General Discussion

slackmaster

(60,567 posts)

37. People who have mental illnesses sometimes decide incorrectly that they are incurably ill

Thu May 17, 2012, 04:45 PM

May 2012

That's basically what happened to my friend. She had a (IMO) wildly exaggerated, distorted perception of the general course her health was taking. I believe her depression, and underlying personality disorder, led her to conclude that she was going downhill MUCH faster than she actually was in the normal course of aging. I do not believe she made a properly informed and rational decision to end her life.

If we are to have legally sanctioned assisted suicide, I would want some kind of safeguard to ensure that the person making the decision to end his or her life IS OF SOUND MIND.

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How do you guys feel about assisted suicide? [View all] Little Star May 2012 OP

I support legalizing assisted suicide. nt ZombieHorde May 2012 #1

Me too. Little Star May 2012 #6

Totally agree cbayer May 2012 #12

I do too. lunatica May 2012 #38

Me too. But there needs to be safeguards in place so that people with disabilities applegrove May 2012 #49

saves money, saves suffering... ileus May 2012 #2

Any person of sound mind should have the right hifiguy May 2012 #3

I support it JitterbugPerfume May 2012 #4

I kinda like the way Dr Death did it. Make it simple and make it sure the person is in so much southernyankeebelle May 2012 #8

I agree. I certainly would like the option of having someone (a doctor) give me the same injection Booster May 2012 #9

I support it, if someone desiring to end their life has put that in writing. sinkingfeeling May 2012 #5

I believe in physician assisted suicide with appropriate precautions and review if necessary hlthe2b May 2012 #7

I agree. RebelOne May 2012 #23

I'm proud to live in Oregon, the first state that legalized it. Arugula Latte May 2012 #10

I'm in favor. MrSlayer May 2012 #11

I can think of people whom I would volunteer to assist Jackpine Radical May 2012 #13

I'm all for it. Ganja Ninja May 2012 #14

All for it Marrah_G May 2012 #15

Don't know why you ask about assisted when this one apparently wasn't. Lionessa May 2012 #16

Depends, I guess, on your definition of "assisted." lapislzi May 2012 #19

OIC your point. Yep it certainly could mean, "did nothing to stop her" Thanks. Lionessa May 2012 #31

For it. Iggo May 2012 #17

I like the way it is set up in Oregon. MuseRider May 2012 #18

Better than taking on a train or 18 wheeler. Downwinder May 2012 #20

Fully support legalizing assisted suicide. n/t cynatnite May 2012 #21

If i'm in irresistible pain when I grow old Marzupialis May 2012 #22

I believe that we are the owners of ourselves. MineralMan May 2012 #24

100% in favor of assisted suicide rustydog May 2012 #25

Extremely ambivalent. Suicide CAN be and sometimes IS a rational decision. More often it is not. slackmaster May 2012 #26

I don't think that's what this discussion is about. lapislzi May 2012 #30

People who have mental illnesses sometimes decide incorrectly that they are incurably ill slackmaster May 2012 #37

Agreed. Borderline is a very difficult condition to treat lapislzi May 2012 #48

Thank you for your kind words slackmaster May 2012 #53

Sad story. lapislzi May 2012 #55

It should be an option? Are_grits_groceries May 2012 #27

It should be legal. ProfessionalLeftist May 2012 #28

Kevorkian had it right, Doctors should do it for you and it shouldn't cost you a dime. jp11 May 2012 #29

I have a lot of respect for Kevorkian. We should have option to die with dignity with MD supervision Hoyt May 2012 #36

all for it frylock May 2012 #32

I support assisted suicide. tallahasseedem May 2012 #33

Are we talking about Democrats? Or Republicans? AnotherMcIntosh May 2012 #34

I support death with dignity laws. MerryBlooms May 2012 #35

I support it without reservation. n/t CaliforniaPeggy May 2012 #39

As long as you clean up after yourself - go for it. kenny blankenship May 2012 #40

I think it should be allowed like in Oregon. I believe Norway or Denmark has an assisted shraby May 2012 #41

I support it (nt) bigwillq May 2012 #42

I think in this sort of situation - TBF May 2012 #43

I'm pro-choice on this matter. JNelson6563 May 2012 #44

no thanks, im good arely staircase May 2012 #45

It is another kind of choice felix_numinous May 2012 #46

It is not assisted suicide - it's death with dignity and that's an important distinction. SmileyRose May 2012 #47

I completely support death with dignity w8liftinglady May 2012 #50

I Support it, but fascisthunter May 2012 #51

100% support it LadyHawkAZ May 2012 #52

Not to sound camusian, it is a rational choice. aikoaiko May 2012 #54

Death With Dignity is a legal option in Oregon. Anyone who wants to know how it 'would' work Bluenorthwest May 2012 #56