Voluntary Euthanasia

I don't know why my mind spent so much time here this evening. Maybe it's because my birthday just passed, so mortality is naturally on my mind. I watch my mother fade away more each week, succumbing to the grip of Alzheimer's. I visited a few assisted living homes over the last few weeks to view some options, and a large number of the residents were like zombies, not really here but not yet gone. Many of them struggled in discomfort just to perform the simplest tasks, and didn't really seem to enjoy anything. I love life, I mean I really enjoy it. Not just the big things, either. I can often revel happily in minutia lost in my own thoughts (marijuana certainly helps). I would live for eons if I could. But if I get to the point of being in constant pain, or confusion, or helplessness, I believe that I would like to call it quits on my own terms. To me, this seems like a basic human right. How could any choice be more personal? I'm certainly not advocating that just anyone who is going through a hard time to take the easy way out, but after a certain amount of professional scrutiny to assure that the person in question is of sound mind (and probably under certain chronic unpleasantness), who is anyone to say that person doesn't have the choice of voluntary euthanasia? The government? The person's friends and family? Society? Fuck all of them, it's your life and your choice. Selfish? Of course, what could be more selfish. If you're honest with yourself, every decision you make is selfish. We think nothing negative about putting a beloved family pet out of its misery, it is a kind and benevolent act. Why do we not extend the same courtesy to grandpa that we do to Fido? Well, it so happens that we do -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia

Jurisdictions where euthanasia or assisted suicide is legal include the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Estonia, Albania, and the US states of Washington, Oregon and Montana.

It seems very dignified and pragmatic to be able to choose your own expiration date if necessary. The only reasons I can think of to oppose this would be religious, and that doesn't interest me...

What is your view RIU?

Whoever tries to stop euthanasia should be euthanized.

Agreed, I favor the part where you mentioned how personal that decision is.

MonkeyChimp said:

Whoever tries to stop euthanasia should be euthanized.

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I, too, am a fan of irony

Ask Dr. Jack.

I will off myself before I fall into that horrible cycle of nothingness.

I work in healthcare and I see suffering everyday. I will not allow my loved ones or myself to be part of that.

I will not allow my parents to linger because I can't let them go, I will let them go when they are ready. I've had this talk with them, I will make the hard decision knowing that it is the right one.

I will make that decision for my mother and father if they cannot make it for themselves, with or without approval from the medical community.


"Life is not merely to be alive but to be well." —Marcus Valerius Martial

Nutes and Nugs said:

Ask Dr. Jack.

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We know he's doing a benevolent, moral thing, but he always looks a little too happy. It's a little creepy...

Nutes and Nugs said:

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I don't think it has quite come to this yet, but I don't think it would be that bad. Kinda like jerky...

Suicide is a personal decision. As the OP said a selfish one, but each person's individual and personal right.

A person with no quality of life is certainly entitled to this choice, more so even.

Well,Happy Belated Birthday Tyler and Cheers!

I think life should be celebrated even if there isnt a holiday or a special event,when looked at through the right lense,life and the simple enjoyment of it is a special thing,a beautiful thing indeed.If life has lost its pleasant aspect and continues stay unpleasant to the point of chronic agony no matter what may be done to attempt easing of constant pain,there is but one simple thing left and we know what that pertains to.I do agree with much of your outlook on this matter.Why let someone continue to suffer when they are truely ready to go and have shown this beyond any shadow of doubt?To me, the same goes with any living animal,If I see it is suffering and through careful observation, determine that the creature will never get any better or healthier,its just as good as a written legal consent from a suffering human IMO to do whats right for them not to continualy suffer, because I dont believe for a sec that any living thing wants to be in a prison of pure suffering.I for one know it wouldnt be how I want to carry on.

Although Switzerland is quite closed on some points of view, they are very liberal in others. Here people can be euthanized, we have a right to do that here in Switzerland; there are several companies but normally in the media is the company exit and dignitus. Here we can pay a membership fee, and make a monthly donation, anything you can afford, its targeted at all walks of people from the very rich to the very poor, you can donate a monthly fee of 1 dollar to 1 million....there are no limits or minimums which is excellent.

When you feel the time is right, someone would come to your home, hotel or room they can also organize; an end of life coordinator; a pharmacist, a loved one and yourself...The EOLC will write a prescription mainly barbiturates, and the pharmacist will go to a chemist and collect the lethal dose; they return and prepare the cocktail- they come in two drinks or 2 IV infusers; after the first dose the person (and at any time before full dose can change their minds; they are constantly reminded of this)....which the person being euthanized will have to drink unaided;.being through a straw held to the mouth if necessary or to open the tap on the IV drip.. The person then has his time to say goodbye to his loved one(s) present and falls into a deep sleep, cardiac and respiratory arrest then follows...

Its such a dignified way to die, those people that are suffering should be entitled to die a painless death, rather than live a painful, short-lived nonexistent life. They have time to sort out all their affairs; finances and say their goodbyes, dying in an environment that is comfortable and painless.

Hats of to Switzerland for this law passed....for me coming from London, I found this topic really interesting when first arriving here in Zurich, and have the up-most respect for them allowing people to be in control on their own fate.

Simizh said:

Although Switzerland is quite closed on some points of view, they are very liberal in others. Here people can be euthanized, we have a right to do that here in Switzerland; there are several companies but normally in the media is the company exit and dignitus. Here we can pay a membership fee, and make a monthly donation, anything you can afford, its targeted at all walks of people from the very rich to the very poor, you can donate a monthly fee of 1 dollar to 1 million....there are no limits or minimums which is excellent.

When you feel the time is right, someone would come to your home, hotel or room they can also organize; an end of life coordinator; a pharmacist, a loved one and yourself...The EOLC will write a prescription mainly barbiturates, and the pharmacist will go to a chemist and collect the lethal dose; they return and prepare the cocktail- they come in two drinks or 2 IV infusers; after the first dose the person (and at any time before full dose can change their minds; they are constantly reminded of this)....which the person being euthanized will have to drink unaided;.being through a straw held to the mouth if necessary or to open the tap on the IV drip.. The person then has his time to say goodbye to his loved one(s) present and falls into a deep sleep, cardiac and respiratory arrest then follows...

Its such a dignified way to die, those people that are suffering should be entitled to die a painless death, rather than live a painful, short-lived nonexistent life. They have time to sort out all their affairs; finances and say their goodbyes, dying in an environment that is comfortable and painless.

Hats of to Switzerland for this law passed....for me coming from London, I found this topic really interesting when first arriving here in Zurich, and have the up-most respect for them allowing people to be in control on their own fate.

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Fascinating! Awesome post, thanks for the contribution...

tyler.durden said:

Fascinating! Awesome post, thanks for the contribution...

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thanks, I appreciate it.

I dont know about every state or every country, but here in Massachusetts, USA, anyone over the age of 18 years old (I believe) can buy a muzzle loader and blow their head off.

A muzzle loader is like a black powder gun, and they are just as powerful as a shotgun. You could basically put the maximum amount of gun powder down the barrel, next put a slug down the barrel, and pull the trigger. Next thing that you (dont) know, your dead.

Blowing your head off like this would have to be the most painless way to die because it would be instant death.

Im just saying.

~PEACE~

^^ Yes, but it's not legal, and something could go terribly wrong whereby you don't die, but instead you are an ugly vegetable for the rest of your life. Having a professional with you and going to sleep as Simizh describes is much preferred...

Nevaeh420 said:

A muzzle loader is like a black powder gun, and they are just as powerful as a shotgun. You could basically put the maximum amount of gun powder down the barrel, next put a slug down the barrel, and pull the trigger. Next thing that you (dont) know, your dead.
Blowing your head off like this would have to be the most painless way to die because it would be instant death.

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That's dumb because it's possible to survive a head shot. There was a Nazi officer who shot himself in the forehead and lived until another officer grabbed his gun and shot him again.
Shooting the heart is guaranteed, much better choice.

I think a main idea behind legal voluntary euthanasia is that it is painless and foolproof, especially with a trained aid present. I think most people would shy away from shooting themselves if given a painless, less messy alternative...