Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

themirror.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 171 posts

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#141

Post by ryandvm »

bheadmaster wrote: post #25
croes wrote: post #6

So the other way aroun, physical sick and mentally healthy, isn't a problem? Isn't it about curability and pain?

I believe this is yet another case of people being skeptical about the very existence of mental illness. Euthanasia for incurable cancer patients is a no-brainer, but for incurable depression sufferers? Well, their bodies are healthy. What if it's just a phase they'll grow out of? Maybe they're just faking it? They should probably be more grateful for the gifts they've received from God, and they'll be happy. Maybe t…

I think this is about certainty.

We don't object to euthanasia for incurable cancer because we understand that A) it's painful and B) it's terminal.

But that's not the case for depression because there are literally millions of people that have recovered or at least learned how to live with depression.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#143

Post by nrdxp »

Physically healthy how? Just because she doesn't have any medical conditions or because she exercises on a regular basis.

In the latter case, recent studies have shown exercise to be even more effective than medication or therapy. As so keeping a clean diet (which is so much harder than anyone realizes with all the petro-chemicals everywhere). I feel like this used to be (if not for the mass indoctrination by the church of Big Pharma) common sense.

It's a little silly to encourage or enable such a young woman to take such a drastic step without asking critical questions and trying to address the problem, and then acting like your morally superior for supporting "her choice".

If you really gave a damn, maybe you actually encourage her toward life, but so many nowadays are so hopelessly nihilistic they would just as soon join her. Sad.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#144

Post by trogdor »

arkey wrote: post #128
akie wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you think it's preferable to withhold medical services from someone who explicitly requested it, is sound of mind, has unbearable suffering (again, confirmed by two independent doctors whose actions are from the outset considered a criminal offence unless proven otherwise), and where there is no long term improvement possible? Why do you want to withhold medical services in that situation? I read your argum…

Because "medical services" is an euphemism for killing, in this case. You can read my other replies for more context, but what I see as a problem here is that all this will normalise death. By enabling it, we're one step closer of people resorting to this more easily, and having people that could recover just giving up early. And yes, my stance is biased, I don't trust doctors that much.

>this will normalise death

Death is normal. You are going to die. I am going to die. We are all going to die.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#145

Post by lamontcg »

bheadmaster wrote: post #25
croes wrote: post #6

So the other way aroun, physical sick and mentally healthy, isn't a problem? Isn't it about curability and pain?

I believe this is yet another case of people being skeptical about the very existence of mental illness. Euthanasia for incurable cancer patients is a no-brainer, but for incurable depression sufferers? Well, their bodies are healthy. What if it's just a phase they'll grow out of? Maybe they're just faking it? They should probably be more grateful for the gifts they've received from God, and they'll be happy. Maybe t…

> incurable depression sufferers?

I'm just not sure that a 28 year old is really facing incurable depression.

You can be in a pretty long deep depression in your 20s and pull out of it in your 30s and 40s.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#146

Post by trogdor »

tmelm wrote: post #32

Rough read. It's hard for me to even imagine such a state of mind, and the suffering one experiences. Somehow the fact that the euthanization takes place in your own home gives me the creeps. I really wonder what drives people to work in this space? In the case of pets or animals being put down it's a vet that does the deed, is it doctors in this case? Also, her therapist claiming that "There’s nothing more we can do…

>Also, her therapist claiming that "There’s nothing more we can do for you. It’s never gonna get any better" sounds like an enormous red flag for me. Some authority should take a long hard look at a professional therapist speaking like that

That is not a quote from her doctors or her therapists. It appears to be an uncorroborated quote from the patient, though even that is not clear from the article.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#147

Post by foogazi »

majikaja wrote: post #117
david-gpu wrote: post #63

How can she be "physically healthy" if she has depression? What is causing the depression, if not a malady of her physical body, such as her brain? It's an organ and it can be irreparably damaged, just like a kidney. "But what if she gets better?" , some say. What if she doesn't ? What if there is no cure in her case? You may have gotten over a case of depression yourself, just like some people have recovered from a…

>What if she doesn't? What if there is no cure in her case? Would you recommend death in all circumstances just in case?

We all die someday though

Sitting here without crippling depression I certainly disagree with the choice.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#148

Post by raydev »

Wytwwww wrote: post #103
i_am_programmer wrote: post #58

It's disheartening so many don't see the brain as a physical part of ourselves, just the mental. To describe this individual as suffering from "crippling depression" but also "physically healthy" when they clearly suffer from long term mental health problems feels like an oxymoron. I'm not sure for what reason people think everyone needs to be alive and live long natural lives. If she doesn't end her life humanely an…

> If she doesn't end her life humanely and in the comfort of trained professionals, she can just simply do it at home in a far more unpleasant way What's the difference? It's unavoidable that long term if assisted suicide is normalized (and even endorsed by the healthcare system) more people who wouldn't have chosen that option on their own will decide to kill themselves (or ask a doctor to do it). How do you think a…

> How do you think a person suffering from a mental illness would be affected by their psychiatrist telling them that he can't help him anymore and that maybe they should consider killing themselves

Is that happening as policy? Anyway, we can always add a rule not to do this.

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#149

Post by raydev »

lamontcg wrote: post #145
bheadmaster wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe this is yet another case of people being skeptical about the very existence of mental illness. Euthanasia for incurable cancer patients is a no-brainer, but for incurable depression sufferers? Well, their bodies are healthy. What if it's just a phase they'll grow out of? Maybe they're just faking it? They should probably be more grateful for the gifts they've received from God, and they'll be happy. Maybe t…

> incurable depression sufferers? I'm just not sure that a 28 year old is really facing incurable depression. You can be in a pretty long deep depression in your 20s and pull out of it in your 30s and 40s.

Plenty of people attempt suicide after 30 or 40 or 50 as well. What's your proposed window?

Re: Physically healthy 28-year-old woman schedules euthanasia due to depression

#150

Post by raydev »

salesynerd wrote: post #54

It's a very difficult choice to make and I have full sympathies for the lady. I also respect herc choice, considering that it was made by her own free will and complies with the law of the land. However, I still feel a bit conflicted about this situation. As per the report, she is physically fit, has a loving boyfriend, a pet cat, and doesn't seem to be in any monetary duress. Plus, she happens to be living in one of…

> I feel that she should have been encouraged to not give up.

For how long would you say? Have they not discussed this for an extended amount of time with multiple people?

Post reply on HN