Discussion What is the most effective way to increase tolerance for assisted suicide in society? (Multiple questions)

[Erdapfel]

1. What is the most effective way to increase tolerance for assisted suicide in society?
2. How can we ensure that society no longer sees suicide as a sick product of depression or other illnesses, but as a legitimate way to end ones suffering?
3. Is there a way that a suicidal person can improve the understanding and tolerance for assisted suicide in society?
4. What are the best ways to remove the negative stigma attached to suicide and euthanasia?
5. What can I do as an individual?
6. Is there an organization that really wants a right to die for every person?
(I am already a member of Dignitas, but I would like to ask whether there is a better organization because I feel that Dignitas only works for the sick and the old ones. I also have the feeling that Dignitas has to make all these compromises in order to be able to establish itself in society at all. I wonder if there is an organization that makes no compromises in this context.)

PS: It is clear to me, of course, that this forum is a step in the right direction.

 

[ssaaahmo]

1. trying to get others to understand
2. ^^
5. I can use my voice to try to reach as many other people as possible
6. right to die foundation & compassion and choices

 

[IrRegularjoe]

I don't know. I do wonder what made some countries see the light. I think living in a country that shuns is it is what I'm used to. I wonder what it would be like growing up in a country like Belgium.

 

[RepressedMind]

A lot of marketing and celebrity supporters, plus actual interviews and stories of people who are suffering and have reached to the decision that suicide might be the best for them. Show people that some lives just aren't worth living and eventually you might end up with support for it, but it would take a long time before there is a significant change.

 

[Cosmiq]

I think we'd have to start with making abortion legal and acceptable everywhere. Give people the freedom of their own bodies. Let a woman tie her tubes at 18 if she wants to cause she's an adult and should have aright to make decisions for her body.
Then I think we have to get better mental health care. Mental health professionals need a lot more training. This because they could then delve deeper into suicide research. When they can tell the difference between someone who determined and ready to end their life versus someone having a crisis and trying to scream for attention or help.
I think death has to stop being treated as a punishment. Stop the death penalty, prove that a prisoner having to spend the rest of their life is much better punishment, whereas the death penalty is showing mercy like putting an animal out of its misery.
I think when people can accept death as just the next stage or whatever, they'd be more willing to let their older ones die of their choice. And if someone with Alzheimer's can choose to die before they lose their mind. I think it makes way for others whose illnesses aren't necessarily terminal but would cause them a lot of suffering. From there it'd just be moving on and on to where we just have to convince a doctor that you have a low quality of life, and that you've made attempts to improve it but you're suffering. And if not given an option to do it peacefully in a certain amount of time, you are determined to end your life by your own hand.

 

[Erdapfel]

1. trying to get others to understand
2. ^^
5. I can use my voice to try to reach as many other people as possible
6. right to die foundation & compassion and choices

I know my questions are a bit wishful thinking, but I still felt the need to ask them. Of course you can't get anything done without money nowadays. Also acquiering the right competencies in order to get the necessary respect when I talk would be a beneficial aspect in a conversation. I also must know with whom i want to talk. I thought of maybe trying to talk to some doctors in order to turn them in our direction. Now I'm wondering which sources should I best refer doctors to?

I don't know. I do wonder what made some countries see the light. I think living in a country that shuns is it is what I'm used to. I wonder what it would be like growing up in a country like Belgium.

Is there a chance for you to get to Belgium? Maybe there is a way that your country will see Belgium as an idol in order to further accept suicide as a way out?

A lot of marketing and celebrity supporters, plus actual interviews and stories of people who are suffering and have reached to the decision that suicide might be the best for them. Show people that some lives just aren't worth living and eventually you might end up with support for it, but it would take a long time before there is a significant change.

I think the easiest way to show stuff to people is to just give them an easy catchword that they can reasearch on google or something. I wonder if it's a good idea to just show them this forum?

I think we'd have to start with making abortion legal and acceptable everywhere. Give people the freedom of their own bodies. Let a woman tie her tubes at 18 if she wants to cause she's an adult and should have aright to make decisions for her body.

Yes, I think abortion is definitely a necessary evil to prevent unwanted pregnancies, although one has to do it as early as possible in order to reduce the chance as much as possible that the fetus will feel the abortion. I also believe that everyone should have the right to undergo sterilization at the age of 18 at the latest.

Then I think we have to get better mental health care. Mental health professionals need a lot more training. This because they could then delve deeper into suicide research. When they can tell the difference between someone who determined and ready to end their life versus someone having a crisis and trying to scream for attention or help.

That's why I think, it would be the best if I could find a way to talk to mental health professionals and doctors. I need to find a way to convince especially the doctors and everything else will follow them. What are the best sources to give to a doctor or a mental health professional as a patient?

I think death has to stop being treated as a punishment. Stop the death penalty, prove that a prisoner having to spend the rest of their life is much better punishment, whereas the death penalty is showing mercy like putting an animal out of its misery.

I believe the best way would be to accept the profound damage that suffering is causing. Punishment is a conditioning that bases on avoiding suffering. If a punishment doesn't lead to a change in the behavior of someone, then it's not punishment anymore, but only torture. I can see that some people just need to be punished in order to change their behavior, but I also think that we need to take great care to ensure that punishment does not end in torture. I also believe that there are suicide methods that could also be classified as torture methods.

I think when people can accept death as just the next stage or whatever

That would mean that people have to think critically about what happens after death and that they have to cultivate their spirituality.

And if someone with Alzheimer's can choose to die before they lose their mind. I think it makes way for others whose illnesses aren't necessarily terminal but would cause them a lot of suffering.

That can certainly be the case, especially if Dignitas etc. gains popularity. The problem I see is that once a law is in place, it's difficult to change it. However, my goal would be that everyone should have the right to die peacefully. Even prisoners.

From there it'd just be moving on and on to where we just have to convince a doctor that you have a low quality of life, and that you've made attempts to improve it but you're suffering.

In that case my goal would be to make this path as easy and quick as possible. Even so simple that you actually don't even need a reason to end your life.

And if not given an option to do it peacefully in a certain amount of time, you are determined to end your life by your own hand.

I fear that if you give such an ultimatum to a doctor today, you will find yourself in psychiatric confinement pretty quickly.



Thanks for all your replies.

 

[rhiino]

I think it will be taken for granted one day, as the society matures and as mental illnesses spread, like they do. When there are more and more people that understand the importance of suicide because they thought about it themselves, it is easier to establish a different viewpoint in society.

 

[Erdapfel]

I think it will be taken for granted one day, as the society matures and as mental illnesses spread, like they do. When there are more and more people that understand the importance of suicide because they thought about it themselves, it is easier to establish a different viewpoint in society.

That would be more of a Taoist approach. Of course, it can also be that the problems all solve themselves and do not require any action on our part. If one considers that euthanasia was legal in many places before the Christian inquisition, one might assume that history will possibly repeat itself in this context aswell.

 

[TAW122]

Here is my take on the questions.

For Q1, Q2, and Q4, I believe educating the public would be the best way to go about it. To do this, one would need to start with something more tame than just outright voluntary euthanasia (which is like going from 0-100 in an instant). As for something more tame, this would be talking about allowing death with dignity for people with chronic and/or terminally ill patients. There are much more people, especially rational ones who will agree with that sentiment, even though still, there are many others opposed to even allowing terminally ill patients to have a peaceful, dignified exit (mainly moralists and pro-life people as well as most (not all) religious people).

As for Q3, it would be very difficult, but first off, there are two misconceptions that must be eradicated first before that can happen and those are:
1) Not all suicidal people are depressed or irrational necessarily.
2) Suicidal people DO have the mental capacity to make choices, especially logical and rational choices in their predicament.
After clearing up those deeply held misconceptions, the next thing would be to advocate for freedom of choice as well as a reasonable system, including a waiting/cooling off period for people to make permanent decisions (similar to how terminally ill patients will have to go through many hoops and processes before gaining the 'approval' to die).

As for an individual, in Q5, I suppose the best one can do is to support groups like you have already done and also support legislators, lawmakers, policy makers, and those with power to change, influence law who are sympathetic and understanding towards death with dignity policies.

In regards to an organization specifically for pushing a straight up, right to die provision (Q6), there isn't one (at least currently). I don't see that becoming a thing anytime in the near future, but it's possible in the coming decade or so, depending on the world events play out and people's perception on such sensitive topics and issues.