Shouldn't the right to die be a human right?

[Aoi Magi]

Any sane adult should have the right to do whatever they want with their body or life as long as it doesn't affect others and they make the decision responsibly. This applies to euthanasia, abortion, and any other related issues.

[Catholic_Lady]

I just think this can quickly become a slippery slope, and I feel like I'm seeing it here.

So we permit assisted suicide for the terminally ill and for those with severe debilitating illnesses or disabilities. Ok.. morally I don't agree. But I agree that in these cases, the government should leave it up to the individual and a doctor.

But it should stop there with a hard line.

Beyond that is where things really start to take a dangerous turn. If the above is only the start, as everyone here is saying it would be, then that means that other people who are physically ok but just depressed enough that they simply don't want to live anymore can get themselves killed by doctors as well. Although some of you are saying this should require thorough psychiatric evaluations, etc, others are saying even that shouldn't be needed. And that we should have suicide clinics where people walk in to get voluntarily killed.

And for those saying it can't happen unless there's been a thorough evaluation, what exactly are we evaluating for? Obviously the person is mentally ill, otherwise he wouldn't want to end his life. And if the underlying belief is that suicide is a neutral act and that everyone should have the right to die, then why would they need any sort of evaluation? Shouldn't someone just be able to walk into a CVS, purchase a suicide pill, and be done with it? If no hard line is established, and if the underlying rationale is that suicide is fine and dandy, it wouldn't take long to get to that point.

We should be trying to help people who want to kill themselves, to save them. Not make it easier and more acceptable for them to go through with it.

[ApeNotKillApe]

That's why I think assisted suicide should be available to everyone as a part of the health service with a 7 day waiting period and consultation.

[Catholic_Lady]

That's why I think assisted suicide should be available to everyone as a part of the health service with a 7 day waiting period and consultation.

But why though? What if they don't want to wait, and what if they don't want a consultation.

[Cato]

First of all, a drug store suicide pill is not required. There's plenty of shit on sale at Wal-mart that will do the trick.

You made a very valid distinction, but then lost the plot. Assisted suicide is required for those that are terminal and can consult with their doctor to die with dignity and avoid suffering. The depressed, assuming they are physically capable, can take care of the deed without assistance. The only gray area here for me are those that suffer from a debilitating level of dementia.

Quite frankly, the entire discussion reminds me of an abortion debate. People with the faith of a perfect afterlife hellbent on keeping people in this world. The more bothersome similarity are people dragging the conversation into the realm of 'I know better' trying to prescribe overarching rules about who can and who can't do what under what circumstances knowing that it's impossible to account for every possible scenario. 

I think the world would be a much happier place if people started minding their own business.

[Catholic_Lady]

Yes, but the argument is that swallowing a bunch of pills can be painful or dangerous if they get very sick before dying. And also, it may not be successful. That's why people are advocating for assisted suicide where all it takes is one pill to just put you to sleep until you die without pain.

I never imagined not wanting people who are depressed to go and hurt themselves as being a specifically religious thing. I always just thought it was a human thing. Heck, we've done it here!

[ApeNotKillApe]

That's why I think assisted suicide should be available to everyone as a part of the health service with a 7 day waiting period and consultation.

But why though? What if they don't want to wait, and what if they don't want a consultation.

If they don't want to wait or consult someone, they'll just go and do it, as people do now. My thinking is that some things stop being problems the moment you stop making them problems. The stigma that surrounds suicide, the common perceptions of suicide as selfish or cowardly or immoral or deity-enraging are preventatives of suicide in the short term, but in the end are harmful to the individual, who is already suffering emotional pain and (from my experience) doesn't need another reason to feel bad about themselves. It only makes things worse, it makes the person more depressed, less likely to talk about their problems and more likely to do something stupid. Telling people that what they're feeling is 'wrong' generally doesn't help anyone, whether that be depression, drug use or sexual preference.

If you normalized suicide, you remove the stigma, and you allow people to come forward and talk about their problems, which most likely is actually just a cry for help, because most people with suicidal thoughts aren't actualy suicidal but they need to get help before they become so. And the ones that are will kill themselves regardless, but I personally would like it if I were able to discuss a family member's suicide with them before it happened, rather than be surprised.

[Cato]

Yes, but the argument is that swallowing a bunch of pills can be painful or dangerous if they get very sick before dying. And also, it may not be successful. That's why people are advocating for assisted suicide where all it takes is one pill to just put you to sleep until you die without pain.

I never imagined not wanting people who are depressed to go and hurt themselves as being a specifically religious thing. I always just thought it was a human thing. Heck, we've done it here!

You missed the point entirely. I am not arguing that depressed people shouldn't be helped. I simply made the argument that they don't need assistance committing suicide. Big difference.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

Yes, but the argument is that swallowing a bunch of pills can be painful or dangerous if they get very sick before dying. And also, it may not be successful. That's why people are advocating for assisted suicide where all it takes is one pill to just put you to sleep until you die without pain.

I never imagined not wanting people who are depressed to go and hurt themselves as being a specifically religious thing. I always just thought it was a human thing. Heck, we've done it here!

The way I think about it if we legalize assisted suicide then our government would do everything in its power to prevent people from being depressed in the first place.

Besides, it's not in our power to dictate what another human being chooses to do with their body. Their body, their decision.

[Catholic_Lady]

Besides, it's not in our power to dictate what another human being chooses to do with their body. Their body, their decision.

Of course, but that doesn't mean it should be legal to help them hurt themselves when they are depressed.