Would you choose Doctor Assisted Suicide for yourself?

[MooseBreath]

Hypothetically, would you wish to sign a waiver in early stages of dementia or an illness that would one day severely reduce cognitive function? Or what circumstances would you want Doctor Assisted Suicide, if any?

I was thinking about it and I would. I don't want to live in a world without recognising my loved ones or where I cannot remember to do basic things like go to the toilet, wash myself, or eat. At that stage, for me, quality of life would be too far gone.

Maybe signing early on with very clear boundaries on what I was able to do and understand. Kind of like in the book "Still Alice".

Inspired by the thread on euthanasia and MAiD. Not here to start a bunfight, not here to discuss whether or not euthanasia should be legal, not here to discuss the ramifications of MAiD.

Interested to hear people's thoughts on the matter, purely about themselves.

Absolutely I would. I would like the opportunity to choose in a scenario where mind/body are giving out on me limiting quality of life.

Yes. I fail to see why I cannot decide my future!

I'm not sure. I was absolutely in favour until I read about the case of a Dutch woman (family history of dementia, advanced directive signed but when the day came, the sedatives didn't work and they essentially had to hold her down fighting for her life) whilst studying an OU module. I had always assumed if I had dementia that's what I'd want but finding the balance between still being me, of understanding and happy to end it now and losing all memory of that decision must be tricky. She must have died terrified.

I have ptsd and other mental health issues and suicide is never far from the forefront of my mind. My youngest child is 4. Should state assisted suicide be acceptable for the physically healthy mother of young children?

I absolutely would. I really hope that it will be an option when I'm older.

No. I don't agree with assisted suicide. However, i also don't agree with prolonging life with treatment and drugs if the person has no quality of life and no hope of improvement.

Without a doubt YES.

I would sign a declaration today. I have explicitly told all of my family that should something happen to me whereby I need round the clock care, I don't want my life prolonged.

If I had a terminal illness or dementia, I definitely would like the choice on when to end my life.

ooh good one, I need to add this to my Advance Decision.

My children are 2.5 and 3 months. I don't want them to live in a world where their own mother doesn't recognise them and can't give them they care they deserve. I think they'd be far better off without me physically there, hearing stories of the mother that loved them dearly.

Absolutely I would. I think it's a scandal that we don't have a guaranteed way to end our own lives at a time & place of our choosing. And it shouldn't just be limited to people with terminal diagnoses, either.

So how do your views align with degenerative conditions like my dad's MND?

The medical treatment he received meant he didn't suffer whilst his body failed around him - there was no 'prolonging' of life beyond that basic measure but he had to endure every indignity the disease threw at him before the end.

Should we have starved him to death? Denied him access to the suction machines that took choking mucus from the back of his throat? Denied him access to the nebulisers that made his breathing less painful? Or maybe deny him access to assistive technology paid for by the NHS that allowed him to communicate with us?

Your solution sounds like "Leave them to suffocate and starve" because that's the reality of of denying treatment and drugs to people with MND and other conditions. How the fuck is that better?

A medically assisted death by choice would be far less cruel than your suggestion.

Yes. Even more so after working in dementia services.

Yes

100%

Absolutely.

I think I would, but how can I know until I'm in that situation?

Yes absolutely I would. After working in nhs for 16 years and watching a parent suffer with a locked in syndrome then finally pass away. I really hope assisted suicide becomes a thing in my lifetime.

Yes, 100% yes.

I don’t think you quite understand your own standpoint. You would rather someone suffer - stop treatment to prolong life, which could be anything from medication that keeps the organs functioning, oxygen, to food and water - than be able to die when they chose. Odd choice

I am only early 30's, no health conditions but would sign this today! I know now I don't want to live longer than needed if it means I lose my physical capabilities or mental capacity.

I don't think I could sign up for doctor assured suicide personally, purely because I would t want to put that on someone else.

I would however like to have the option of ending my own life in those circumstances without impact or repercussions on my family, life insurance etc. Even if meant doing it a little earlier so that I was still physically capeable.

I would.

Dementia is such a tricky one as I can’t quite get my head around how it would work even if you signed an advanced directive. Would doctors just say okay I think she’s at the point of no quality of life now, we will euthanise her tomorrow? Or family members or what?

100% yes

@Cosysocksallyear I would say doctors. Family would struggle to be objective, and if it's in the directive, I would say it's like unplugging life support or following through with a DNR as per the patient's wishes.

Yes.