How do you feel about physician-assisted suicide ?

It is legal where I live, with very specific guidelines; it has to be part of the person’s advance directive, but the person must be terminally ill and facing death within a relatively short amount of time.

Some people want to extend its reach to emotional or mental illnesses, like clinical depression. Occasionally I’ve seen people here express support for including such conditions.

I always want to ask them, "would you be okay if it were your child or a young person you care about who wanted a doctor to help them suicide due to depression ?"

Because I know that would break my heart and I would be trying to save my niece or my godchildren in that instance. 😭

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

bowman81 · M

I am opposed to it. I had first hand experience with Dr. K's ghoulish cult of suicide warriors. In their case it was about harvesting body parts for transplants. There was nothing honorable, caring, nor selective about it. They actively recruited "patients" with questionable diagnosis of terminal illnesses to refine their "process". None of us are getting out of here alive, in that sense we are all terminal. Where do you draw the line?

There is a slippery slope that pushes us to the lowest common denominator. I don't trust those who would decide when it is time, nor do I trust their motivation. I know the patient, despondent and/or wracked with pain is NOT in the state of mind to make that decision. I have talked more than a few down from committing suicide. Some even thanked me for it afterward.

I am not opposed to deciding not to take extraordinary measures to prolong life when death is immanent. I am strongly opposed to hurrying it along.