Sensei
剣道家
- Nov 4, 2019
- 6,336
This sounds contradictionary, but bear with me. Let's say that euthanasia laws are liberalized to the point that all cities have a clinic and that all adult citizens in sound mind can apply. Could this actually lead to lower suicide rates in the long run?
I base this assumption on two things:
1) There are countless of testimonies in this forum that you actually can become less suicidial once you've obtained the means to die in peace, as it's easier to cope if you know that you can leave at any time. With euthanasia clinics, (almost) everyone would get that peace of mind and there would perhaps be fewer impulsive suicides. (The estimates of how many of all suicide attempts are impulsive span from 20% to 85%.)
2) An applicant would obviously have to discuss their issues with a psychologist at the euthanasia clinic first, and would thus be given the opportunity to speak openly about sucide and their death wish, and be listened to and taken seriously, maybe for the first time in their life. I think that could make many suicide candidates change their minds, especially those acting on impulse.
This is of course only a thought experiment, but I actually think that this could happen if euthanasia laws were radically liberalized.
I base this assumption on two things:
1) There are countless of testimonies in this forum that you actually can become less suicidial once you've obtained the means to die in peace, as it's easier to cope if you know that you can leave at any time. With euthanasia clinics, (almost) everyone would get that peace of mind and there would perhaps be fewer impulsive suicides. (The estimates of how many of all suicide attempts are impulsive span from 20% to 85%.)
2) An applicant would obviously have to discuss their issues with a psychologist at the euthanasia clinic first, and would thus be given the opportunity to speak openly about sucide and their death wish, and be listened to and taken seriously, maybe for the first time in their life. I think that could make many suicide candidates change their minds, especially those acting on impulse.
This is of course only a thought experiment, but I actually think that this could happen if euthanasia laws were radically liberalized.