euthanasia for children

[Bernard_Fokke]

This troubles me on a number of levels...


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Should children have the right to ask for their own deaths?

In Belgium, where euthanasia is now legal for people over the age of 18, the government is considering extending it to children — something that no other country has done. The same bill would offer the right to die to adults with early dementia.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...fd55be-4200-11e3-b028-de922d7a3f47_story.html

 

[Minotaur]

Very uncomfortable question. The article gives another layer than just a child deciding if the bill is actually "euthanasia for children, with the consent of their parents". A child making the decision would not be something I'd support as their brain is not fully formed and may focus today's pain and not see tomorrows cure (example: Chemo.)

Parents can add a level of safety that a child may need. Parents see past the pain or the depression and right at the illness and survival. I trust the family to make the call in a controlled hospital setting if this is about terminal illness.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Everyone has the inherent right to die anyway. It just tends to sometimes be done with much more gruesome methods when it's a DIY job. Suicide may be illegal, but prosecuting the perpetrators is an exercise in futility.

 

[micah2351]

Everyone has the inherent right to die anyway. It just tends to sometimes be done with much more gruesome methods when it's a DIY job. Suicide may be illegal, but prosecuting the perpetrators is an exercise in futility.

I plan on committing suicide, hell I may even do it this weekend.

 

[NightSwimmer]

I plan on committing suicide, hell I may even do it this weekend.

I hope that you change your mind about that. Suicide is a terrible thing. A person can recover from most mistakes that they might make.

 

[micah2351]

I hope that you change your mind about that. Suicide is a terrible thing. A person can recover from most mistakes that they might make.

I'm old & it's about time. I'm working on writing all my thoughts & justifications so everyone will understand why I did it. I have spoken to my brother about it & he understands completely & will work to ease the pain of those I leave behind & explain why I decided this is the way for me to go. Again though I don't have a firm date yet.

 

[NightSwimmer]

I'm old & it's about time. I'm working on writing all my thoughts & justifications so everyone will understand why I did it. I have spoken to my brother about it & he understands completely & will work to ease the pain of those I leave behind & explain why I decided this is the way for me to go. Again though I don't have a firm date yet.

As I stated previously, regardless of what society believes or what laws it passes, this decision is available to everyone. We can do nothing to punish suicide after the fact. The only redress that the state can seek is to punish anyone who assists with the act.

If you are serious about this, then you should take steps to prevent your brother from being held liable for your death.

 

[Minotaur]

I'm old & it's about time. I'm working on writing all my thoughts & justifications so everyone will understand why I did it. I have spoken to my brother about it & he understands completely & will work to ease the pain of those I leave behind & explain why I decided this is the way for me to go. Again though I don't have a firm date yet.

Micah if you have lived a long life you know that tomorrow's perspective may not be today's perspective or reality. I don't know your story or reasons and would not presume to impose on you. I hope that when you write your thoughts they become a journal of a life that may reveal a need for many more tomorrows. No matter, I wish you peace.

It can't be undone.

 

[gigi]

I'm old & it's about time. I'm working on writing all my thoughts & justifications so everyone will understand why I did it. I have spoken to my brother about it & he understands completely & will work to ease the pain of those I leave behind & explain why I decided this is the way for me to go. Again though I don't have a firm date yet.

Obviously you care about not hurting the people in your life as you're taking great steps to ease pain by writing out your explanations for them and making the choice to trust that your brother will be able to ease their pain. But it's really about denial and distraction, Micah. Suicides leave notes all the time, sometimes they're ten or twenty pages long. They don't help. They only serve to show the grieving loved ones what they missed. Suicide notes contain facts your loved ones would rather know now while you're still here.

If someone you loved killed himself, you'd read the note and find out why they did it. To that end, the explanation would serve ONE purpose.

But if you're looking to ease the pain your suicide will cause, you should know that you can't. What would be the one thing someone could explain about their suicide that would make you feel better about not having known how much pain that person was in or how hopeless they felt BEFORE they did it? What words would work to ease the pain you'd feel from knowing you'll never see that person again? Or your guilt and remorse for not having seen it coming? What could possibly be written down that would make it easier for you to accept that someone you loved hurt himself when you were right there and would have done anything to prevent that, if you'd only known and seen? How would you stop thinking about all the things that you could have said and done that might have changed his mind?

If the brother of this person you loved started to explain on his behalf, there would be a moment when you'd realize that this guy knew it was coming and didn't warn you or anyone else who loved that person that this was coming. How would you feel about that brother? What do you think it will do to your brother's relationship with all your loved ones when they find out he knew your plans all along? What do you think the fallout from losing you and possibly all his relationships will do to your brother?
You want the people you care about to be alright. How will you ever know if they are? And if they aren't, how will you make them be alright if you're dead?You'd be gone, but they'd carry you and all the things they'd wish they said and did for you around for the rest of their lives. The loved ones suicides leave behind blame themselves. They feel a sense of failure. So again, if your wish is that everyone you care about ends up at peace with your decision, it's not going to be that way. Suicides leave marks on the lives of surviving loved ones that can't be erased ever.

What's the matter? Are you sick of is there some other trouble? People don't just kill themselves because they're old. What is it? Maybe that's a personal question. But you've already shared a huge personal decision. What's the backstory?

 

[micah2351]

Obviously you care about not hurting the people in your life as you're taking great steps to ease pain by writing out your explanations for them and making the choice to trust that your brother will be able to ease their pain. But it's really about denial and distraction, Micah. Suicides leave notes all the time, sometimes they're ten or twenty pages long. They don't help. They only serve to show the grieving loved ones what they missed. Suicide notes contain facts your loved ones would rather know now while you're still here.

If someone you loved killed himself, you'd read the note and find out why they did it. To that end, the explanation would serve ONE purpose.

But if you're looking to ease the pain your suicide will cause, you should know that you can't. What would be the one thing someone could explain about their suicide that would make you feel better about not having known how much pain that person was in or how hopeless they felt BEFORE they did it? What words would work to ease the pain you'd feel from knowing you'll never see that person again? Or your guilt and remorse for not having seen it coming? What could possibly be written down that would make it easier for you to accept that someone you loved hurt himself when you were right there and would have done anything to prevent that, if you'd only known and seen? How would you stop thinking about all the things that you could have said and done that might have changed his mind?

If the brother of this person you loved started to explain on his behalf, there would be a moment when you'd realize that this guy knew it was coming and didn't warn you or anyone else who loved that person that this was coming. How would you feel about that brother? What do you think it will do to your brother's relationship with all your loved ones when they find out he knew your plans all along? What do you think the fallout from losing you and possibly all his relationships will do to your brother?
You want the people you care about to be alright. How will you ever know if they are? And if they aren't, how will you make them be alright if you're dead?You'd be gone, but they'd carry you and all the things they'd wish they said and did for you around for the rest of their lives. The loved ones suicides leave behind blame themselves. They feel a sense of failure. So again, if your wish is that everyone you care about ends up at peace with your decision, it's not going to be that way. Suicides leave marks on the lives of surviving loved ones that can't be erased ever.

What's the matter? Are you sick of is there some other trouble? People don't just kill themselves because they're old. What is it? Maybe that's a personal question. But you've already shared a huge personal decision. What's the backstory?

Everyone around me has gotten hooked on drugs & nothing I do seems to help get them to understand how bad it is making thinks on the entire family. We are going to end up sleeping on the street if they don't stop. I'm talking my wife, my child, my brother, my sister, everyone I'm close to in my life. So I am at the point where I just don't want to endure it anymore. I have asked them how bad things have to get before they will look at their drug habits & get some help & stop taking them. Hell they have all gotten to the point that they will steal from me to get the drugs. Suicide seems to be the strongest statement I can make & I hope it's enough to get them to open their eyes & get help. If not, at least I won't be suffering through watching what is happening to them. BTW I am in the back half of my 50's so I have lived a pretty good & long life.

 

[Jen]

Everyone around me has gotten hooked on drugs & nothing I do seems to help get them to understand how bad it is making thinks on the entire family. We are going to end up sleeping on the street if they don't stop. I'm talking my wife, my child, my brother, my sister, everyone I'm close to in my life. So I am at the point where I just don't want to endure it anymore. I have asked them how bad things have to get before they will look at their drug habits & get some help & stop taking them. Hell they have all gotten to the point that they will steal from me to get the drugs. Suicide seems to be the strongest statement I can make & I hope it's enough to get them to open their eyes & get help. If not, at least I won't be suffering through watching what is happening to them. BTW I am in the back half of my 50's so I have lived a pretty good & long life.

Suicide is never a solution, especially not for those left behind. It's my guess that you've thought of this way out before and decided against it in the past. You should do the same now. The strongest statement you could make would be to turn them in to the authorities and let someone who knows how to deal with drugs and people who do drugs take your problem.

If you off yourself, then their only shot at any voice of sanity and reason would be gone and it would be no help to them at all. Be the strong force of strength in your family. That may be the best help you can give them.

Find some support in your area. AA or some group that can help you through this difficult time.
Jen
PS........ best wishes to you, Citizen. I hope things get better soon.

 

[gigi]

Everyone around me has gotten hooked on drugs & nothing I do seems to help get them to understand how bad it is making thinks on the entire family. We are going to end up sleeping on the street if they don't stop. I'm talking my wife, my child, my brother, my sister, everyone I'm close to in my life. So I am at the point where I just don't want to endure it anymore. I have asked them how bad things have to get before they will look at their drug habits & get some help & stop taking them. Hell they have all gotten to the point that they will steal from me to get the drugs. Suicide seems to be the strongest statement I can make & I hope it's enough to get them to open their eyes & get help. If not, at least I won't be suffering through watching what is happening to them. BTW I am in the back half of my 50's so I have lived a pretty good & long life.

Uh-uh...Late fifties is not a long life. I'm so sorry that you're going through this Micah. I'm sure it's painful and scary and makes you furious. But you need to know that you can't reason with addicts. As far as threatening them with sleeping in the streets, that's never a reality until they get there. And even then, sometimes that's not bottom for some of them. Your suicide would not sober them up. The addiction has given them the false ability to be able to hurt you, even though they have to deal with the guilt of knowing they're hurting you, they still go on doing it. It's a fake strength that comes from drugs. So if they can face you day after day knowing what they're doing to you, your suicide will not wake them up anymore than seeing you in pain over their behavior has. Why give your life for that? Why let them somehow take the one thing from you that they can't sell or trade for drugs? You deserve a whole long life. Sounds like you're already being forced to sacrifice enough.


You should also know that there are alot of people also going through what you're dealing with. If you were to contact one of the Al-Anon groups, you would find people who can help you feel not so alone, help you find your way out of this mess that others have dumped on you, and help you realize it's okay to remove yourself from the dependency of those around you. Sometimes just having someone to talk to that knows exactly what you're talking about helps tremendously. It's not easy to climb out of this sort of thing and rebuild your life. But it's possible. And it's possible to feel peace again. But it takes work and time and support. NObody should have to trade their life to escape suffering or abuse.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for addicts to help them is to STOP helping them. A lot of them have to hit their bottom before they even begin to think that they have to change. And sometimes they really do change once they've run out of ways to live the drug life. The fact is that where there's life, there's hope. That goes for you as well as them. You never give up as long as there's another avenue to try.
I can imagine that you're very tired and broken up over all this and you'd just like to A) send them a message and B) get away from all this.
There are other ways to do both that don't cost you your life but rather help you get it back. I wish that you would consider reaching out for some help because it is available and it does really work if you hang in there.