Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
Man, this comment shows just how far we still have to go before mental illnesses are treated with the same compassion we treat physical illnesses. If you've been suffering from crippling, soul-sucking, debilitating depression with no end in site for a few decades, I don't understand what you think gives you the right to say, "sorry, you have to hang in there for another 25 years."
I absolutely think mental illnesses should qualify for doctor-assisted suicide in the same way and under similar criteria as physical illnesses qualify.
It would be much nicer for somebody to go through a doctor and the closure process of assisted suicide (which may actually lead to positive help, if available!) than to go to their garage with a rope for their wife to find them hanging.
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The argument for me is if Depression is curable, or if its not curable because people either don't seek help or people don't recognize the signs.
Mental illnesses are usually fairly curable through a combination of drugs and therapy.
The World Health Organization at one point said that 25% of chronic depression cases weren't cured due to the person not seeking help or people not recognizing the signs.
The question is not about should we let people kill themselves because of the depression? Its about how can we be more effective as a society in identifying and promoting mental health cures.
So no I don't agree that someone with depression, or schizophrenia or various other mental illnesses should be part of a terminal disease assisted suicide strategy.