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Euthanasia-For or Against


ali smack

  

32 members have voted

  1. 1. euthanasia-for or against

    • Yes I am for it
      30
    • No I am against it
      2


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What are your opinions of Euthanasia. Are you for or against it?

Personally I am against it for a number of reasons:

I think if you "assist" in someone's death, you are killing them, which makes you a killer.

It's a start of a slippery slope, where once you make it legal in UK. It may very well be expected whether people are very getting old and very ill, and suffering from illnesses, they would be expected to be "euthanised".

people could quite easily pressure ill and mentally unstable/mentally retarded people to get euthanasia.

the argument people make about animals been put down isn't valid. Animals are not people and can't kill themselves.

it could give doctors more power where they could pressure people into euthanasia.

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I'm for it, if it's a conscious and justified decision from both parties. It would need to be regulated to an extent eg. psychological & physical assessment, and contracts signed before the act for legal reasons.

As for the 'makes you a killer' part, I would like to think if I had someone I loved living unbearably and suffering with no hope of recovery, that I could help them. I wouldn't feel like a killer.

Edit: In comparison to someone's life support being turned off who may be suffering no pain in their unconscious state, it seems irrational to not let a living and conscious person make that decision for themselves while suffering.

Edited by Timonthy
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People kill themselves. That is their birth right and choice. We should be able to assist this need in the most severe cases and it must be the cleanest and most pain free way possible.

Why should you deny someone's choice because of your own selfishness?

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I agree with voidla, if its your choice then who can take that away? Why let someone die slowly if they chose to end it right away? It doesn't make you a killer if you end a persons misery by their own choice.

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I am for it in certain circumstances, as i believe anyone would be if they went through a similar situation as me.

My grandfather, a WW2 verteran, passed away in 2011 after a stroke. He had severe dementia and barely recognized his family for the last few years of his life. After the stroke he lost the ability to swallow. The medical staff tried to feed him through a tube, but he kept on removing it as he couldn't understand what it was being used for, and was obviously uncomfortable. The staff were worried that he would remove the tube while they were feeding him, causing the food to get into his lungs. We therefore had to watch him starve to death slowly over a week, in a confused yet sedated state, in which i can say was an incredibly undignified way to die for such a great man.

I would have gladly administered a lethal dose of morphine to him myself if i had the option, as i would hope my children would do for me if i was in the same state. I trust my family to mke that decision for me.

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Everyone should have a right to leave this world when they want to. If you are against it, you are against freedom

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There is no way that I would want have my family watch me suffer in great pain when it could be ended. I wouldn't want my daughter to remember me as a bedridden almost corpse sedated out of my mind because I was so far gone with a terminal illness. I refuse to do that to her. Also, I wouldn't want her to suffer if it was her that was dying. Why should we cause our loved ones such suffering before they leave this life? I find that the most inhumane thing ever.

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If I knew that I only had a limited time left due to disease and that this time would be horribly painful and costly to my family - and even my insurance - I would prefer to just be helped to go to sleep. We do this for sick/injured animals - why not for a human being? There are drugs out there that could do exactly this that could be taken by mouth. This WILL be an option before the baby boom has completely died off due to the inability or lack of desire of the younger gen to care for them. No harm, no foul.....

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For.

Don't get these idiots who say "No, that's unjust a cruel, life is sacred." While staring a dying and horribly suffering person in the face. We put dogs down don't we? Why can't we have the compassion to end the suffering of ourselves, I don't get all this Suffering = Enlightenment bull****.

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People kill themselves. That is their birth right and choice. We should be able to assist this need in the most severe cases and it must be the cleanest and most pain free way possible.

Why should you deny someone's choice because of your own selfishness?

I'm not against it, each circumstance is different.

One of my grandfathers had an agonizing death with multiple myelomia. Had nature took it's course he would have died from a heart attack before the real pain and lingering illness set in. My grandmother told the doctors "heroic measures" were fine since he wasn't sick from cancer yet. He had a few good months but my grandfather was very angry with her for doing that and blamed her when he lingered in pain, bedfast and skeletal for six months. His last words were begging someone to give him something to end it.

Some people can bounce back from terminal things after being really sick and even in a coma. They or their family should have the choice of when it is right for them or how long to give them a chance for a recovery no matter how remote.

My father was a fighter who cheated death more than once. He was in a coma for 3 months after heart failure, chronic leukemia and a peritonitis from a ruptured colon. My mom would not let go until month 4 for some reason. He came out of it, and lived fairly normally for years! He was resusitated 3 times all told. He had heart disease, diabetes, and kidney failure after but had 3 good days as he called them a week during the dialysus of the following 7 years. The last time he probably could have bounced back too knowing him! He told me this time was different and he wanted to be let go after a month and to pull all plugs and treatment if they said the gangrene and strep infection would take his foot above the ankle or if he'd lose his hands. We took him to another state's burn unit which let us disconnect and they also provided a pain cocktail of drugs that he went peacefully and in no pain! I am surprised he was able to remain conscious through the ordeal but he did until his last days. The hospital where he was first did nothing for the pain because it wasn't legal to increase the doses and they didn't know the burn unit's methods. The burn unit knew exactly how to mix and alter the drugs to work. He wasn't euthanized but he was disconnected from all life support but an IV for hydration and nurishment.

I believe whole heartedly in be able to chose either way. I am very concerned about the outcome of it becoming common practice though. Poor people will not have the same medical care to even make an informed choice.

Governments might tend to take the easy way out just like some do abortions. The right to lifer's forget, most of the girls probably would opt for life if they had the means to provide or adopt out, but abortion is made the easiest option. Don't need more clinics you need more alternates available!

I think the same is true with euthanasia a right to choice, however I can't help getting visions of it turning into some sort of macabe thing out of "Logan's Run". Just like cancer, here's your only options that the insurance will pay. It's not a true freedom of choice in the end for everyone unless you have money.

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Especially for politicians. Serve one term in office then one in prison then euthanasia.

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I agree. Terminal suffering is something I would not like to go through.

Now, if some type of advanced pain-killer was available so that I could die in relative peace, fine.

But none exists.

I know several friends who died of cancer, yet even given high doses of morphine, still suffered a very painful death.

So, until they come up with something really effective, I'm all for euthanasia for myself.

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I agree. Terminal suffering is something I would not like to go through.

Now, if some type of advanced pain-killer was available so that I could die in relative peace, fine.

But none exists.

I know several friends who died of cancer, yet even given high doses of morphine, still suffered a very painful death.

So, until they come up with something really effective, I'm all for euthanasia for myself.

Morphine doesn't work for sure, it just dulls it. I was very gratefully to the doctor who said contact a burn unit since they specialize in reducing extreme pain. I know I had surgery with a localized injected drug and had surgery while awake, you feel your limb but you don't feel pain. It was amazing watching them break bones and repair torn ligaments! Told me the drug would cause me to forget the experience but I didn't. It was like novacaine but without the numbness. The anathesialogist told me there were many ways to severe nerves in severe pain cases, because I asked him why they didn't use it in cancer patients like my grandad. There's way more stuff out there than morphine. But they aren't in the standard medical routine yet.

I agree with you on the cancer statement, I can tell you radiation treatment has to be the most painful burning sensation depending on where you have it. I think it will soon be considered an unnecessary method. Same goes for the older chemo methods. I've known people with terminal cancer opt not to treat and seen them live just as long as the others but with a better quality of life until the pulmonary arrest sets in.

Choosing how you live or how you die should be your decision alone.

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Everyone should have a right to leave this world when they want to. If you are against it, you are against freedom

What if someone wants to go on a killing spree and shoot themselves dead or blow themselves up in a suicide bombing? Is that an acceptable way to leave this world?

I disagree. I am not against freedom at all. I just think it could never be legal in the u.k. because of all the problems regarding it. for starters. If someone euthanises someone in a mercy killing. How are we to know that the said person wanted to die if there dead? anyone can forge wills, suicide notes etc.and claim to asked them to kill them. Another problem is the mental state of the person being euthanised. There are many suicidal people who sometimes feel like killing themselves but are persuaded not to, sometimes by themselves or sometimes friends etc. Now the problem is what happens if a mentally unstable person says they want to get euthanised but then sometime later they change there mind. But there dead so they can't change there mind. people should be encouraged to not kill themselves not to kill themselves.Another problem with it could very well cause a slipperly slope, where people persuaded mentally retarded, frail or very ill people to die, thus causing more of these people to be euthanised. It would almost certainly be a disaster. Another problem is people are saying some on who smothers someone's face is not a killer because they were asked to. You then would have to let everyone else off who asked people to do bad stuff to them.

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My poor brother has several cancers. First was lung cancer and was successfully removed and lived for seven years. The other was colorectal cancer which was more botherson because he couldn't control the timing to go to the bathroom. The third and last cancer was a lymphoma which was the worst. Chemo and radiation and all sorts of chemicals injected didn't help. He got worst and was told he would be better off in a hospise. Ofcourse I was takeing care of my brother all my life and we lived together all our lives. Take my word when you hears the words hospise you go numb. You don't think straight and follow blindly what the doctors say. This is what makes matters worse. In my brothers case they didn't feed him and only given him drips. The nurses and doctors tell you that they don't feel hungry and they don't feel any pain but you can see him suffering inside himself. I wish that he would have went quickly but it never happened. I am sorry that I didn't ask to help him to end it faster but that being against the State and Federal government. It took 10 days for him to die and I suffered all that time with him. He passed away over a year ago now an I still feel that I didn't do enough to help him go faster to him maker and so I suffer most every day. I hope and pray that If I should get into a situation like my bothers I will have plenty of pills to take me out of this world and not suffer. I am sure that God will not be too angry at me for doing it. I have seen too many people in those nurseing homes suffering terribly and they just don't do anything to help them lead a quite life and giving them something for that wonderful night to pass into the other side. Hopefully in the to not to distant future people will be more merciful and let those poor soles just pass. The only ones that would hate it would be the hospise personal because they will be losing lots of money keeping these poor people alive and dirty and making them suffer much more than they need be. Give them all a nice cocktail and let them sleep that sleep into the goodnight.

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Everyone should have a right to leave this world when they want to. If you are against it, you are against freedom

So a 40-year old mother with kids aged 3, 7, and 12, has the Right to commit suicide because of severe clinical depression but is otherwise completely healthy? And bugger what her husband, kids, family, and friends think or say?
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That said and done, I personally have a moral objection to euthanasia. I feel life is sacred. However, with that said, I acknowledge the pain and suffering some people go through and therefore if someone chose to end it I would not criticise them for that choice.

My main worry of euthanasia being legalised is the possible misuse in certain cases where death isn't warranted. A person with Alzheimer's may not be suffering but they can be hard to take care of and so someone may try to convince such a person that the life they are living isn't really life at all and therefore consider euthanasia. In good conscience I could not accept this as a valid reason for euthanasia.

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My main worry of euthanasia being legalised is the possible misuse in certain cases where death isn't warranted. A person with Alzheimer's may not be suffering but they can be hard to take care of and so someone may try to convince such a person that the life they are living isn't really life at all and therefore consider euthanasia. In good conscience I could not accept this as a valid reason for euthanasia.

If it was their wishes, I'd support their (hypothetical) right to euthanasia. Edited by Rlyeh
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That said and done, I personally have a moral objection to euthanasia. I feel life is sacred. However, with that said, I acknowledge the pain and suffering some people go through and therefore if someone chose to end it I would not criticise them for that choice.

My main worry of euthanasia being legalised is the possible misuse in certain cases where death isn't warranted. A person with Alzheimer's may not be suffering but they can be hard to take care of and so someone may try to convince such a person that the life they are living isn't really life at all and therefore consider euthanasia. In good conscience I could not accept this as a valid reason for euthanasia.

I doubt you could convince a doctor that Alzheimer's was a valad reason for euthanasia. In european countries where it is legal you need multiple doctors to agree before you can be granted the proceedure. Thats not to say that people with Alzheimer's dont suffer.

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Everyone should have a right to leave this world when they want to. If you are against it, you are against freedom

I agree... If I fall seriously ill and in a lot of pain, I would hope for the doctors to do anything they can to help me, I would even want more medial opinions, because I would want the help.. BUT If after all has failed, and every doctor confirmed that there is nothing more they can do for me, and I was suffering bad, knowing that there is no hope, I would not want my children to see my last days of me suffering. I would have myself pumped up on morphine so my kids don't see me in pain... Later I would demand I get put to sleep I have already told this to my husband and he understands and feels the same way... So if anyone here doesn't agree, ( by the looks of it so far, all 2 of you ) that's too bad, because it's my life not yours..

Edited by Beckys_Mom
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What if someone wants to go on a killing spree and shoot themselves dead or blow themselves up in a suicide bombing? Is that an acceptable way to leave this world?

I disagree. I am not against freedom at all. I just think it could never be legal in the u.k. because of all the problems regarding it. for starters. If someone euthanises someone in a mercy killing. How are we to know that the said person wanted to die if there dead? anyone can forge wills, suicide notes etc.and claim to asked them to kill them. Another problem is the mental state of the person being euthanised. There are many suicidal people who sometimes feel like killing themselves but are persuaded not to, sometimes by themselves or sometimes friends etc. Now the problem is what happens if a mentally unstable person says they want to get euthanised but then sometime later they change there mind. But there dead so they can't change there mind. people should be encouraged to not kill themselves not to kill themselves.Another problem with it could very well cause a slipperly slope, where people persuaded mentally retarded, frail or very ill people to die, thus causing more of these people to be euthanised. It would almost certainly be a disaster. Another problem is people are saying some on who smothers someone's face is not a killer because they were asked to. You then would have to let everyone else off who asked people to do bad stuff to them.

Refer to my post ;) Namely psychological assessment & legal contracts. As long as it was regulated properly there would be minimal misuse of the system.

Killing spree or suicide bombing is completely unrelated and has nothing to do with the topic...

Does this mean you're against turning off someones life support?

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Unfortunately, we have upset natures way of expediting death where we would likely die from hypothermia, particularly so in a weakened state. "Living wills" and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) do allow one to forego treatment, but again, the process of death can be prolonged due to the controlled environment of the patient. One cannot expect medical care people to make the decision to terminate a patient which, in turn, would likely cause subsequent mental health issues for medical personnel. The decision needs to be that of the patient perhaps so as a provision to a living will.

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I'm for it. If a person wishes to die, who's to say they shouldn't? Only two things are sure in this life, death and taxes, and we can't control taxes, why not give us control over our own deaths, or give us the ability to hand off our death to others, like as a medical proxy.

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Refer to my post ;) Namely psychological assessment & legal contracts. As long as it was regulated properly there would be minimal misuse of the system.

Killing spree or suicide bombing is completely unrelated and has nothing to do with the topic...

Does this mean you're against turning off someones life support?

I wasn't referring to your post and the killing spree etc is to do with this topic as the poster I was replying to said people have a right to leave this world anyway they want. So I am wondering does he agree with that? Because they choose to leave this world in a horrific and selfish way, taking many others with them.

To answer your question I don't agree with turning off life support because there's always a slim chance they may recover. In our society we as people should be focusing all our attention on prolonging life, on finding cures to diseases, on helping regrow body tissue and on eradicating disease. Which in all fairness a lot of scientists do. We shouldn't be encouraging people to take there lives.

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In due respect I am yet to find many valid arguments for Euthanasia. None of the problems i've pointed out against Euthanasia, that even some pro-euthanasia supporters accept as problems have been debunked.

Another problem is a lot of people that have been killed in mercy killings are capable of doing it themselves which beggars the question, why get someone to do it for you? It could go horribly wrong and has done on a number of times.

The only time I can understand the case for ( And I still don't agree but can understand) Is Tony Nickelson. Because that poor chap couldn't move and of course could not kill himself.

So I can understand in a case like him.

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