Quote:
Originally posted by Tess,
I've already commented on Ken's piece on Political Puzzle, but here's another thought to the suicide legality. If you have a living will or do not recessitate order and try to kill yourself it is nullified and the paramedics are legally bound to try and keep you alive. How about them bananas?
So many people are driven by circumstance to try suicide but really want to live (most jumpers and wristcutters for example)
On the other hand, at one time I was very serious about suicide. I tried to overdose on some OTC drugs, just made me sick. I drank a concoction of Drano and other household chemicals, just made me sick. I put a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed, or I didn't have it loaded right. I hung myself, but my father heard the sound of the chair I kicked over and came to investigate, and cut me down. I tried running a pipe from the exhaust in my car into the window, but a neighbor noticed and pulled me out. I tried to overdose on a prescription drug, made me sick. I overdosed on prescription drugs again, they pumped my stomach. I finally took 35 nembutal and 3 hits of acid. A friend realize what was going on and took me to the hospital. Got me there just as I passed out and my heart stopped. I finally realized that if it's not your time to die, there's nothing you can do about it. You might as well figure out how to deal with life.
Making suicide illegal just gives the authorities a way to intervine if possible.
Euthanasia is a whole 'nother subject. |
You certainly tried harder than I did, although I do know what it's like to empty stomach lining into a toilet... several times.
I wonder. Just how wide spread is suicide is? While E-mailing my brother about a cousin's suicide statements I found out he has been down this dark road before too. How do you take honest statistics about a topic that society seems determined to slap "head case" labels on you if you admit you've tried once?
Seems to me making it illegal would have less affect on lowering suicide rates than talking with people
before we decide there's a mental problem. I remain convinced it has less to do with mental problems most of the time, although certainly not all, than it has to do with this rather absurd notion that if someone even considers the option they are nuts. I do disagree about the authority intervening part. In my experience if authorities want to intervene, they will. They don't need an excuse. It's a very depressing fact that if a cop wants to charge you with
something because he doesn't like your race, your politics, your attitude or just decides he doesn't like you, he will.. no matter how bogus the charge, but even with suicide laws in affect they don't seem to care. Ever tried talking to a cop about someone who might be considering suicide? Good luck! It's not as much their fault as it is where our priorities are law enforcement wise. So much more important to catch that guy whose left rear wheel might be in the wrong lane because he hasn't met his quota...