When Is Depression Too Severe For Physician-Assisted Suicides?
Passed in 1997, Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act makes physician-assisted suicide legal for terminally ill patients. Currently, Oregon is the only state in America that allows physician-assisted suicides. (I guess Michigan felt it’d be a bit inappropriate.)
Even though there are several “safeguards” within the Death with Dignity Act that aim to cover all mental health bases before a doctor can help a terminally ill patient commit suicide (such as psychological evaluations), folks from the Oregon Health and Science University are raising questions about patients with depression and anxiety (those who are likely to have impaired judgment). And, the answers to their questions suggest “the current practice of Death with Dignity Act may not adequately protect all mentally ill patients.”
My thoughts: I think I’d be severely depressed if I were diagnosed with a terminal illness. I think that’d be a no-brainer. And I’d hate to think I’d have to be happy (or, at least, not depressed) in order to qualify for physician-assisted suicide.
On the other side of the table, Dr Marije van der Lee of the Helen Dowling Institute in the Netherlands feels depression doesn’t always impair judgment, and states that we should focus on preventing depression and not preventing physician-assisted suicide.
My thoughts: So…pump them full of antidepressants and hope for a change of heart? No, probably more along the lines of some very intense therapy (and religious counseling, for some).
My questions:
- Do you think a person’s diagnosis with a terminal illness is enough to make the person depressed? And if so, should that depression prevent them from physician-assisted suicide?
- What are your feelings about physician-assisted suicides? Do you know anyone who’s chosen to do it? Would you consider it?
Image source: SXC and Miles Pfefferle
News source: ScienceDaily
POSTED IN: Mental Health Notes
3 opinions for When Is Depression Too Severe For Physician-Assisted Suicides?
Kelly Turner
Nov 6, 2008 at 10:39 am
Death with Dignity is being proposed in Washington (where I am). I dont know how i feel on it. My mother was in the hospital not too long ago, and the doctors gave her 6 months to live. When asked if she wanted actions to be made to save her life if anything should happen, she without a doubt said no. she said many times she just wanted to die and asked my dad to do something about it.
Now? shes fine. shes home and puttering around the house, no death in site. At the time i think she would have gone for the assisted suicide if she had the chance, but 7-8 months later, shes fine. sometimes doctors dont know everything.
Its a slippery slope.
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
Saturday Sanity: What A Busy Week!
Nov 8, 2008 at 7:17 am
[...] week at Mental Health Notes, in addition to questions about physician-assisted suicide and a review of Lumosity, quite a few famous names were the topic of discussion, including William [...]
Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Nov 19, 2008 at 1:20 am
@ Kelly - A lot of times doctors don’t know everything. It is indeed a slippery slope and a scary one at that. Your mom is totally OK now, but who could have predicted that 7-8 months ago? No one really. If she had had this option and taken it, no one would have ever had the opportunity to know she’d be fine now. I’m so glad she didn’t have that chance, and I’m really glad she’s doing well.
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