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I am an atheist and don't object to physician assisted suicide in general but am at least troubled and perhaps outright opposed in the context of a 29 year old

I am an atheist and don't object to physician assisted suicide in general but am at least troubled and perhaps outright opposed in the context of a 29 year old in perfect physical health. I am also very sceptical that mental pain can be as great if not greater than physical pain.

silverquiet 2y ago
> I am also very sceptical that mental pain can be as great if not greater than physical pain. I don't find it such an extraordinary claim, but if you do, perhaps you can consider the rather extraordinary evidence that this woman chose to die to escape her pain as proof that it may be possible.
- billforsternz 2y ago
  I'm sceptical, I'm not denying it's possible. I just can't get away from the thought that maybe (just maybe) this woman might just not have been lucky enough to find someone who could help her. Maybe even turn her around and ultimately cure her. Not possible in the case of someone with an intractable physical issue.
  - silverquiet 2y ago
    It's certainly possible, but ECT is usually the last ditch option, though there are literal brain surgeries that might have been tried (I'm not clear on her entire course of treatment). Ultimately I believe it may be an intractable physical issue; there is no reason to think that our self is anything more than a phenomenon that resides within the physiology of the brain. That said, as someone who suffers from chronic pain due to orthopedic issues, I do take some comfort in that my problem is very clear on a simple x-ray and can perhaps be alleviated with a surgery (that I am so far unwilling to face).
banish-m4 2y ago
"Perfect health" according to you. If someone has severe autism or ADHD, and cannot connect with people, cannot make friends, or find love.. Life becomes almost pointless waiting around to die.
RcouF1uZ4gsC 2y ago
>I am also very sceptical that mental pain can be as great if not greater than physical pain. Would you be more distressed having your leg broken, or your child's leg broken? Would you rather have severe back pain, or live with yourself if you accidentally left your kid in a hot car who then died? These are at least some scenarios where for a lot of people the mental anguish would be greater than physical pain.
quantified 2y ago
Please do hope that you don't ever spend hours per day, for years, angry with yourself for existing and ideating ways to kill yourself. I agree it may not be as bad as a physical agony, but it's quite enough.

silverquiet 2y ago

> I am also very sceptical that mental pain can be as great if not greater than physical pain. I don't find it such an extraordinary claim, but if you do, perhaps you can consider the rather extraordinary evidence that this woman chose to die to escape her pain as proof that it may be possible.

billforsternz 2y ago
I'm sceptical, I'm not denying it's possible. I just can't get away from the thought that maybe (just maybe) this woman might just not have been lucky enough to find someone who could help her. Maybe even turn her around and ultimately cure her. Not possible in the case of someone with an intractable physical issue.
- silverquiet 2y ago
  It's certainly possible, but ECT is usually the last ditch option, though there are literal brain surgeries that might have been tried (I'm not clear on her entire course of treatment). Ultimately I believe it may be an intractable physical issue; there is no reason to think that our self is anything more than a phenomenon that resides within the physiology of the brain. That said, as someone who suffers from chronic pain due to orthopedic issues, I do take some comfort in that my problem is very clear on a simple x-ray and can perhaps be alleviated with a surgery (that I am so far unwilling to face).

banish-m4 2y ago

"Perfect health" according to you. If someone has severe autism or ADHD, and cannot connect with people, cannot make friends, or find love.. Life becomes almost pointless waiting around to die.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 2y ago

>I am also very sceptical that mental pain can be as great if not greater than physical pain. Would you be more distressed having your leg broken, or your child's leg broken? Would you rather have severe back pain, or live with yourself if you accidentally left your kid in a hot car who then died? These are at least some scenarios where for a lot of people the mental anguish would be greater than physical pain.

quantified 2y ago

Please do hope that you don't ever spend hours per day, for years, angry with yourself for existing and ideating ways to kill yourself. I agree it may not be as bad as a physical agony, but it's quite enough.