Discussion Do you think if doctor-assistant suicide is made more accessible there would be a decrease in the suicide rate?

[Pryras]

I'm sure you've stumbled upon this video at some point on YouTube



(the woman in the video is granted the right to a doctor assisted suicide due to her severe depression. She ultimately does not carry through with it after being approved )


I have failed two suicide attempts by passive methods (overdose + alcohol after driving my car into a steep ditch ) and was saved. I'm impulsive but if faced with a sure fire peaceful exit as the woman in the video....I pause....suddenly the impulsiveness is gone and I have a peaceful way out when i decide it's too much. I can't speak for everyone and empathize with you all for your respective pain, so I get this is not how everyone may feel.

But moreover, my question is if assisted suicide was more readily accessible (not just for the terminally ill, but for those of us suffering mentally) do you think there would there be an increase or decrease in the suicide rate?

 

[Otter]

Increase for a while, then decrease

 

[Elbarado]

I dont think there would be an increase. I think who is that determined, he or she will do it nevertheless by time. I would even think suicide rate would decrease, cause the simple knowing, that you could get a painless exit, will easen the physical or mental pain and many will try to live their live. The desperation would be gone

 

[Pryras]

I dont think there would be an increase. I think who is that determined, he or she will do it nevertheless by time. I would even think suicide rate would decrease, cause the simple knowing, that you could get a painless exit, will easen the physical or mental pain and many will try to live their live. The desperation would be gone

Nailed it, if only I could carry a bottle of N in my bag to keep me in check when I'm in desperation. I'm suicidal and impulsive which has caused so much wreckage physically, financially and mentally, that knowing I can CTB when I'm absolutely sure is relieving and takes away the impulsiveness (at least for me)

 

[Mr2005]

Yes. I've thought this for ages. The less freedoms we're afforded the more people are pushed to do things they otherwise wouldn't. There's something very wrong with the world. Life could improve substantially in a lot ways for a lot of people with I think only a few changes needed and yet it doesn't happen

 

[2tirednow]

Decrease

 

[CuddleHug]

I had not seen this documentary before. Thanks for sharing

It's very hard to say, but if the process is as long and thorough as for this woman, I think we would see a decrease in suicides.

At least for me, if I knew I might be able to CTB openly and talk about it with the people I love, prepare them for what is to come, I would choose that. Even if it's the choice between leaving tomorrow (suicide) or two years from now (euthanasia), I'd choose the long process. And in the end, if I get denied, I could CTB on my own with the knowledge that my loved oned are prepared. Grieving together before my death seems much kinder to them than letting them deal with it all alone after I CTB.

Hugs~

 

[Heart of Ice]

Certainly there would be less suicides, if the doctor-assisted ones would not count.

If one were to legalize the more popular drugs, the amount of drug crimes would drop. Same thing.

 

[faust]

Hello,
In my opinion, there won't be less or more suicides because of this. There will be a bit less failed suicide attempts because people will be using these services. We are suicidal due to hundreds of reasons. And we won't turn passively suicidal to actively because of new laws. Don't forget, this is not free and for somebody it will cost a fortune. It is much cheaper to get N or DDMP, SN even is not worth to mention. Legalizing recreational cannabis did not make a huge increase of users, legalizing euthanasia did not make people massively use this option. But the last option certainly allowed people to die with dignity. How many of us will be able to afford such a thing? We can use this money to buy N and try something different in our lives, we can die whereever we want.

 

[Lostnotfound]

Those who seriously want to ctb will ensure they die by one means or another. It may cause a decrease in the amount of suicides where the person is on their own and uses methods like SN but I think overall the amounts of deaths will be the same. I do think it would reduce the strain on the nhs as there wouldn't be so many failed ctb attempts requiring urgent medical care.