should we be able to choose how we die ?
yes- because of terminal illnesses so they should be able to die on their own terms (euthanasia)
no because of the impact it leaves on families and the psychological damage to those affected by the act (suicide)
pro- ‘the compassion argument’. supporters of euthanasia believe that allowing people to ‘die with dignity’ is kinder than forcing them to continue their lives with suffering. Dignity in Dying patron, Sir Patrick Stewart has argued “We have no control over how we arrive in the world but at the end of life we should have control over how we leave it.” Some medical conditions are simply so painful and unnecessarily prolonged that the capability of the medical profession to alleviate suffering by means of palliative care is surpassed. Intractable terminal suffering robs the victims of most of their dignity. In addition, medical science and practice is currently capable of an unprecedented prolongation of human life. It can be a prolongation that too often results in a concomitant prolongation of unnecessary and pointless suffering. Enormous pressure is placed upon both families and the health care system to spend time and very costly resources on patients that have little or no chance of recovery and are irrevocably destined to die. It is, so the argument goes, not inhumane or irreverent to assist such patients – particularly if they clearly and repeatedly so request – to bring their lives to an end.
con- “A suicide is like a pebble in a pond. The waves ripple outward.” The first “waves,” close by, are big, and as they move outward, they get smaller and smaller. The reach of the pebble’s waves is much greater than the size of the pebble itself. when someone takes their own life this leaves a detrimental psychological impact on many people. When someone dies by suicide, the people impacted most dramatically are those closest to the person who died: family, friends, co-workers, classmates. As a result, the people who interacted regularly with the individual who ended their life will miss the physical presence of that person and typically feel the loss most intimately. But, those people represent only the first wave, or the initial level of impact. Those people who are members of an individual’s community, such as members of a faith community; teachers, staff and other students in a school; or service providers, may also be affected by a suicide. Some of these people may feel the impact in a way that feels similar to those closest to the person who has died. In a situation where the individual has struggled openly with mental health concerns, those who knew of the struggle will feel the pain of the loss—likely wondering if they could have done more. People who may not have even personally known the individual who died can also be impacted. Like emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, clergy and others who respond and provide support to the family and community, either at the time of death or afterward. Ultimately, in the way that a pond is changed because of a pebble, an entire community can be changed by a suicide. According to a 2016 study, it is estimated that 115 people are exposed to a single suicide, with one in five reporting that this experience had a devastating impact or caused a major-life disruption.
Every year in the United States, more than 45,000 people take their own lives. Every one of these deaths leaves an estimated six or more “suicide survivors” — people who’ve lost someone they care about deeply and are left with their grief and struggle to understand why it happened. People who are left with this trauma from losing a loved one can develop many mental illnesses themselves. You may have recurring thoughts of the death and its circumstances, replaying the final moments over and over in an effort to understand — or simply because you can’t get the thoughts out of your head. Some suicide survivors develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder that can become chronic if not treated. In PTSD, the trauma is involuntarily re-lived in intrusive images that can create anxiety and a tendency to avoid anything that might trigger the memory.
Start of speech——A peaceful passing in your sleep, your mind lost to dementia, stage 4 bowel cancer or the decision to take your own life- these are all things that occur around the world every day. Death. A character from ‘And Then There Were None’, Justice Wargrave found out that he was terminally ill and devised a plan on how to take his own life. He took his life into his own hands and planned out how he would leave this world, on his own terms. This raised the question for me “should we be able to choose how we die?”, and what is morally right? We should be able to choose how we die if we have a terminal illnesses. Many people believe that you certainly should be able to choose how you die, whereas others feel that the severity of the damage of a life ending unnaturally is too hard on those left behind.
What about patients with years of pain and agony, restricted to a hospital bed, left only to watch their life tick by ever so slowly, should they have to suffer? No. People with terminal illnesses have already been told that they have a limited time left to live and this may come attached with endless months or even years of pain and discomfort. Yes, they should be able to choose how they die, should be able to leave this world on their own accord, with the help of euthanasia. This is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease. Supporters of euthanasia believe that allowing people to ‘die with dignity’ is quick, dignified and compassionate, and is kinder than forcing them to continue their lives with suffering. Dignity in Dying patron, Sir Patrick Stewart has argued “We have no control over how we arrive in the world but at the end of life we should have control over how we leave it.” Some medical conditions and terminal illnesses are just so painful and unnecessarily prolonged that people in these situations should be given the option to pass on their own terms, surrounded by loved ones. The word euthanasia comes from the greek language and translates to ‘the good death’, a passing that is up to the patients decision, on terms that are pleasant and peaceful. A Tauranga woman, Esther Richards was diagnosed with the aggressive brain tumour, glioblastoma back in October of 2012. This is a terminal illness and resulted in her having to undergo 7 and a half months of radiation and chemotherapy. The monumental effects that are placed upon the body as an aftermath of chemotherapy and radiation alone very stressful on the body and your mental state. Richards said that knowing that there was a safe and legal option if she needed it would have relieved a huge burden. She also said “we should all have this choice to have a peaceful way out”. A study done on the 11 of September 2000 investigated the attitudes of terminally ill patients towards euthanasia. The results from this investigation found that 73% of all participants believed that euthanasia should be legalised, with existing pain and the individuals right to choose as the major reasons. No-one should have to suffer or endure unnecessary pain, when there could be the option to die with dignity.
But what about people who have lost a loved one to suicide, left with grief and endless questions of what went wrong. Choosing to commit suicide is not a one person act, the grief and trauma that comes crashing down in the aftermath encompasses friends, families, neighbours and communities. Its like a pebble in a pond where the waves ripple outwards. As the pebble drops into the pond the first waves close by are big and powerful, and eventually as they move outward, they get smaller and smaller. The reach of the pebbles waves is much greater than the pebble itself. When someones commits suicide, this leaves a detrimental psychological impact on many people. The first wave encompasses people closest to the loved one- family, friends, coworkers or classmates. These waves and ripples travel further and further out, pulling in more people in to the traumatic aftermath. According to a 2016 study, it is estimated that 115 people are exposed to a single suicide, with one in five reporting that this experience had a devastating impact or caused a major-life disruption. In New Zealand and the world today suicide is one of the leading causes of death. The suicide rate in New Zealand in 2018-2019 was 13.67 deaths per 100,000 people, which means that thousands of more people were “suicide survivors” — people who’ve lost someone they care about deeply and are left with their grief, and struggle to understand why it happened. A New Zealand woman Karen Sykes was left with her life nothing short of an abyss, after the family were exposed to the ripple effects of a series of extraordinary tragedies from 2012 onwards. On March 2012, Karens husband’s 18 year old niece was killed by her friends ex- boyfriend, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan. This effected and took a toll on the whole family, especially having detrimental effects on Ians already fragile mental health. On October 3rd 2015 Karen came home to find her husband dead in the attic- no note, just one missed call. Karen said that her youngest daughter Beth was “like his shadow and that “they were so close”. There family was exposed to so much trauma in such a short amount of time and it didn’t just stop there. In April 2016 they found Beth dead, just like Ian- no note, no explanation. Karen was left with questions, in confusion saying “She wanted to see the world, get married, have children. It makes no sense.” In less than 4 years Karen Sykes lost two of the most important people in her life, leaving her devastated, alone, mental health crumbling. She was then diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2017 and underwent a psychotherapy treatment. she said to the GP “I don’t need medication- i’m not depressed, I’m heartbroken”. No-one should have to endure the pain and anguish that Karen Sykes is now left with permanently, a deep scar of loss and devastation that will last forever.
So, should we be able to choose how we die? should we be given that power right at our fingertips? Yes and no. I believe that no-one should have to go through unnecessary pain and suffering and that people with terminal illnesses should be given that option if they want it. But I think that options like euthanasia should just be provided to terminally ill patients who have legitimate reasons and wishes to want a painless and dignified death. There needs to be certain procedures and methods that are taken to decide who is eligible for this. We need to be absolutely certain as this decision, this choice, is irreversible. I think that this should be the only exception as the catastrophic psychological affects to mental health and the dark, empty hole you are left with after losing a loved one to suicide is is something no-one should have to suffer through. some people c it this way, some people c it this way… so now I leave it up to you, should we be able to choose how we die? and to what extent does this go to?