Dignitas considers the mentally ill for assisted suicide

[supermario]

I emailed Dignitas last week, and they just responded that due to recent law changes in Switzerland, they now consider applications from mentally ill people for request for assisted suicide. Part of the email:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you ask about the possibilities for mentally ill people to apply for an accompanied suicide.

It is basically possible for mentally ill too, to submit a formal request of an accompanied suicide to Dignitas. However, this is a lengthy and complex proceeding which demands your pro-active cooperation. And there is no guarantee to receive the "provisional green light" for an accompanied suicide.

Has anyone considered this route? I know it will probably be a very long drawn out process with tons of hurdles along the way.

 

[Fadeawaaaay]

I emailed Dignitas last week, and they just responded that due to recent law changes in Switzerland, they now consider applications from mentally ill people for request for assisted suicide. Part of the email:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you ask about the possibilities for mentally ill people to apply for an accompanied suicide.

It is basically possible for mentally ill too, to submit a formal request of an accompanied suicide to Dignitas. However, this is a lengthy and complex proceeding which demands your pro-active cooperation. And there is no guarantee to receive the "provisional green light" for an accompanied suicide.

Has anyone considered this route? I know it will probably be a very long drawn out process with tons of hurdles along the way.

I cannot imagine they would accept my application… I'm only mildly depressed.

 

[rationaltake]

I emailed Dignitas last week, and they just responded that due to recent law changes in Switzerland, they now consider applications from mentally ill people for request for assisted suicide. Part of the email:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you ask about the possibilities for mentally ill people to apply for an accompanied suicide.

It is basically possible for mentally ill too, to submit a formal request of an accompanied suicide to Dignitas. However, this is a lengthy and complex proceeding which demands your pro-active cooperation. And there is no guarantee to receive the "provisional green light" for an accompanied suicide.

Has anyone considered this route? I know it will probably be a very long drawn out process with tons of hurdles along the way.

I emailed Pegasos and got a similar response. Very daunting and expensive.

I have severe and enduring mental health conditions. Code in the UK for being a write-off!

 

[RainAndSadness]

There hasn't been any "law changes in Switzerland". What are they talking about? Switzerland doesn't have any regulations in place when it comes to assisted suicide. It's only criminal if you have selfish motives to assist someone, for example monetary gain. Otherwise, assisted suicide is completely legal in Switzerland. It's always been. The reason why these organizations don't help people with mental illness in most cases is simple: they fear family members could sue them and that's always a pain in the ass. It has happened in the past. Then they have to prove that this person really wanted to die and that it wasn't actually an impulse decision to end their life and all that crap that.

 

[supermario]

I think you're right. I was basing it off this passage sent to me:

Some time ago the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has acknowledged that basical-
ly every mentally competent person has the right to determine the moment and

the manner of his or her own end of life; a court ruling which was confirmed by

the European Court on Human Rights.

But I guess the keyword here is "some time ago".

So do you think with the family's endorsement, your chances of getting approved for AS by Dignitas improves greatly?

 

[rationaltake]

There hasn't been any "law changes in Switzerland". What are they talking about? Switzerland doesn't have any regulations in place when it comes to assisted suicide. It's only criminal if you have selfish motives to assist someone, for example monetary gain. Otherwise, assisted suicide is completely legal in Switzerland. It's always been. The reason why these organizations don't help people with mental illness in most cases is simple: they fear family members could sue them and that's always a pain in the ass. It has happened in the past. Then they have to prove that this person really wanted to die and that it wasn't actually an impulse decision to end their life and all that crap that.

Yes. Pegasos said I'd need to send medical records and pay €5000 and speak to their psychiatrist to see if they would accept me. And they would keep €1500 if they rejected me.

Thing is I have no family.

 

[bennay]

Yes. Pegasos said I'd need to send medical records and pay €5000 and speak to their psychiatrist to see if they would accept me. And they would keep €1500 if they rejected me.

Thing is I have no family.

With assisted suicide being so accepted, can't one just travel to Switzerland and seek out other means rather than having to use these organizations?
I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.

 

[rationaltake]

With assisted suicide being so accepted, can't one just travel to Switzerland and seek out other means rather than having to use these organizations?
I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.

Good point. Don't know.

 

[NormaJeane]

All people should have the right to euthanasia whenever we want it, like our pets. We should be able to go to the nearest hospital in our own town and country and get a lethal injection by a doctor, in the same manner as we want other medical treatment. And then the suicide clinics in Switzerland have to lower their outrageous prices and rules.

 

[Chinaski]

I emailed Dignitas last week, and they just responded that due to recent law changes in Switzerland, they now consider applications from mentally ill people for request for assisted suicide. Part of the email:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you ask about the possibilities for mentally ill people to apply for an accompanied suicide.

It is basically possible for mentally ill too, to submit a formal request of an accompanied suicide to Dignitas. However, this is a lengthy and complex proceeding which demands your pro-active cooperation. And there is no guarantee to receive the "provisional green light" for an accompanied suicide.

Has anyone considered this route? I know it will probably be a very long drawn out process with tons of hurdles along the way.

This is froth imo, designed to present themselves as not being discriminatory by prioritising physical over mental health and also ensuring they get the subscription fees from the suicidal, the reality is this is such a high bar that the chances of a successful application on MH grounds is virtually nil imo.

 

[rationaltake]

This is froth imo, designed to present themselves as not being discriminatory by prioritising physical over mental health and also ensuring they get the subscription fees from the suicidal, the reality is this is such a high bar that the chances of a successful application on MH grounds is virtually nil imo.

You're probably right.

 

[Smart No More]

Might be worth asking for an itinary that would be fllowed if you were to go for the process. Just out interest and in order to garner feom it what we can. Could be useful to know. Prewarned=prearmed.

 

[StarryStarry]

I emailed Dignitas last week, and they just responded that due to recent law changes in Switzerland, they now consider applications from mentally ill people for request for assisted suicide. Part of the email:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you ask about the possibilities for mentally ill people to apply for an accompanied suicide.

It is basically possible for mentally ill too, to submit a formal request of an accompanied suicide to Dignitas. However, this is a lengthy and complex proceeding which demands your pro-active cooperation. And there is no guarantee to receive the "provisional green light" for an accompanied suicide.

Has anyone considered this route? I know it will probably be a very long drawn out process with tons of hurdles along the way.

I would definitely be interested. If I do it myself I'm afraid I would fail and be in a vegetative state. At least then I would really die with dignity. Why is mental health any different than cancer or any other disease that can kill someone? Thanks for sharing.

 

[supermario]

I wonder if there are any more "lax" organizations in Swizerland one can take advantage to AS for mental health reasons.

 

[Zzzzz]

Unfortunately, I'll never have that kind of money.

 

[deathLiberation]

I started to read this thread with hope and ended with sadness.

Why are we not allowed to have an assisted suicide! But yet we have to suffer over and over...

Anyway i will send a new email and search for alternatives. When i get answers i shall make a new thread.

 

[lmon]

Yes. Pegasos said I'd need to send medical records and pay €5000 and speak to their psychiatrist to see if they would accept me. And they would keep €1500 if they rejected me.

Thing is I have no family.

Wait… it's that much to just speak to their psychiatrist?

I would definitely be interested. If I do it myself I'm afraid I would fail and be in a vegetative state. At least then I would really die with dignity. Why is mental health any different than cancer or any other disease that can kill someone? Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, I think it should be quality of life, not physical/ mental

 

[Crazy4u]

the idea of talking to psychiatric frustrates me. Why do I need someone to evaluate and approve my request? some people are not mentally or physically ill. Illness is not the only reason for suicide.

 

[rationaltake]

Wait… it's that much to just speak to their psychiatrist?

That's what they said.

 

[Foresight]

I feel, with confidence, that if I had the means they would accept me. My mental health and quality of life is that bad.

I will never come by that kind of money though, and I'm not sure how they deal with international applicants?

 

[myopybyproxy]

even if they were more likely to accept mental illness as a valid reason to assist just as they do with physical illness, the process of learning a new language and finding the funds - and excuse - to travel, especially during the pandemic, makes this unviable for me.

 

[Cameron Diazepam]

The fee is even more ridiculous when it's not even clear what is and isn't accepted by them on mental illness grounds (and they probably don't want it known to avoid bad publicity). They're basically asking you to gamble at the high roller table.

 

[S like Siren]

The fee is even more ridiculous when it's not even clear what is and isn't accepted by them on mental illness grounds (and they probably don't want it known to avoid bad publicity). They're basically asking you to gamble at the high roller table.

Sorry if I write this thing here that has nothing to do with this thread but I read your nickname and I found it brilliant ... hahaha funny! :)

 

[new.solution1]

You can apply for a complete waiver or discount though

 

[Cameron Diazepam]

I remember that on their website, but it seems like it would be prioritized for the terminally ill. Probably not much of a rush to get mentally ill people through the doors since there's no perception of a hard "time limit" unless they're elderly. Need that million dollars from the Bezos hypothetical gift thread to spam Dignitas with applications and figure out how this works.

 

[rationaltake]

The fee is even more ridiculous when it's not even clear what is and isn't accepted by them on mental illness grounds (and they probably don't want it known to avoid bad publicity). They're basically asking you to gamble at the high roller table.

Exactly. It put me off them.

 

[willitpass]

the unites states doesn't have anything like this that i'm aware of but if they did i would like to think i would qualify after how many treatment options i have been through

 

[LoneMisery]

I started to read this thread with hope and ended with sadness.

Why are we not allowed to have an assisted suicide! But yet we have to suffer over and over...

Anyway i will send a new email and search for alternatives. When i get answers i shall make a new thread.

Only thing i can think of is if we ctb thats one less person to tax or one less person to throw into the hospital and charge an outrageous rate just to not properly treat you, and then send you back into the world.
If we can pierce our bodies ink them up drink an excessive amount of legal alcohol. All which are taxable services btw.
Youre allowed to climb a mountain without a rope, skydive with no real way of knowing if your chute is gonna open or not.
If i felt like sitting outside in the freezing cold till i freeze, im allowed to. But if a sign read "Im doing this because i want to die" best believe youre going to the hospital.

 

[bloodfallsfirst]

I reached out, but damn they're too expensive for me, and I don't know how to find a pro-choice doctor. Plus, they want examples that you're continuing treatment.