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I read that in some societies, if you ended up not being able to feed yourself, they would bring you to your favorite tree and leave you there. If you ended ba
by kranke155 1y ago
I read that in some societies, if you ended up not being able to feed yourself, they would bring you to your favorite tree and leave you there.
If you ended back in camp you’d be welcomed. If you didn’t, that was your end. I found that remarkably comforting and peaceful.
- troupo 1y agoDeath from hunger (esp. when you're frightened and don't understand what's happening) is neither comfortable nor comforting
- kranke155 1y agoFascinating that you think someone with dementia would be suffering more from hunger then from their condition sapping away at them.
- lukas099 1y agoIf I was starving to death, the acute sensation of hunger would override everything else in my mind.
- kranke155 1y agoYou ever hung out with someone in deep dementia ?
- AlexeyBrin 1y agoUnfortunately someone with advanced dementia does not know if she has eaten or not. Most of the time there will be no eating, unless someone else puts food in your mouth.
- hrimfaxi 1y agoThat wasn't the case with my father, who had a pretty good appetite up until his last few weeks.
- kranke155 1y agoThat’s literally what it says in the story though. That it would only happen if the person won’t eat by themselves.
- leakycap 1y agoI'm sorry for your first-hand experience, but I also need to remind you that 1 first-hand experience does not translate well to the overall population of people experiencing dementia.
- lukas099 1y agoWhy would they need to know whether they have eaten, or even what eating is? They would feel the sensation of gnawing hunger in their stomach, the same way a baby or animal does.
- jrs235 1y agoBut seriously, how do you know that?
- troupo 1y agoNeither you nor I know what the person with dementia is suffering from. What you call "comforting" is leaving a helpless prison in the wilderness to succumb to thirst, hunger or predators
- kranke155 1y agoThirst and hunger. They’re meant to die a peaceful death so pretty sure no predators involved. Go to a dementia facility and hang out with your those people. You will see suffering.
- troupo 1y agoMy grandmother died of dementia. If you think that "cannot feed themselves" is when a person is already completely gone and it's okay to "leave them under a tree to die of hunger and thirst", I've got news for you.
- kranke155 1y agoMy mother has dementia, so maybe dementia just has different expressions and you shouldn’t generalise ?
- sph 1y agoI have this childhood memory of my neighbour's dog, that grew old and one day decided to go out in the woods and die peacefully. They found it a few days later. I wish to remain so lucid when the time comes, that I can go sit under a tree and let myself go like that old dog. Perhaps I should leave a note.
- mock-possum 1y agoI always think of that scene from Donnie Darko - where he says when his dog got sick, she went to hide under the porch. “To die?” His therapist prompts him. “To be alone” he corrects her pointedly. [0] That’s kind of what I want when I die too - I don’t think I want to be around other people when it happens. I want to have my final moments to face death on my own, without feeling like I have to perform for other people. … that said, give me another 60 years to chew on it and maybe I’ll feel different. [0] https://youtu.be/8j1IMBM-QyE?si=jfCe9YUvKW_t5m5e https://youtu.be/8j1IMBM-QyE?si=jfCe9YUvKW_t5m5e
- Der_Einzige 1y agoWow I’m the total opposite. I’m very annoyed to be around others most of the time, but upon dying I can’t imagine doing it alone or without the help of loved ones. A lot of motivation to be risk averse with my physical body in this life comes from a desire to make it to old age. Furthermore, I instantly understood why having children was good when I realized that they are your insurance that you’ll (usually) have someone to help comfort you on your deathbed who is themselves still lucid.
- mock-possum 1y agoHonestly that strikes me as a pretty fucked up and self-serving reason to have children. You should have kids because you want to create new life, and support them as they become the best humans that they can be - not because you’re scared of dying alone.
- Der_Einzige 1y ago
- raffael_de 1y agoOr they'll treat you with a daily oil bath and feed you tender coconut water ... until few days later your kidney's blow out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalaikoothal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalaikoothal
- razeh 1y agoI think people tend to underestimate the risks in allowing suicide —- here’s a blurb from the linked article: However, social acceptance may lead to more egregious abuses: the issue gained a higher profile in early 2010, when an 80-year-old man escaped after discovering his intended fate and heard his family members discussing how they were going to "share" his lands, and took refuge in a relative's home.
- kranke155 1y agoUsing exceptions to make rules is dumb.
- hrimfaxi 1y agoIsn't it only exceptional because assisted suicide is relatively rare worldwide?
- prmoustache 1y agoWhat has been described above is not suicide.
- raffael_de 1y agoPeople also underestimate the risks in allowing sexual intercourse, driving a car, playing football and doing ice baths ...
- voakbasda 1y agoThat’s not suicide. That’s a conspiracy to commit murder.
- pell 1y agoIf you don’t make it back you would die of starvation and lack of water. These are some of the worst ways of dying. What do you find comforting and peaceful about it? The person has been abandoned by their community and could suffer terribly for days.
- kranke155 1y agoThe idea is the tree is not too far from camp. It should hours not days to return. And I suspect they would check on them.
- catlover76 1y ago[dead]