I watched my child die an awful death and I too feel so guilty because I couldn’t face the reality she was dying.
I don’t want any treatment or medical intervention if I become ill or have an accident, I don’t have a terminal illness but I am suffering and in pain. I have asked my GP for a DNAR, I have to wait for him to discuss it with his partners before I get a decision. I think I, and everyone else, should have the right to determine how I die. It’s cruel to deny those in pain an easy passage.
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We all know that is never going to happen. It will be all about who can afford to pay for the option. Also I can just imagine how pressure could easily be applied to the person dying. Families who aren’t so loving and caring, those waiting to get their hands on their inheritance. Look at the bigger picture.
@Sarlyn If we think it is never going to happen then it never will. There’s so many questions you pose that came up in the debate I was listening to, but I think there’s no clear answers. So many of the objections came from a point of morality, mental health, coercion, but the one point of view that rang true was from the experience of those that were suffering and in pain with no way out, it made me think
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So sorry for your loss and I don’t disagree with what everyone is saying, I too would want a choice but it should NEVER be about money and paying for the right to die a peaceful death that is just so very wrong on all fronts
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I agree, it really should be up to the individual how they choose to move forward, I hope it doesnt come to that for you, but I’d hope you have the choice
@Walan
It’s an interesting debate. I personally don’t have any faith in those that run this country anymore because they don’t put the people first. Like you say there are no clear answers
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Hi Miker
I’m so sorry to hear how you are feeling. It sounds like you’re looking for support and I’m glad that you’ve been able to talk about how you’re feeling here. We know that a lot of people experience suicidal thoughts when they are grieving. We have a video about it here which you might find helpful:
https://griefguide.sueryder.org/support/suicide
There is lots of other support out there, and I would really encourage you to reach out and speak to someone about how you are feeling.
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If these thoughts of suicide become overwhelming, please call 999 or contact your GP for an emergency appointment immediately.
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Samaritans are available 24/7 to talk about anything that you are worried about in confidence. You can call them on 116 123.
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Shout are contactable by text, 24/7. You can text REMEDY to 85258 and talk to them about anything.
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You can also find your local NHS urgent mental health helpline.
Sue Ryder offers an online bereavement counselling service. This is a free service and sessions are held via video chat so you can attend from home. There’s more information about this service here: sueryder.org/counselling.
You can also make an appointment with your GP and ask to be referred to counselling or other support services in your area.
Please keep reaching out and know that you’re not alone.
Take good care, Rhi 
Hello everyone,
We’re going to close this thread for now.
The community manager will review this tomorrow and unlock again if appropriate.
Take care, Rhi
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Hello everyone,
I’m reopening this thread now. I just wanted to share a quick reminder that expressions of intent to die by assisted suicide, or discussing methods of suicide, is against our community guidelines and we’ll need to remove posts like this.
I know that this is a very emotional topic, so thank you for keeping the discussion so respectful.
Take care,
Seaneen
Not been any posts on this since it was reopened, but just saw a piece that Canada is planning to extend it’s assisted dying laws to most forms of mental illness, including anorexia
Currently they provide assisted dying to veterans with PTSD and the veteran hot line offers veterans with PTSD assisted dying, even if they’re not looking for it
Just when you think you’ve heard it all - a veteran that served his country and is suffering from ptsd for his efforts, the veteran hotline says forget counselling, we’ve got something better
Unbelievable
@MemoriesOfUs. It seems as if there was one rogue caseworker on the hotline that discussed this option with 4 perhaps 5 veterans. The organisation disowned them, it’s not policy and they were as horrified as the rest of us. Canada at the moment has no legislation allowing for this relating to mental health, so they do not ‘currently provide assisted dying to veterans with PTSD’ as you’ve stated.
They are currently looking at extending the procedure to people with solely mental health conditions but it has been paused for another year for further consideration and investigation
It is does throw up some obvious dilemmas with assisted dying: how is ‘right mind’ established in the context of suffering relating to chronic acute mental illness? We know so little about the pathology of this area, if pathology is the right word, that it becomes an unknowable quantity in assisted dying that depends entirely on ethics or morality. But the suffering for some is very real and very unending. As with physical suffering, it does need to be discussed
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@Walan the legislation was passed in 2021 for assisted dying solely from mental illnesses to take effect in March 2023, it has been temporarily extended until 2027 - that’s not the same as the law hasn’t been passed - it’s a temporary reprieve. Legislation was passed specifically for the reprieve. Without that or on withdrawal, the law is effective
It is available if mental illness is part of other conditions, that aren’t a terminal illness but affects quality of life, including a very non specific illness called MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities) which is from low grade exposure to commonly used chemicals - very vague symptoms of fatigue, headaches and nausea. This isnt a recognized illness by international health organisations
Below are reasons for assisted dying in 2021 that are not related to a terminal disease such as cancer - they are pretty broad
I still hold my views that assisted dying should be available for a terminal illness that has had all avenues exhausted and end of life is inevitable and the patient should be able to make that decision
This just shows how those laws could be adjusted and extended to include non terminal conditions and even mental illness and will be used as a case in point against the legislation for assisted dying
@MemoriesOfUs So from what you’ve outlined, it’s never actually come into effect?
I’m not really sure what your point is with the chart? I’m assuming that it relates to people with chronic conditions that want to be allowed to end their life’s? If so then if they are of sound mind, not coerced and have no desire to live any longer, then who am I to interfere?
I do understand that with regards to mental illness that establishing that is very problematic, I’m in no way advocating offering checking out rather than exploring therapy, it would be a very long road to that point.
Okay just seen that
@Walan the law was passed in 2021 to include all illnesses and conditions that do not have a foreseeable future death, which included mental health as a specific stand alone condition. This was written into law
There was then legislation passed to pause the 2023 effective date, specifically relating to mental health as a stand alone reason for assisted dying.
All other illnesses that don’t have a foreseeable future death are now written into law that they qualify for assisted dying, even where mental health is a contributing factor
The graph shows the reasons given by patients why they applied for assisted death, and that assisted death was carried out in 2021
Perceived burden to family - that’s pretty open to abuse and manipulation
Isolation and loneliness 18%, emotional distress 3% - sounds eerily similar to mental health issues
This is moving to the other spectrum of a terminal illness - it’s state sanctioned suicide for a variety of loosely defined illnesses
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