[Boerseun]

Had an interesting chat with a friend today, who's father was on a live-support machine for a couple of months before they decided to 'pull the plug'. And, in discussing the story, he came up with a question to which I had no answer. So - here I ask of you guys to chuck in your opinions:

Individuals who get to the point of suicide, botch their attempts in close to 80-90% of the time. They shoot miss, don't actually overdose, don't jump from a high enough ledge etc. And in plenty of these cases they actually harm themselves permanently or become a permanent worry to their families and friends.

So shouldn't there be a failsafe 'suicide kit' available, say a cyanide capsule at drugstores, or something similar? So that if you want to off yourself, you can do it and get it over with? Go out gracefully and save your family, friends, and society at large the trouble of having to look after a vegetable for the next forty-odd years?

Forget about the whole Jack Kevorkian argument, I'm not talking about 'assisted suicide'. I'm just saying that what my mate said, if somebody wants to off himself, maybe we shouldn't stop them? Just make it a bit more graceful, 'cause if they wanna do it, they will, eventually. In some messy, nasty way that'll traumatise everybody around them.

Any ideas?

[Kizzi]

In 'CONTACT' Ellie Arrowway was given a capsule to take with her on her journey and was told all astronauts are given the capsule to take on their journey to space for the unforseen eventuality for which it is needed.

What about soldiers like the SAS? Are they given capsules when the go on missions?

KiZzI

[GAHD]

Futurama-esque suicide booth?
Shure, as long as there's plumbing to get rid of the meatsack.

[Chacmool]

Originally Posted by Boerseun

Individuals who get to the point of suicide, botch their attempts in close to 80-90% of the time. They shoot miss, don't actually overdose, don't jump from a high enough ledge etc. And in plenty of these cases they actually harm themselves permanently or become a permanent worry to their families and friends.

So shouldn't there be a failsafe 'suicide kit' available, say a cyanide capsule at drugstores, or something similar? So that if you want to off yourself, you can do it and get it over with? Go out gracefully and save your family, friends, and society at large the trouble of having to look after a vegetable for the next forty-odd years?

No. If efficient suicide were that easy, I wouldn't be here right now. As simple as that.

Having survived less lethal methods, I'm still not a vegetable, and also not a burden on my family and friends. I'm a fully functional member of society, despite my suicidal tendencies - I certainly don't need any encouragement to commit suicide.

Originally Posted by Boerseun

I'm just saying that what my mate said, if somebody wants to off himself, maybe we shouldn't stop them? Just make it a bit more graceful, 'cause if they wanna do it, they will, eventually. In some messy, nasty way that'll traumatise everybody around them.

Rather try and help people before they get to that point. It's astonishing how little is done to promote mental health.

[goku]

Originally Posted by Chacmool

No. If efficient suicide were that easy, I wouldn't be here right now. As simple as that.

Having survived less lethal methods, I'm still not a vegetable, and also not a burden on my family and friends. I'm a fully functional member of society, despite my suicidal tendencies - I certainly don't need any encouragement to commit suicide.

were you seeking death or attention?

[Chacmool]

Originally Posted by goku

were you seeking death or attention?

There are more effective and less risky ways of getting attention.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by goku

were you seeking death or attention?

That was a rather tactless question. I suggest you use the Private Messaging for these things.

[CraigD]

Originally Posted by Boerseun

So shouldn't there be a failsafe 'suicide kit' available, say a cyanide capsule at drugstores, or something similar? So that if you want to off yourself, you can do it and get it over with?

The high failure rate of suicides using fairly reliable means, such as guns, leads me to suspect that the majority of suicide are so ambivalent about ending their own life would be as to be likely to fail, or balk, using even a “failsafe” kit, as with anything else.

I’d propose the near exact opposite: Pharmacies should sell “suicide kits” that claim to be sure and failsafe, but are actually designed to cause a disabling but not permanently injurious condition sure to result in the victim being hospitalized. Medical staff should be universally educated to immediately recognize when this has occurred, and refer the victim for psychiatric counseling and treatment. Public and private healthcare should make redoubled efforts to increase the availability and effectiveness of this therapy.

The minority of people who are so committed to ending their own lives that they are in the 10-20% of successful suicides, will manage to do so regardless of how hard or easy it is made. Society’s efforts should be concentrated on helping the 80-90% of suicides who are effectively undecided.

People in hospice setting should, in my opinion, have access to the same legal, clinician-administered euthanasia currently available to pet dogs and cats. However, strong judicial oversights, including a well-documented court-managed process that requires the approval of at least 2 physicians who do no know one another, mandatory advanced public notice, and most importantly the explicit, uncoerced consent of the patient, should be absolutely required.

[goku]

chacmool, if i affend just let me know.
i can remember as a kid, 6 or 7 yrs. old, being so mad at my brother that i'd think about suicide or running away. i never done anything, but i was mad.
as for the cynide pills, too dangerous. what if the wrong person got a hold of them?

[Merek]

craig, what you pruposed is unethical, if it says what it is on the kit thats what it should be, not some trap. i figure its up to yourself if you want to die, but i think it should be harder to acces then some pharmacy, say just like some place where u have to sign papers, and contracts n what not. cuz they could get into the wrong hands like some other dude said.