I don't agree with the 'we all die anyway' sentiment when talking about the impact on others. There is a different perception around this way of dying. The grief loved ones go through usually has different elements than say dying from heart disease or an accident.
Depending on your relationship to them they will be impacted a lot. Ultimately we don't know what will become of them. Acceptance seems like a good way to deal with it. There will be grief, you have to accept that and when you feel like you do - ask yourself if you still want to go ahead with it.
Yeah- I do agree with you. Natural death from illness and assisted suicide at a clinic vs. sudden death from illness, accidental death, murder, still born and suicide are all death- certainly but they all create different degrees of impact and emotion. Some deaths are more predictable than others. Seeing as we don't cope well with even predictable death, I imagine the sudden kind hit harder.
If a death is seen as 'unfair', they 'died before their time' type thing- I think there is both the shock to get over (there was no warning) plus- a whole bunch of other emotions. While it would be nice if our loved ones appreciated that WE thought it was our time to go- they are unlikely to feel the same- sadly. I think they feel like some entity robbed us of our lives (usually depression or mental illness.) Otherwise, I expect there is some hurt there- knowing that we made the decision to leave them- knowing what it would do to them. Maybe guilt- that they could have done more or even anger- that we have made them experience this several years/decades too early.
I personally don't feel at all comforted by the likely fact I won't be conscious at that point to witness the aftermath. I suppose I'm kind of envious of people who can think like that- absolutely no fear of an afterlife for starters plus, no worry for the people left behind. Reckon I'd be gone already if I could get myself to think like that.
I know what it's like to mourn people- and that was natural death. I do really hate it that my actions may well really hurt some people. I guess I'm trying to minimise that as much as I can by remaining very isolated and hanging on for the one remaining person who I don't think would get over it.
I completely agree that we are suffering too- and constantly most likely- if- deep down- we don't want to live. Still- unless this is in plain sight, I doubt many of our loved ones realise. It IS also selfish for them to hang on to us for their own needs but I just don't think many of them see it like that. It would also be hurtful to tell them that- which I expect is why many of us don't (as well as fears of an intervention.)
I personally can't get beyond the worry about my Dad. I feel like I HAVE to wait for him to go first. Still- I think we all have a breaking point. Ultimately- if we reach it- I suspect nothing will stop us.
It's terrible advice I'm afraid but I think the answer is- you'll know yourself when you just can't handle it anymore. At that point, I suspect nothing really influences you asides from just getting it over with. I'm sorry- a lot of us are in a similar situation.