Help What's so bad about being a vegetable?

[Rn110bg101]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

 

[sadstuffie]

hmm i have wondered this too....but i assume maybe it would be scary because eventually family or whoever is going to decide to pull the plug on you..
i imagine that would be terrifying, like being able to possibly hear or see them discussing it?? although i guess you wouldnt know how aware you would be. eh, what do i know though.

 

[Squiddy]

Maybe it's the thought of being trapped here awhile instead of free at last

 

[reggiesaurus]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

You'd probably die if you snapped you got lucky and snapped your neck.
Also, the state that people fear isn't the vegative state - you aren't conscious- but being in a condition in which you are completely and utterly disabled while being fully conscious and aware. Basically, being a prisoner in your own fleshy body.

 

[glittergore]

There's a few things that bother me about the prospect. There's much indignity, much tragedy, much horror in being brain dead. Yes, you're not experiencing it, but as you can imagine it in the present you can still not want that to happen to yourself. It's the same logic of how some people may not want others to discover secrets that they harbor postmortem, or want their corpse to look a certain way, or want certain things done to address their death.

There's also the fact that I think it would put my loved ones through more suffering to have to look at me like that and make difficult decisions later on. It also delays the grieving process.

 

[Spitfire]

If you throw yourself off of a two story height there is a chance of causing a spinal cord injury.. that leaves you to be a fully aware vegetable, but locked-in, and that is a terrifying thought to me.

 

[Squiddy]

If you throw yourself off of a two story height there is a chance of causing a spinal cord injury.. that leaves you to be a fully aware vegetable, but locked-in, and that is a terrifying thought to me.

I've read about locked in syndrome and it sounds terrifying as hell. Just shoot me in the head if I had it. I heard a man was locked in for over 10 years and it just sounds terrifying

 

[Spitfire]

It happens with people who have had a certain type of stroke. I probably used the wrong wording.

The paralyzed have it almost the same, but can usually talk at least.

 

[theguineapigking]

Basically, the fear is that you'll become quadriplegic. It's possible to be unable to move or to do anything. There have been people that were in a 'coma', yet were fully aware, because instead they were actually quadriplegic, but couldn't talk or even blink. There's one about a guy that was quadriplegic for over a decade https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/01/13/meet-the-man-who-spent-12-years-trapped-inside-his-body-watching-barney-reruns/?outputType=amp

He was trapped in his body in absolute hell. Thats why you have to be careful. Sure, you'll likely die if you jump head first and snap your neck, but if you don't, you're screwed. This is also a concern with hanging yourself and being found too soon.


Even if you were in a 'coma', maybe you'd be dreaming a lot of the time, without even knowing who you really are. Sure, maybe it's kind of better than this life, but I think death would still be better than a confusing dream. Especially if you wake up years later, confused on what's real or not, from your coma dream life. Also, if there is an afterlife(the absolute 100% fact is that WE DON'T know, despite what religions and atheists say), maybe you'd be stuck in life longer.


All in all, being in a coma could be horrible. Maybe you'd even be aware for a lot of it, but you wouldn't remember if you wake up. I know my views are deep, but they are also logical.

 

[icanhasnick]

Maybe you end up paraplegic instead of vegetable, which i hear is a lot of fun.

 

[Myforevercharlie]

By ending up like a vegetable I always think about lyrics from Metallica..

Back in the womb it's much too real
In pumps life that I must feel
But can't look forward to reveal
Look to the time when I'll live

Fed through the tube that sticks in me
Just like a wartime novelty
Tied to machines that make me be
Cut this life off from me

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, wake me

 

[BitterlyAlive]

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

People often say they don't remember anything while they're in a coma (not sure if it makes a difference if it's "natural" or medically induced), but I wouldn't want to risk remembering things and being top aware of what's going on around me. Also, it would be horrible for my family and friends. Seeing my body like that, no actual closure.... I would much rather be dead and that's that. I wouldn't want to be barely hanging on.

 

[Despondent]

I want to ctb but I have goals that are keeping me to "hang in there" for a little while more. Unfortunately (not really) my desire to ctb outweighs my desire to be alive. The idea of becoming a vegetable scares me though and makes me want to hold off attempting too because the thought of being kept alive but not being able to achieve any of my goals hurts. Even if it won't matter if this were the worst case scenario.

 

[Soulless Angel]

being stuck dependant on others for the rest of the miserable existence that awaits you is my idea of hell, No control over your own body, force fed food potentially through tubes, your bladder and all it does being dealt with by others,
If you were even remotely aware of what was going on, that's a huge hell to the no.
A coma I once thought would be good, alive but not, asleep for so long, but then I read you dream in these, dream's that feel real, I never dream, I only have nightmares, I would be stuck in one very long nightmare. Which would be just as bad as living. When I go, I better land right, I don't want to end up neither dead nor alive

 

[Spitfire]

I mean can you imagine not being able to blink. I've been told this can happen in certain circumstances.

Just try it and see how it feels. You won't be able to make it long to know what it really feels like.

See, now this gives me anxiety because someone is going through this right now somewhere!

 

[lobster salad]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

What you missed is being fully conscious but having to bear broken limbs.. you will never be able to distract yourself from your now more miserable life. One of the things that bring temporary happiness once in a while to me is the outdoors, being there alone. I'd never be able to take being fully conscious and never having a chance to go out again - alone. Rather be dead than a vegetable. Or worse still I'd rather be alive, commissioned and suffering what I am now than being half-Alive, double suffering

 

[Meditation guide]

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

Yes. We do not have an understanding of what being a vegetable means from the standpoint of the vegetable itself. There might be total awareness but no ability to move or speak. This would be far worse than anything. There might be pain but no way to tell about it.

 

[Sinkinshyp]

I wouldn't want to end up mentally aware and be forced to depend on others- to change diapers, feeling pain from laying in the same position hoping someone would turn me. A nurse trying to entertain me with a book she likes and in my mind I'm going shut the hell up. Having moved out at 16 on my own, than being a single mom since I was 20 I am beyond independent. I learned early on I can't count on anyone but myself for the most part. I would hate to be awake in my brain and not able to make decisions or care for myself being totally reliant on some stranger.

I was on life support twice. At 18 due to a blood clot in my neck from a 14hr cancer surgery that day. I remember them wheeling me down to get intubated. I felt peaceful and I was slipping away. The last memory was my lungs closed up tight and I gasped I can't breathe- than I woke up in icu. Again in 2013 I was on life support. I can't remember events leading up to it. They put me in a medically induced coma while I was on life support for respiratory failure. I don't know if it's the lack of oxygen to my brain the meds used to put me in a coma or a combination of both that I can't remember events for about 2 weeks prior. Due to having life support twice my memory is shady anyway. I remember waking up to my older son standing there holding my left hand. I don't remember exactly what point in this I was- but I remember a priest coming into the room and saying to me the one Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. I was still hooked up and I was somewhere between being in the medical coma and not yet awake I think. I remember trying to figure out whats going on here is some priest talking. The priest told the nurse that was assigned to me I can't remember his exact words or why they had the conversation but to the extent of he tries to provide comfort because there is no way to tell what someone can or can't hear. After I woke up and learned I was on life support for a bit I tried to figure out how, when this priest came to my room saying exit prayers to/for me. I honestly can't say if I was in the fully induced coma or some point when they were trying to bring me out of it. Having had those experiences I can't say if we do or don't know whats happening if we become in a vegetative state.

 

[Deleted member 94]

You'd probably die if you snapped you got lucky and snapped your neck.
Also, the state that people fear isn't the vegative state - you aren't conscious- but being in a condition in which you are completely and utterly disabled while being fully conscious and aware. Basically, being a prisoner in your own fleshy body.

This

 

[XYZ]

Being a vegetable with no brain activity and no reaction to stimuli is, in my opinion, the same as being dead.

Being a vegetable with a tiny bit of brain activity and reactions to stimuli, such as pain, is worse than living.

 

[Dead beat dad]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

See if you can find this old movie called: Johnny Got His Gun
It might lend some perspective on this.
Respect brother.
DBD

 

[tidalwxves]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

People who come out of comas report still having consciousness but no autonomy. For many of them it is frustrating at best terrifying at worst. None of them describe it as a pleasant experience, so I would do more research before doing anything drastic.

 

[Carilinefrims]

If I throw myself off the roof of my two-stories house and smash my head on the stone ground, I wouldn't die (since that's apparently not tall enough), but surely I would be a vegetable. From there I'd be in a coma, so I wouldn't have to deal with consciousness—and they'd have to take me off life support eventually.

People make out being a vegetable as being the worst, though, so am I missing something?

Yep understand