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What is your view on assisted suicide (euthanasia) for mental illness?

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Original post by Sabertooth
I support this.

Mental illness can be just as awful to suffer from as physical illnesses. I don't think anyone on TSR has the experience of the very worse of mental illnesses - I'm talking in and out of psych hospitals for decades, ECT, super high doses of antipsychotics, severe self-harm, tardive dyskinesia - it's not a way for anyone to live. In a way I think how dare people try to force a person in that position to keep going with promises of "future cures/light at the end of the tunnel". We haven't seen much progress in treating severe mental illness in decades since the advent of typical antipsychotics. Yes there was atypical antipsychotics but they don't "cure" people and have horrible side effects, particularly at high doses not to mention tardive dyskinesia, brain shrinkage, and diabetes.


I suppose it's very subjective then. Like anything really in life. Every case is different...perhaps the majority of MH cases that the everyday person sees would make them reach the conclusion that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and to keep "pushing" when a lot of the time, it's not as simple.
Original post by Sabertooth
I support this.

Mental illness can be just as awful to suffer from as physical illnesses. I don't think anyone on TSR has the experience of the very worse of mental illnesses - I'm talking in and out of psych hospitals for decades, ECT, super high doses of antipsychotics, severe self-harm, tardive dyskinesia - it's not a way for anyone to live. In a way I think how dare people try to force a person in that position to keep going with promises of "future cures/light at the end of the tunnel". We haven't seen much progress in treating severe mental illness in decades since the advent of typical antipsychotics. Yes there was atypical antipsychotics but they don't "cure" people and have horrible side effects, particularly at high doses not to mention tardive dyskinesia, brain shrinkage, and diabetes.


Yeah, this is why I feel conflicted, I personally can't even imagine what the very worst of mental illness must feel like so if someone wants "out" then I guess the governments say shouldn't matter.
Original post by homeland.lsw
I suppose it's very subjective then. Like anything really in life. Every case is different...perhaps the majority of MH cases that the everyday person sees would make them reach the conclusion that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and to keep "pushing" when a lot of the time, it's not as simple.


Exactly.
Original post by BabyLadDarren
How in the world suicide is still illegal is beyond me


Just an :fyi: , suicide is no longer illegal in the UK.
Reply 24
Avatar for ~Tara~
~Tara~
16
No to assisted suicide. The point is that your mental facilities are compromised. The mental capacity act allows for professionals to override personal wishes in your best interests because if you have dementia or other mental illness, you don't have the capacity to know what is best for you. That's not infantilising or cruel and unusual punishment, just fact that you're impaired.

Everyone should have the opportunity to be glad they didn't commit suicide. Recovery is possible even if recovery looks different to "going back to how I was before this"
Original post by Eternalflames
No, mental health illnesses like depression can be eased/overcome. There's no need for Euthanasia, they're not terminally ill/vegetable.


Not everyone's experience of mental illness can be overcome, some don't respond to any kind of treatment.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
[video="youtube;SWWkUzkfJ4M"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWWkUzkfJ4M[/video]

I just finished watching this, it is about 24 year old girl who was physically well but mentally ill with depression and wished for doctors to end her life.

I honestly don't know how I feel. On one hand it is so disgustingly unfair to deny someone peace and make them suffer, on the other hand my heart says to rid someone of life is always somewhat evil and who knows what the future holds? Perhaps better drugs or different circumstances in life that make coping with the illness a little easier.

Personally I feel very conflicted :s-smilie:. What is your view?


Totally and completely against it, the clue's in the name. Mental illness. People with depression aren't thinking rationally or straight and just want the pain to end. We should not be taking their lives for them, they need treatment and love, not death. We wouldn't kill a cancer patient who wanted an end so why do it for someone with a mental illness?
Absolutely disgusting.
No.
You cna get better from depression.

Also part of euthanasia and the bit I support is that in certain circumstances its allowable because you are of sound mind and can make an informed decision. Mental illness you cannot.
Original post by 999tigger
You cna get better from depression..


Some people don't. Not to mention that there are many other mental illnesses which can be devastating to a person's life and from which they may never recover.
Original post by Sabertooth
Some people don't. Not to mention that there are many other mental illnesses which can be devastating to a person's life and from which they may never recover.


May being the operative word. Plus they still cnat give informed consent.
What % of people dont recover from depression btw
What about people who do go ahead with assisted suicide when in fact they could have gotten better?
I think I agree, yes. It's something I'd need to ponder for a few days to be 100% on, but yeah I think I agree with it. If the person can consent legally and properly (which would be defined by the government and medical community) and their condition cannot be made any better and there's nothing else that can really be done, then euthanasia could be considered if that was the wish of the patient. For the record, I also agree with assisted suicide when it comes to physical illnesses.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by 999tigger
May being the operative word. Plus they still cnat give informed consent.
What % of people dont recover from depression btw
What about people who do go ahead with assisted suicide when in fact they could have gotten better?


I disagree. I don't think having a severe mental illness means that you automatically cannot give consent. Plus I was thinking more of people with, for instance, severe schizophrenia, who have tried everything and yet still have an extremely low standard of living. The thread is called "for mental illness" not just for depression, after all. If you read my first post in this thread you will get a better idea of who I'm talking about. :smile:

As for the % who don't recover from depression, I couldn't tell you, but I have read of cases where people have suffered for 20+ years, tried everything available and still cannot get out of that hole.

And yes, maybe some of those people may get better, then again why suffer for decades and never get better? As I already said in this thread, the rate of innovation in treating (not to mention curing especially!) mental illness has hardly progressed from the '50s.



ps I should add just to clarify: some forms of depression can be just as insufferable as severe schizophrenia.
(edited 7 years ago)
As someone who suffers with severe OCD, anxiety, PTSD and who was diagnosed with psychosis two years ago, I saw yes, people should legalize it now.
I have felt suicidal so many times and still do. I know I may never get better and I know I may. Regardless, I think that only you can make a decision on your own body, it is yours. It's wrong that the government are in charge of whether you live or die, that should be up to you and up to only you.
Everyday is just suffering for me, I have no idea what's real and not real, whether I'm talking to my mum or not. I may be in a basement cellar being experimented on, I have no idea.
I'm tired of living this fake life and I'm tired of everyday being filled with distress and anxiety.
Legalizing assisted suicide would mean less people have to take extremely painful measures to die such as hanging themselves or wrist slitting, and an overdose is so full of pain as well.
Reply 34
Avatar for ELVsLP
ELVsLP
2
its their choice.

its sad but then so is a mentally ill person killing themselves
Needs to be legalised here.

But, I wouldn't really feel great about it being allowed for things that can be overcome like mental illness. Even though it is hard, and I know this from personal experience.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Nirvana1989-1994
Needs to be legalised here.

But, I wouldn't really feel great about it being allowed for things that can be overcome like mental illness. Even though it is hard, and I know this from personal experience.


Even for people who think they need it, they still have brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and fathers and mothers. Don't be so selfish. Depression generally is when someone becomes too inside themselves themselves anyway. They need help, and not assisted suicide!

PS yes i have suffered from severe depression and schizophrenia in the past, so i do know what i am talking about!
Yes for people who are severely brain damaged from accidents and are unlikely to wake up from comas. I'm not sure what my opinion is for people who have ALS like Stephen hawking and other related diseases, it's a tough decision just like whether the death penalty should be allowed.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by john2054
Even for people who think they need it, they still have brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and fathers and mothers. Don't be so selfish. Depression generally is when someone becomes too inside themselves themselves anyway. They need help, and not assisted suicide!

PS yes i have suffered from severe depression and schizophrenia in the past, so i do know what i am talking about!


So have I, and so have people in my family! Don't just presume things. Ask me what I meant instead of just being rude. I probably should have phrased it better, but being 'selfish' I was not.
(edited 7 years ago)
I'm not entirely sure how to feel as I strongly support euthanasia, but I myself struggle with my mental health a lot and whilst I do quite often feel like... 'throwing it all away'... I ultimately feel that no-one should be given the means to do that if they are only struggling with a mental health issue that can be overcome.

Perhaps, as does happen right now, if the process is dragged out over a very long period of time so that the person is 100% certain I'd supoort it.

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