HealthTree Blog

Montana is the third state to allow physician-assisted suicide. No matter what your opinions are on this topic, you have to wonder should people really given the right to kill themselves?

Terminal Patients and Suicide

While it’s understandable why terminal patients would want to commit suicide; they don’t want to deal with a long painful death. However, with the new laws in three states for physician-assisted suicide, could this suicide right get out of hand? Will people make a snap judgment to end their life, just because they have the option?

Cancer and Depression

When people find out they have cancer, they go through many emotions. They will feel overwhelmed, scared and depressed. Some, who have a good support network, may feel as though they can fight it and will give it all they got with treatment. However, those who don’t have a great support network OR have other health issues that compound this new one, will feel defeated. This defeat comes from feeling as though they have lost control of their health and their life overall. This leads to depression and it’s the depression that makes people want to commit suicide. People with depression feel helpless, hopeless, and lose any passion they had in their life. They will feel as though they have nothing to live for.

The thing with depression is that it can be temporary and treated. Medication and therapy is an excellent treatment regimen to help people who suffer from cancer. However, many people won’t get to this point, because they will turn to the easier way out, physician-assisted suicide.

The Difference Between Physician-Assisted Suicide or Doing it Yourself

Another thought about physician-assisted suicide is that of course people who really want to kill themselves could but by other methods (gun, pills, hanging etc.). So what’s the difference between physician-assisted suicide or doing it yourself? Well, when someone gives you permission to do something, you’re more likely to do it. No one is going to tell someone who wants to end their life to shoot or hang themselves. The power of allowance is frightening.

Photo Courtesy of:Sarah G…on Flickr