I'm...
...down.
Actually, I'm not particularly. But what if I were? The organisation Dignitas is seeking a change in Swiss law which would allow assisted suicide in cases of severe depression. This, I think, is a very frightening idea. While I am cautiously in favour of assisted dying where the person has an incurable illness which is making their life unbearable, depression is a very different matter. For one thing, it is not generally incurable. For another, someone who is severely depressed is, by definition, not of sound enough mind to take this decision - a requirement if assisted death is to be legally acceptable.
Removing the barriers to suicide, making it "safe" and "comfortable" and certain to succeed, is an act of mercy where the sufferer's only other option is a long and painful death from terminal illness. But to extend this to the clinically depressed is highly dangerous - suicide in these cases needs to be seen as what it is: a final resort, a violent and horrifying end which should never, ever be sought where there is the least chance of a return to life.
Actually, I'm not particularly. But what if I were? The organisation Dignitas is seeking a change in Swiss law which would allow assisted suicide in cases of severe depression. This, I think, is a very frightening idea. While I am cautiously in favour of assisted dying where the person has an incurable illness which is making their life unbearable, depression is a very different matter. For one thing, it is not generally incurable. For another, someone who is severely depressed is, by definition, not of sound enough mind to take this decision - a requirement if assisted death is to be legally acceptable.
Removing the barriers to suicide, making it "safe" and "comfortable" and certain to succeed, is an act of mercy where the sufferer's only other option is a long and painful death from terminal illness. But to extend this to the clinically depressed is highly dangerous - suicide in these cases needs to be seen as what it is: a final resort, a violent and horrifying end which should never, ever be sought where there is the least chance of a return to life.
posted by EJ at 6:01 pm
3 Comments:
I think it's a pity people aren't as concerned with assisting people to live as they seem to be with helping them to die.
They're kind of jumping the gun a bit aren't they? As far as I was aware, active euthanasia, whether voluntary, non-voluntary or involuntary, was illegal in every country at the moment, surely it would suit their organisation to push for assisted death in the cases of irreversable conditions - to fight for assisted death for such a mental illness where there's already ground-breaking research and methods that can help them back to sound mental health, well, that's just crazy talk!
Jitsu, I'm with you there!
Nodders, I'm pretty sure that the euthanasia clinics in Switzerland are legal according to that country's laws...
Post a Comment
<< Home