[Serious] Euthanasia for Mental Illness

[MR. Macabre 666]

I don't think we can figure out a protocol when dealing with the mentally ill when we can't figure out a humane way to ease the end of the physically terminally ill.

We, as a people, are too weird about quality/quantity of life.

I'm not suffering from a terminal illness, but I have been given the "there's nothing else we can do" diagnosis from my 4th neurologist pertaining to the Idiopathic Poly Neuropathy in my feet, hands, and legs. This is in addition to the Osteoarthritis in my knees, hips, neck, and lower back.
It's why I was forced to retire on permanent disability in 2015, and why I suffer from chronic, daily pain and numbness. Sometimes, just getting up from my chair can become an adventure.

Even if it's not legal here in Washington state, when I make the decision that I'm no longer able to tolerate it, if/when I'm no longer able to walk, and my quality of life has run out for myself, I know that I'll make that decision and carry it out, alone.
I'm already maxed out on my prescription meds for the nerve pain, and my doctor told me that it's only going to get worse and would never improve. Pretty grim outlook, but this is what's been handed to me.
I'm basically just living to hopefully see all 4 of our grandkids grow up. Our oldest is 15, and the youngest is 4 now.Just taking it day by day. I'm currently taking 2 antidepressants, and several other prescription medications, and have been suicidal off and on for several years now. Some days are okay, and some days fucking suck, and it takes a toll on me mentally, as well as physically.

[Disagreeable]

If it decreases suffering then it should be permitted.

[brewer]

I'm not suffering from a terminal illness, but I have been given the "there's nothing else we can do" diagnosis from my 4th neurologist pertaining to the Idiopathic Poly Neuropathy in my feet, hands, and legs. This is in addition to the Osteoarthritis in my knees, hips, neck, and lower back.
It's why I was forced to retire on permanent disability in 2015, and why I suffer from chronic, daily pain and numbness. Sometimes, just getting up from my chair can become an adventure.

Even if it's not legal here in Washington state, when I make the decision that I'm no longer able to tolerate it, if/when I'm no longer able to walk, and my quality of life has run out for myself, I know that I'll make that decision and carry it out, alone.
I'm already maxed out on my prescription meds for the nerve pain, and my doctor told me that it's only going to get worse and would never improve. Pretty grim outlook, but this is what's been handed to me.
I'm basically just living to hopefully see all 4 of our grandkids grow up. Our oldest is 15, and the youngest is 4 now.Just taking it day by day. I'm currently taking 2 antidepressants, and several other prescription medications, and have been suicidal off and on for several years now. Some days are okay, and some days fucking suck, and it takes a toll on me mentally, as well as physically.

When I decide the time has come (quality<<< quantity) and assuming I still have my mental faculties I also have a painless end-time plan.

No, it does not involve a firearm, just in case anyone is wondering.

I know (or have known) people in a similar situation as yours. You have my sympathies.

Edit: An additional thought, have you asked the neurologist(s) if there are any clinical trials for your chronic pain that you may be eligible for? i.e.: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00156689

[The Valkyrie]

Moderator Notice
Added "Serious" tag to post. Not because anyone has treated it otherwise, but because this is an important post and it shouldn't be treated otherwise

[Paleophyte]

Same same. Anyone who can give informed consent should have access to physician assisted suicide. But how reliable is the informed consent of a delusional paranoid schizophrenic?

Speaking as the surviving brother of a delusional paranoid schizophrenic I'm of several minds about this. Absolutely no joke intended.

On the one hand, you are entirely correct. My brother's judgement was so utterly impaired that I'd have gone outside to double check if he'd told me that the sky was blue. He believed that he was King Arthur, was actively seeking the Holy Grail, and thought that he was being persecuted by Leprechauns. We couldn't trust him not to accidentally burn the house down trying to cook frozen vegetables (He neglected to add water to the pot. Nowhere was this included in the instructions.) much less make any sort of medical decisions.

That said, I have seen what this sort of illness does to a person and if I ever develop anything similar I'll be checking out on my own terms while there's still something of me left. Unsurprisingly, my other siblings share this view. I would rather have bone cancer. It would only take my body.

All of that said, I really don't trust the government to get this right on anybody's behalf. And I don't mean the current administration, I mean any government, ever. Given the difficulty in even diagnosing many disorders there's no way that any politician or judge is going to be able to get this right. When it comes to health care we talk a good fight in Canada. The system has been under stress for decades due to underfunding and mental health has always been a low priority.

And all of that said I feel like there has to be some sort of system to allow for this. Perhaps a panel of properly qualified psychologists and psychiatrists that could evaluate such a request and determine that, "Yes, this person may be crazier than a shit house rat, but their suffering is real and their request to end it is rational." and that either the condition is incurable and untreatable or that a treatment shall be undertaken and provided by the province expediently. Hard deadlines to be written out for the government with the penalties for missing them including the immediate dismissal of the overseeing entities up to and including the ministers of health and finance. Fire a half dozen political flunkies and even those cretins will clue to the fact that a life is more important than their appointed positions.

At the end of the day, all suffering is mental suffering. The pain may originate in your big toe, but the perception is all in your head.

[Ahriman]

I wish I had been aborted. No one should have to go through what I've been through. I think I'm beyond the worst of it now but the suffering I felt before will never be justified.

[h4ym4n]

I wish I had been aborted. No one should have to go through what I've been through. I think I'm beyond the worst of it now but the suffering I felt before will never be justified.

Can you give one example where the god you believe in did anything good for you?

I could, but I won't. It's not for you to know.

Sounds like the one thing your god did for you is to force you to be born against your free will just to fuck with you and torture you while alive.


I can just imagine what your afterlife will be like.


Sounds like you’re fucked.

[MR. Macabre 666]

I'm not suffering from a terminal illness, but I have been given the "there's nothing else we can do" diagnosis from my 4th neurologist pertaining to the Idiopathic Poly Neuropathy in my feet, hands, and legs. This is in addition to the Osteoarthritis in my knees, hips, neck, and lower back.
It's why I was forced to retire on permanent disability in 2015, and why I suffer from chronic, daily pain and numbness. Sometimes, just getting up from my chair can become an adventure.

Even if it's not legal here in Washington state, when I make the decision that I'm no longer able to tolerate it, if/when I'm no longer able to walk, and my quality of life has run out for myself, I know that I'll make that decision and carry it out, alone.
I'm already maxed out on my prescription meds for the nerve pain, and my doctor told me that it's only going to get worse and would never improve. Pretty grim outlook, but this is what's been handed to me.
I'm basically just living to hopefully see all 4 of our grandkids grow up. Our oldest is 15, and the youngest is 4 now.Just taking it day by day. I'm currently taking 2 antidepressants, and several other prescription medications, and have been suicidal off and on for several years now. Some days are okay, and some days fucking suck, and it takes a toll on me mentally, as well as physically.

When I decide the time has come (quality<<< quantity) and assuming I still have my mental faculties I also have a painless end-time plan.

No, it does not involve a firearm, just in case anyone is wondering.

I know (or have known) people in a similar situation as yours. You have my sympathies.

Edit: An additional thought, have you asked the neurologist(s) if there are any clinical trials for your chronic pain that you may be eligible for? i.e.: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00156689

When/if I make that decision, mine won't involve a firearm, I can't be around a loaded weapon, period. My method involves hitting the water at triple digit speeds in the middle of the night. That ought to do the trick.

[MR. Macabre 666]

One of my wife's cousins was a diagnosed schizophrenic that was more than a problem for her mother. She got pregnant as a teen, so she had the baby and gave it up for adoption. She also tried killing herself by jumping onto the freeway from an overpass in Southern California, but somehow she survived. She was in and out of half-way houses for decades, until she stopped taking her meds. Then she'd walk out and try to go back home, which usually only lasted a few weeks at best.

The last we heard of her, she was committed full time to a facility and had became a ward of the state after her mom couldn't deal with her anymore. Her older brother had killed himself with a handgun in the early 80's after a career in the Air Force didn't work out. He made his wife a single mother with 3 daughters to raise.
I don't know how my wife's aunt was capable of dealing with all of it.
Mental illness can be really fucked up.

[Nay_Sayer]

This dialog reminds me of the documentary 'Children of Darkness' in which the crew filmed a number of young adults and the various treatments used to help them to varying degrees of success.

Having had a lifelong battle with mental illness myself, my biased opinion would be against it.