General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This is a thread about suicide and ambivalence toward it... [View all]HeiressofBickworth
(2,682 posts)I don't think that life is so bad that death is the answer. There must be help available for those who need it.
UNLESS
it is an end-of-life issue. I had a very dear friend who had ALS. She lived in Holland at the time. The disease affected the upper part of her body and she lost her ability to swallow, speak and was having difficulties breathing. She told me that her ultimate end would be like strangling to death. She was afraid of this struggle more than she feared death. We had many discussions about suicide. She was definite that she wanted to do it but her sons (adults) were initially against it. She first thought of doing it herself but thought that the trauma of her sons discovering her body would be unfair to them. She finally decided to participate in Holland's death with dignity provision. After discussions with doctors and her family, she and her sons (adults) went to the hospital where she quietly and painlessly ended her life with the assistance of doctors.