Why cant you choose to die (legally) ?

[Whatsmyname]

Following from a conversation at work, sleep deprivation, night shifts and caffine make strange things happen.

Say you were not terminally ill, of sound mind, had no one depending on you and had no debts - basically no burden on society and didnt want to be here, then why cant you have somewhere like dignitas that will grant your wish? After all, you had no choice in being born so why be subject to something you dont want.

Suicide? Messy and leaves people upset - I doubt youd discuss with your nearest and dearest that youd decided to embark on such a thing where as other options maybe you would?

Assisted suicide? As above plus the prosecution of the assistant for manslaughter/murder?

So what stops fully fuctioning average people being able to end it?

[Shakermaker]

It sounds like you are talking about suicide, just an alternative medicinal version thereof rather than some of the other methods that are more "traditional" so to speak?

So i am not sure how you can do it without leaving people upset etc afterwards?

[davhill]

Good sense and the survival instinct.

[Whatsmyname]

I was more thinking of why cant it be done ala dignitas but you dont need to be terminally ill - why is there a reason not to as long as you pass a criteria such as your not wanted by the law, finances in order, no one dependant on you etc.

[Munter]

Whatsmyname said:

So what stops fully fuctioning average people being able to end it?

The fear of getting it wrong.

[warch]

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-aust...

Dignitas will apparently carry out assisted suicide if you aren't terminally ill, but I think you'd have to make a very good case for wanting to do so if you weren't 100+ like the bloke in the attached article.

[gregs656]

Whatsmyname said:

I was more thinking of why cant it be done ala dignitas but you dont need to be terminally ill - why is there a reason not to as long as you pass a criteria such as your not wanted by the law, finances in order, no one dependant on you etc.

This is a long debate.

Part of the problem is consent. Say you give consent today in sound mind to be euthanized in x situations, how does anyone know you haven't changed your mind after x happens?

Or people being coerced or pressured into consenting when they don't want to.

Another is the idea that the medical profession is here to help keep people healthy, Drs don't sign up to help people commit suicide. You're asking a lot of those people.

I think I would legalise it, given the choice, but I do understand where the reluctance comes from.

[rossub]

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

[Lemming Train]

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

Why couldn't you? My Old Dear suffered horribly with an incurable disease in her later years and she reached the point of wanting to be put out of her misery and she was of sound mind. When you're suffering with a high level of pain every day and there isn't anything that can cure it other than being pumped up to your eyeballs with morphine every day I can fully understand why someone of sound mind would want to be able to decide to end their life.

It's a difficult topic and unless you've suffered such levels of pain yourself or watched a close family member suffer you probably won't understand.

[Whatsmyname]

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

Say you had a car crash and woke up from your coma feeling absolutely great just as you were pre crash - except theyve amputated both your legs and both your arms.

[rossub]

Whatsmyname said:

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

Say you had a car crash and woke up from your coma feeling absolutely great just as you were pre crash - except theyve amputated both your legs and both your arms.

I guess I was assuming the OP meant that the person was still able to function completely normally, but just fancied being dead.

[rossub]

Lemming Train said:

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

Why couldn't you? My Old Dear suffered horribly with an incurable disease in her later years and she reached the point of wanting to be put out of her misery and she was of sound mind. When you're suffering with a high level of pain every day and there isn't anything that can cure it other than being pumped up to your eyeballs with morphine every day I can fully understand why someone of sound mind would want to be able to decide to end their life.

It's a difficult topic and unless you've suffered such levels of pain yourself or watched a close family member suffer you probably won't understand.

Yes I fully understand that, my post above applies here too.

[Whatsmyname]

Yeah i was just trying to justify a resonse. Originally it was average joe has had enough and wants to end it all above board etc

[anonymous-user]

Lemming Train said:

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

Why couldn't you? My Old Dear suffered horribly with an incurable disease in her later years and she reached the point of wanting to be put out of her misery and she was of sound mind. When you're suffering with a high level of pain every day and there isn't anything that can cure it other than being pumped up to your eyeballs with morphine every day I can fully understand why someone of sound mind would want to be able to decide to end their life.

It's a difficult topic and unless you've suffered such levels of pain yourself or watched a close family member suffer you probably won't understand.

That’s very different to the OP though.

For someone medically well, the wish to be dead means they are not of sound mind.

[Chris Type R]

This case was in the news recently - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/woman-29-...

[Nick_13]

rossub said:

Surely the answer is obvious. You couldn’t be of sound mind and want to be dead?

I struggle with this one. Why do you have to be of sound mind to want to end your life?

Surely those who are not of sound mind have one of the strongest arguments to end their suffering? What’s the alternative? We think your bonkers, lost your mind so you can’t possibly choose to end your life - you must endure it until you don’t want to kill yourself anymore. Then because you are of sound mind - you can have the option to kill yourself!

[Glasgowrob]

Maybe they just don't want to be here any longer ?

It's an interesting argument op

But one o don't think the world at large is quite ready for yet

[Chuffedmonkey]

Nick_13 said:

I struggle with this one. Why do you have to be of sound mind to want to end your life?

Surely those who are not of sound mind have one of the strongest arguments to end their suffering? What’s the alternative? We think your bonkers, lost your mind so you can’t possibly choose to end your life - you must endure it until you don’t want to kill yourself anymore. Then because you are of sound mind - you can have the option to kill yourself!

Surely with talk about ending their own life they cant be in sound mind. most has been covered above but can you really see any GP, respectable company agreeing with it? I cant and there would hopefully be months and months of help available before it was even considered.

What would the criteria even be?

[bearman68]

This for me is one of the abiding unfairness's of this world.
One should be able to legally end one's life.

Of course there should be checks and balances.
But I've yet to talk to anyone who would not want to have the option to end their life if they found themselves in pain or torment.

It's only the god bothering lot who seem to have any objections beyond that of normal precautions.

I suspect the trajectory will be towards choice, but I doubt that will be in this century.

[CSLM3CSL]

I would be interested in seeing a poll asking the question If you could end your life without upsetting any of your friends or family would you do it?

Personally I couldn't do it for this reason alone but to be honest I am bored of life, late 30s with no dependents and have no intention of having any. I don't enjoy working and the thought of working the next 30 years and then retiring is something I dread. Arguably my life would be better if I liquidated all my assets went travelling for a few years then ended my life once I the money was spent would probably be happier. I believe I am sound of mind and thinking rationally when I say this.

Like I said though I couldn't upset my friends any family so could never do it. Also there are many people worse off than myself so I wouldn't be surprised if many others feel the same way.