23 year old has assisted suicide in Switzerland

[Evenstar]

Here news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7676812.stm

This is terribly sad, I wonder how much help and support this family were given in the wake of their son's accident.

V sad

Oh god that is sad.

But really, what a farce that people like this have to travel abroad to a strange place to choose how to end their own lives. And we call ourselves civilised.

His poor family

'ulie and Mark James said he did not want to live a second-class existence'

I am sad he felt that it was better to be dead than disabled and he felt it was second class.
He could talk and use his arms yet he wanted to die?

I have been listening to the very scant information about this on the radio all day. Because there is so little information I don't want to upset anybody as we don't know very much yet but I just don't understand why he decided to die within a year of being paralysed. It's just far too soon to have come to terms with how different your life is and then decide to end it. I wish he'd given it more time and him and his family had been given as much support as necessary.

I think it was his right to make that decision.

Better this than he lives his life with bungled suicide attempts and hatred towards his family and carers?

The Swiss are bringing a new law in next year to try and ban "foreigners" from going to Dignitas.
Just hope it does not start a rush of people trying to beat the day that the new law comes in.
Doesn't that company check that the "patients" are not depressed first?

Very sad in so many ways.

I also think it was his right to make that decision (I'm a Samaritan) but I think that a year is too soon to make such a decision - he only had the accident in 2007.

That would be like someone with PND deciding to commit suicide after only a year. I actually do support people's rights to end their lives if they have severe emotional distress like schizophrenia/personality disorders.

I just wish it hadn't been made so soon.

From a personal pov.

My MIL is in her 50's full of health, but has battled breast cancer and has bipolar. Her mother had alzheimers and had an awful decline to her death.

MIL has always asked us that if she requests it we take her for assisted suicide. She has been very clear and has even drawn up documents.

So she will not be in a fit mental state at the time, but will want her wishes to be carried out.

TDWP - so you would agree with any depressed person being allowed to kill themsleves?

Certainly.

She could do it herself, in a horrible undignified and painful way.

Or do it medically when everyone is prepared for it.

I didn't realise assisted suicide took place for people who aren't terminally ill, as in their death is inevitable soon.

Gosh.

Reading that article had really put me off my DS's playing Rugby at school.

Oh sorry I thought you were replying to my later post but clearly not.

But I still think the same.

Lynette - I didn't realise that it wasn't an option only open to those who were terminally ill/suffering from a degenerative illness either.

I think maybe depressed people should get some counselling first before trotting off to Switzerland to kill themselves. I've suffered from depression for years on and off but tried to get help.

It sometimes doesn't matter how much help and support the family or person in question were given. Some people simply don't want to continue living if they are in such a state, and FWIW I'm of the opinion that it's no one's right to.

So I am with DWP in that I feel it was his right to do with his life as he saw fit.

I feel it is the right of a free adult to do what they see fit with their lives, even it is suicide.

expat, I agree very much.

I do think it should be possible here too.

Poor, poor man. And his family too. He has every right to make that decision and to expect assistance. I would have done the same in his position.

But I wish he hadn't spoken of a 'second-class existence'. That's not what it was. It was just an existence that he personally didn't choose to maintain.

I totally support assisted suicide as well, DWP.

And I would be willing to support any loved one of mine who made such a decision.

Ever see 'Whose Life Is It, Anyway?' Very emotional, but raises interesting points.

Is it a doc? could I get it online?

To him it was a second class exisitence.

He is the one that made the decision and good on him - how can anyone judge him and how he felt unless they have lived through that situation?

so if one of your kids said they were depressed and wanted to die you'd say 'ok then'

How terribly, terribly sad all round

I totally agree.

In fact on our wedding night, awful as it sounds me xH told me if he ever became paralysed or had demetia he would want me to help him. He is a very sporty anally clean and private person and I understand how for him he could not deal with assisted living.