[Serious] Euthanasia for Mental Illness

[brewer]

I know that the forum has discussed this before but I thought I'd bring it up again considering all the new members that have come around.

There is legislation in Canada that would allow physician assisted euthenesia (MAID-medical assistance in dying) to include serious mental illness. Currently only physicial conditions can be considered. The legislation opriginally enacted in 2021 was put on hold until 2023 and then pushed back to 2024. 

Thought this might be an interesting topic.

Canada website regarding MAID: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/ad-am/bk-di.html

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'll be wanting an "off" button before much longer.

[The Valkyrie]

Not sure about this.

Those with serious mental issues can rarely give consent, and the motives of those holding medical proxies over them would need to be questioned thoroughly.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I have a living will that gives my wife full authority to "do what makes sense to you, dear." We've discussed various scenarios, and she knows my wishes. I cool with it.

[The Valkyrie]

I have a living will that gives my wife full authority to "do what makes sense to you, dear." We've discussed various scenarios, and she knows my wishes. I cool with it.

My father used to hold my medical proxy in case of that, and I held his. Since he died, I don't trust my Catholic mother with mine.

These ones make sense to me. We have made an informed decision about it.

Those who are seriously mentally ill, especially those who have been from birth or a young age, cannot give consent the same way.

[FrustratedFool]

Wasn't there a teenage girl in Denmark who had untreatable depression and fought the government for the right to die? I think she won her case, iirc.

I might have been confusing the above case/details with this, in which case I remembered many things wrong:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/j...ed-at-home

This story also seems relevant:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-45117163

And this:
https://news.sky.com/story/ive-been-gran...e-12055578

[no one]

Everyone is mentally ill. Every single hooman on the planet has a mental defect. But as valks says, it is the severity of these defects that draws closer, more definitive investigation.

It is one thing to have stipulations where you clearly state you no longer wish to live in a certain condition. However, for those born with severe mental instabilities, those who never possess the ability to grant consent. Or even those who lose all mental faculties as time passes, deep lines should be drawn.

[The Grand Nudger]

I'm with Valk. I think it would be a field of landmines, practically...and since my government can't even deliver the mail, I'm not sure I'd trust them officializing suicidal ideation.

OTOH, one trip to the dmv suggests that they may already be experts in the phenomena.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I'm with Valk.  I think it would be a field of landmines, practically...and since my government can't even deliver the mail, I'm not sure I'd trust them officializing suicidal ideation.

OTOH, one trip to the dmv suggests that they may already be experts in the phenomena.

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?

Boru

[arewethereyet]

While I can understand a desire for assisted suicide in the case of advanced dementia and the like, I don't think we have that figured out and won't for some time.

Also it seems to me that this would face opposition from the anti-abortion crew. After all, all life is precious, right?

At the end of dad's life, even though he had all his wishes spelled out legally and the medical staff was informed, the doctor still had to hear it from one of us kids. Clear cut. Dad was dying of cancer that had, and was continuing to, ravage his body. Staff could NOT keep his pain under control without rendering him completely out of it or dead. The paperwork had been done when dad was of sound mind and well before the cancer had advanced that far. On top of that, he had a medical background and was well-informed of what was happening to his body as it died piece by piece. To me, the worst part was that his mind didn't falter, he was aware of it all.

Until we figure out how to proceed in a sensible way with those you are obviously terminal and have no quality of life...how are we going to decide that someone is mentally ill enough to receive assistance in their death?

That's a rough one.