Interesting WP article about "terminal" anorexia.

[Anonymous]

Really interesting article about 'terminal' anorexia and the right to die with larger implications for people with mental illness and choosing to die. Such a difficult line to draw but I do believe there is a lot of unnecessary suffering in this world because we hope too hard.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2023/11/01/anorexia-suicide-controversy-jennifer-gaudiani/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really interesting article about 'terminal' anorexia and the right to die with larger implications for people with mental illness and choosing to die. Such a difficult line to draw but I do believe there is a lot of unnecessary suffering in this world because we hope too hard.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2023/11/01/anorexia-suicide-controversy-jennifer-gaudiani/

Agree.

[Anonymous]

It's definitely cheaper to let people die than to spend more on scientific research on treatments and save many lives.

I had a severe depressive episode in the past and am so grateful this option was not available.

[Anonymous]

It's actually kind of crazy to me that the right to die is even debated. It seems fundamental, in my mind. Why should we be able to force people to stay alive? What gives us that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's actually kind of crazy to me that the right to die is even debated. It seems fundamental, in my mind. Why should we be able to force people to stay alive? What gives us that right?

No one is forced to stay alive, it's actively assisting in someone else's death that is the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's actually kind of crazy to me that the right to die is even debated. It seems fundamental, in my mind. Why should we be able to force people to stay alive? What gives us that right?

People die all the time. Causing that to happen is murder.

[Anonymous]

In my line I've work, I've dealt with many individuals with severe mental illnesses and people who have taken many serious attempts on your life. Its hard for me because on one hand, you don't want to let people die. But on the other hand, it almost seems cruel to keep them alive. I don't feel this way with non mental health issues and feel like everyone should have a right to choose how they want to go out. However with those with mental health issues, if their brain isn't working right due to chemical imbalances, is it that different than the elderly dementia patient whose child is making their medical decisions because the patient's brain isn't working right either? Its ethically a grey area when it comes to mental health

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's actually kind of crazy to me that the right to die is even debated. It seems fundamental, in my mind. Why should we be able to force people to stay alive? What gives us that right?

No one is forced to stay alive, it's actively assisting in someone else's death that is the issue.

Yes and no. If you're of sound mind and decide to stop treatment for your illness knowing you will die, that's allowed. Doctors don't have to intervene and meds will be given to make your end of life as comfortable as can be. The issue is are those struggling with mental health of sound mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's actually kind of crazy to me that the right to die is even debated. It seems fundamental, in my mind. Why should we be able to force people to stay alive? What gives us that right?

No one is forced to stay alive, it's actively assisting in someone else's death that is the issue.

Yes and no. If you're of sound mind and decide to stop treatment for your illness knowing you will die, that's allowed. Doctors don't have to intervene and meds will be given to make your end of life as comfortable as can be. The issue is are those struggling with mental health of sound mind?

Stopping treatment for a terminal disease isn't the same as purposefully administering or providing medicines with the intent to die. I'm not taking sides on the issue, I see arguments for both sides. Just clarifying for the PP I quoted about forcing someone to stay alive being different from doctor-assisted suicide.

[Anonymous]

I think forcing someone to stay alive is cruel. Physician assisted suicide shouldn't be easy to get as I think it should be a process and a lot of criteria should apply, but I think it should be an option. Unfortunately I've met several individuals who for various reasons, wished they weren't alive. They hated their lives, it was beyond just depression and suicidal ideation. And it did seem cruel to force them to stay alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think forcing someone to stay alive is cruel. Physician assisted suicide shouldn't be easy to get as I think it should be a process and a lot of criteria should apply, but I think it should be an option. Unfortunately I've met several individuals who for various reasons, wished they weren't alive. They hated their lives, it was beyond just depression and suicidal ideation. And it did seem cruel to force them to stay alive.

+1. My mother had to slowly die over two months. The doctors had nothing to help her so she had to get worse and be in more pain each day until she died. There was no hope for her to live so why couldn’t someone end her suffering? It was awful to watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think forcing someone to stay alive is cruel. Physician assisted suicide shouldn't be easy to get as I think it should be a process and a lot of criteria should apply, but I think it should be an option. Unfortunately I've met several individuals who for various reasons, wished they weren't alive. They hated their lives, it was beyond just depression and suicidal ideation. And it did seem cruel to force them to stay alive.

+1. My mother had to slowly die over two months. The doctors had nothing to help her so she had to get worse and be in more pain each day until she died. There was no hope for her to live so why couldn’t someone end her suffering? It was awful to watch.

Same opinion here. Watching my beloved aunt die a horribly painful, protracted death from cancer that was quite literally eating at her body is something I will never forget. I have no idea whether she would have ever opted for physician-assisted suicide had it been an option to her, but I would never want to force someone to go through that level of agony.

[Anonymous]

I did not read the article yet.

Mental health/depression can be different. People often aren't thinking clearly because of chemical imbalances in the brain. There are many happy people that have made attempts--or had thoughts- that with the right treatment are happy to be alive. A lot of times it is a 'moment' in time, someone's life.

Watching my dad die from terminal cancer was just awful. He had a very strong will to live, but the drs weren't 100% honest with him on survival. I have had off-the-record discussions with doctors and oncologists that often it seems like terminally ill cancer patients are used like guinea pigs for treatments when it's clear the suffering is greater than any reward. We kept being told my dad was doing great, blah, blah as he literally wasted away in front of her eyes and it was left to an ER doctor when he had to be admitted to give the 'real news' to the family. Morphine can ease the transition--but some cancers even that doesn't take away pain.

We are more humane with pets. We don't let them needlessly suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think forcing someone to stay alive is cruel. Physician assisted suicide shouldn't be easy to get as I think it should be a process and a lot of criteria should apply, but I think it should be an option. Unfortunately I've met several individuals who for various reasons, wished they weren't alive. They hated their lives, it was beyond just depression and suicidal ideation. And it did seem cruel to force them to stay alive.

+1. My mother had to slowly die over two months. The doctors had nothing to help her so she had to get worse and be in more pain each day until she died. There was no hope for her to live so why couldn’t someone end her suffering? It was awful to watch.

+100 We don't allow our pets to go through this. They are humanely put down so they don't suffer.

[Anonymous]

If they want to die they can kill themselves. I’m not going to be responsible for the death of any other person!