Healthy Woman Granted Right to Die For Depression

originally posted by: calstorm
Those of you who don't understand should consider themselves very lucky. You claim she is healthy, but clearly she is not. Why can't people see that mental illness is just as serious and debilitating as physical illness if not more so in many cases? Until you have spent time in the mind and body of someone who wants to die, you have no right to judge.

I don't think folks here are judging her, just the fact that she is young even at 24, physically healthy but internal pain is great, we just can't see that there is no hope and nothing can be done.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks. I'd be lying if I said I don't have things that happen in my life that cause me to begin to fall. I fear going back to that place, and do everything I can to not ever be that depressed. Still, I find myself with social ahnedonia, and the best I can offer is neutral, or mildly joyful attitude. I'll never be as I was, but I'm also not genetically majorly depressed.

Glad you found someone who is so understanding and helps buffer the lows for you.

If you believe in individual rights then you believe she has the right to do what she wants with her own body including suicide, drugs, or prostitution as long as she isn't steping on anyone else's individual rights, otherwise that's hypocrisy.

Personally, I hope kind people surround her and she starts to enjoy life and change her mind.

originally posted by: calstorm
Those of you who don't understand should consider themselves very lucky. You claim she is healthy, but clearly she is not. Why can't people see that mental illness is just as serious and debilitating as physical illness if not more so in many cases? Until you have spent time in the mind and body of someone who wants to die, you have no right to judge.

She is absolutely not ok, I do understand that. I can barely go to work each day due to this debilitating illness. I hate it! I ask God to kill me almost every night. I won't do it myself though, this is partly because I am a coward and also partly because I WANT to get through this someday. Maybe she doesn't want that, but as human beings we should strive to help people, not kill them.

originally posted by: Wookiep
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

She still has the same rights over her body that a pregnant woman does but just because she wants to do something others don't agree with, now we shouldn't allow it..

How can we not allow something we have no control over? She can kill herself at any time and there isn't damn thing you, or I can do about it. So who's "not allowing" it?

While she's HERE we should encourage anything and everything we can to remedy her from her suffering, not issue her a death sentence. It's pretty simple really, but I guess many of you don't get that and just wish this woman would die.

I see where your coming from and I can respect that, but in the mind set of our current medical community and effed up world of Psychiatry, what's their solution? Pills, pills and more pills!

My last shrink used to ask me 2 Questions every time I saw him!

1. Have your been drinking any alcohol? (No I wasn't because the damn pills he was prescribing were doing enough damage to my liver)

2. Have you been smoking any marijuana? That was because I was honest and told them I smoked weed because it relaxed me and made me feel better.

Don't kid yourself! We might think we have come a long way with mental health, but we really haven't. Grant you no one is getting the hell shocked out of them any more or having a spike jammed up their nose to cut off a part of their brain, but I guess it makes the psychiatrists sleep better at night that instead of doing physical harm by their own hands that being a pill pimp for Big Pharm is any better?

For those who have or had a psychiatrist that actually listened to you? Out of the 4 I have dealt with only 1 seemed to care!

Maybe that is this girls problem! She hasn't dealt with a shrink that actually gives a damn.......

a reply to: seeker1963

We had a golden opportunity when Robin Williams died to FINALLY have a dialogue about mental illness. And it passed by with hardly a whisper.

a reply to: Wookiep

That's just it. YOU want to keep living. I was too stubborn to even consider anything but fighting my way through it. Not everyone is. I don't want to see this girl die, but I completely understand her wanting to, and her choice. Not everyone is strong enough to get through this, and not everyone can be helped. What works for most people can make it worse in others.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: seeker1963

We had a golden opportunity when Robin Williams died to FINALLY have a dialogue about mental illness. And it passed by with hardly a whisper.

Everybody acts like they care, but when those of us who have been victims of the system want to speak out?

No one cares.........

a reply to: seeker1963

It's truly disgusting how people with mental illness are treated the world over. And god help those of us with Depression. The standard treatment is "It'll get better" with a pat on the head it seems.

originally posted by: Wookiep
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

She still has the same rights over her body that a pregnant woman does but just because she wants to do something others don't agree with, now we shouldn't allow it..

How can we not allow something we have no control over? She can kill herself at any time and there isn't damn thing you, or I can do about it. So who's "not allowing" it?

While she's HERE we should encourage anything and everything we can to remedy her from her suffering, not issue her a death sentence. It's pretty simple really, but I guess many of you don't get that and just wish this woman would die.

I understand what you are saying and how could definitely be a slippery slope.
If the government approves assisted suicide, then it is not much of a bigger step for them to suggest it as well in cases they see fit to recommend it. That is how these things work.

a reply to: seeker1963

I'm not downplaying the effects of depression, because again, I do suffer from it and have been for many years. I'm sure because I share my opinion I do on this matter that some would try to tell me I am lying or have no idea what I'm talking about.

I just happen to be of the opinion that no-one should encourage death when there ARE many people who have overcame depression. The mind is a wacky and amazing thing, and it's been proven time and time again that it can do amazing things, including overcoming an overwhelming sense of constant disparity.

With that in mind, I see no reason for anyone to encourage death in cases of severe depression. I see it as pretty sick, actually, but it's just a sign of the things that are here right now.

Keep in mind that any LAWS against suicide are pointless, and it's pointless to say "why shouldn't we allow her" when there is NOTHING that can stop her from killing herself if that's her end goal. It happens every single day, and no-one can do a damn thing about it. It is what it is. I'm speaking about those who are among the living.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: seeker1963

It's truly disgusting how people with mental illness are treated the world over. And god help those of us with Depression. The standard treatment is "It'll get better" with a pat on the head it seems.

A pat on the head and a few pills.........

a reply to: Wookiep

We aren't allowing her to do it as compassionately as we allow our pets to pass on is what we are not allowing. She can go hang herself and suffer (and they do) while we judge her unworthy of a more compassionate way. That's my point. Why not allow them a way to do it painlessly instead of forcing them to find other alternatives? It's not hard to understand that when someone has suffered with mental pain for so long that they would just want to leave this world without pain.

As for wishing her dead? Nonsense. I have no clue who this woman is. I had no idea she existed before I clicked this link and if I don't look for the story I will have no idea if she no longer exists months from now so why would I or anyone else wish for her death? It does me no good if she lives or dies. I gain nothing and I lose nothing.

However... I do wish her a way to go painlessly if that is what she chooses simply because I respect her right to choose when she has had enough. Nothing more and nothing less. I have already stated that I would not wish for anyone to choose this method. Any loss of life is sad but I do not pretend that I hold sway over anyone's decision to live this life or end it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: seeker1963

We had a golden opportunity when Robin Williams died to FINALLY have a dialogue about mental illness. And it passed by with hardly a whisper.

I had a coworker go home and put a bullet through his brain for marital problems.
Nary a peep in the local media

It is a very hush hush subject

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Wookiep

That's just it. YOU want to keep living. I was too stubborn to even consider anything but fighting my way through it. Not everyone is. I don't want to see this girl die, but I completely understand her wanting to, and her choice. Not everyone is strong enough to get through this, and not everyone can be helped. What works for most people can make it worse in others.

Fine. And if YOU want to off yourself, no-one will prevent YOU especially if you've planned it all out correctly. All I'm saying is it's not right for anyone to encourage death upon anyone in cases of depression, EVER.

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
However... I do wish her a way to go painlessly if that is what she chooses simply because I respect her right to choose when she has had enough. Nothing more and nothing less.

This.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

So we DO allow suicides to happen, since we see suicides happen all the time. What we DON'T have, is a government which allows ASSISTED suicides by means of lethal injection etc. Gotcha. That's true. I don't support government assisted suicides in cases of depression. That's my stance. You won't convince ME otherwise, but I'm sure you will have success in convincing others.

a reply to: Wookiep

Nobody is encouraging her death. There's a HUGE difference between encouraging death, and supporting the choice for death.

a reply to: jacobe001

It's scandalous to admit to it, or for it to get out. If you admit that you have a mental illness you're ostracized.

originally posted by: Wookiep
a reply to: pl3bscheese

You act as though I have no compassion for this woman. I absolutely do, and I understand her plight very well. I don't judge her for her sentiments about life, ect.

What I am saying is, it's OUR job as a society to do everything we can do in our power to prevent the death of this woman and cling to EVERY bit of hope up until the tragic day she DOES decide to kill herself. This is not a situation in which a terminal illness will take her at any moment. This is a situation in which MANY people have overcame.

Are you saying something else has taken place? If so, why?

I think it's just sick to sit there and encourage someone to die, when all hope is NOT lost. Encouraging death? Well, I guess if the world starts to do that, then this woman's fate is sealed anyway.

You're basically not living in reality. Your words are not logical, they are emotional. I can't respond to someone who isn't thinking about this rationally. It's too serious to let emotion get in the way. I don't know why you have to project so much, but you may wish to look back on your own words sometime in the future. It may help you.