day and for fair and just reasons - are those who can ill afford to access private clinics.

[woofgang]

what is derek?

[Islay]

Oh goodness AOG I was responding to your statement and asking a genuine question - it appears though that you cannot communicate without it descending into a sniper fight so perhaps it is better in future that I do not respond to you directly.

[Old_Geezer]

"Well, seeing as no-one has any idea what death is like, how can we make that judgement?"

Well, we know sleep or unconsciousness are not bad. We anaesthetize patients before surgery and that seems to avoid unpleasantness. It's a fair assumption death would be equally beneficial to someone presently suffering.

In any case we all have to experience it at some point, anyway.

[douglas9401]

I believe there are circumstances where it should be allowable and without the intervention of the great and the good, whatever their personal point of view.

One thing I am absolutely certain of though is my list of those from whom I would not seek advice or guidance.

[anneasquith]

I totally respect this gentleman's decision ( as did his family I believe), the tragedy is him having to travel hundreds of miles to find rest .

[Old_Geezer]

"Why should the government cover that if you have a house?"

Because it's a health issue and our taxes pay towards health insurance that is spent on things like the NHS. If you are going to force the previously prudent to pay then surely you should refuse help to those who didn't put anything by.

[Islay]

OG what you pay towards healthcare in your taxes is a fraction of what it takes to care for someone in nursing care