Possible TW - do you see yourself choosing Assisted dying?

Whilst I wouldn’t personally I can understand some of the reasons people do. However my concern with AD is very much the slippery slope issue. In some countries it expanded to include mental health issues as an acceptable reason and certain psychiatrists in Belgium were accused of actively promoting it to people in severe mental anguish. I find this horrendous, how many people have felt desperate and suicidal in their darkest hours only to go on to find happiness and love later in life. It then becomes some dystopian horror if basically murdering problematic people.

my neighbour is 91 years old and has cancer on her face. They are offering her all sorts of mad operations and medications. She has absolutely had enough. She has opted to just leave it alone and let nature take its course and they seem unhappy with this.

I mean, how long do they expect people to live? She’s 91.

Absolutely I would. I almost can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t agree with it. I understand why it can’t be implemented for dementia/Alzheimers but I really wish they could find a way.

I don’t want my girls to have to care for me. I don’t want to put them through any trauma.

No.

Definitely. My eyes were opened when mil died. It was horrific.

Absolutely yes. I want the dignified choice if I feel I need it,

I believe that once it gets legal, the list of conditions will expand and expand, so 50% in 50 years sounds realistic.

I see the potential for misuse, both in family strongly encouraging someone, or someone feeling too guilty of being a burden/consuming potential inheritance for their own care, but I expect it will go forward anyway.

Yes, I don't want to linger on in pain with a crap quality of life.

@TooManyAnimals94 1. doctors are doing more harm by forcing people to take medications to prolong their lives while the patients are in extreme suffering and begging to be allowed to die, like a relative of mine did with dementia, for many many years.
2 Why would you not judge someone with a terminal illness to take an overdose , yet you would judge them to have assisted dying? Either way they are “bringing other people into it.” Someone is going to find the body if they overdose.
3 In what way is it cowardly?

Yes, definitely. I don’t have any children or family apart from my partner, and my circle of friends is small so no one will miss me, and no one will profit from my death either I suppose.

This.

IMO AD doesn’t go far enough. Ive already made my DH promise if I get dementia he’ll take me to Switzerland (threshold is once I don’t know who anyone is) as AD only covers the terminally ill.

You understand that prolonging life beyond that which is bearable for the person is harmful, right?

It depends what the actual practical aspects of AD are. I don't think it is a doctor killing a patient. I think it is more a patient taking their own life with some medical input ( to make sure it is safe and fast etc).
Much like what they do at Dignitas. The patient has full control of the process but they have someone overseeing.

The “harm” is in being a bystander to prolonged, futile suffering.

I think the idea is that by letting people die slowly and in pain that sometimes harm is done? Is it 'harmful' to release someone from that if they want to be?

Have any of you considered the practical implications of assisted suicide? You are asking a doctor who has sworn to 'do no harm' kill you.
I wouldn't judge anyone with a terminal.illness who chose to overdose on painkillers (or whatever method) but there is no need to bring others into your decision.
It's badly thought out, cowardly and gives no thought to vulnerable people.
No, I would not choose it.

I would consider this and I even have a vague idea of how I’d go about doing it, but we need to consider who would have to deal with the body. I definitely see a properly organised assisted death as being more considerate.

Yes. I’d definitely consider it in certain circumstances and I believe we should all have a right to do so.

Yes, no heroic measure and a calm and peaceful death. We allow our animals to avoid suffering, so I will be avoiding suffering too.

I would like to be put to sleep, unaware, like a pet. Especially if I develop dementia.

I was watching greys anatomy this evening and there was an assisted dying storyline so I was thinking about this earlier. I don't know if I would be brave enough? I don't know I think its hard to say. This summer I lost almost half of my blood and nearly died. I remember at one point as they were rushing me to surgery thinking oop this could be it, I was very weak and drifting in and out of consciousness. I wasn't scared though, afterwards I was freaked out about how much of a close call it was but at the time I was very chill and accepting of the fact that my time might be up. All of that is to say who knows how I would feel staring death in the face? I'd like to think that I would be brave enough but I don't know.

100% yes, having been through an incredibly inhumane death of my mother. We all die, I cannot comprehend why it cannot be with dignity and by choice.

Best way I could put it is this.

I’m not afraid of death. I am afraid of dying.

I watched a programme about assisted dying in a certain country, sadly I can’t remember where in the world or which programme…
Patients who were terminally ill were vetted & given a prescription - pre-approved assisted euthanasia. If things got bad, the prescription was there & they could make the choice to use it if things got too bad, the prescription would dispensed & assisted euthanasia could take place.
It turned out the majority of patients didn’t request to use their prescription but they found knowing the way out was there comforting & eased them to the end.
It sounded a really good idea - the ‘for use when needed’ approach.
I’d be interested to know if anyone else had seen the programme.

As for me, yes I would go for it but I have to say that having the prescription on stand-by ready to be used at my choosing sounds good.
Obviously for illnesses where you suddenly lose mental capacity to decide, my advance decision should be followed & I’m to receive pain relief & that’s all.
With dementia, any assisted euthanasia sadly would have be done sooner rather later but I suspect in such cases it would be a matter of non-assisted suicide by the patient whilst they still have capacity.

I'd like to think so. I hope I'm brave enough when the time comes.