News Doctor-Assisted Death For Those Living With Ptsd

[shimmerz]

Never said it was easy.

The problem is that it is next to impossible when those who are entrusted to help us have a primal contempt for our situation due to ignorance (when there is no excuse for ignorance based on their job description).

I worry that this type of thought pattern 'Live better, do better' can become a circular thing. Somewhat like 'the harder I try the more I get slapped around'. And we all know that getting slapped around with PTSD just adds another brick in the wall.

The theory is sound, but we need the support of those who are putting themselves across to us as 'our healers'. Not the contempt.

 

[Sighs]

I've wondered about this for years.

I've been involved in end of life decision making in my job. I've seen people make agonising decisions not to resuscitate, to turn off life support etc. And every once in while - against all the medical advice - the patient pulls through. I've had the family pull me aside and say "We're not ever going to tell Dad we turned him off so don't let on."

I've also seen in my job people go in and out of psych wards for years - even decades. I dealt with a young man who gouged out his own eyeball with a plastic fork in the grips of psychosis. I've talked with psych patients who have survived very serious suicide attempts. And I've sat with the medical staff who say "we don't know how to help them - nothing seems to work".

I've been involved in coronial inquests into the death of "successful" suicides. I've sat with the family as they ask themselves why. And I've sat with the doctors who say "we can't predict suicide - most people who express suicidal ideation to some degree or another do not in fact attempt it - and even if we had a crystal ball and could identify those patients who might attempt it, if someone really wants to do it they will find a way - even in a psych ward".

My great grandfather shot and killed himself when my grandfather was ten. My current partner has combat PTSD and is often passively suicidal (ie: It would have been better if they'd blown my head off in Afghanistan. You'd be better off without me. I've lived too long as it is.) The fear of him taking his own life one day is always there in the pit of my stomach. But he and I both say we'd rather be dead than go into a nursing home.

So... I want the right to end my life when I am ready - not be made to suffer needlessly for days, weeks or months - don't talk to me about palliative care - I've seen palliative care. And dying is not the worst thing that can happen to you. I believe in human autonomy - the right to make my own decisions about the kind of life I live - and about the kind of death I die. And every competent adult should have the same.

And THERE is the kicker. COMPETENT. Assessing competency is difficult. No-one wants to do it. Its an in-exact science to say the least. And isn't it just another way of placing the power in some-one else's hands? Do we have the right to judge someone else's suffering? And if the answer is no, is that a reason TO help them end their life - or a reason NOT to.

Sorry - this is a bit incoherent. I don't have any answers. Just questions.

 

[shimmerz]

And dying is not the worst thing that can happen to you.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about this.

 

[branden]

I'm not real sure about this. My opinion is quite mixed. Do you want die because of PTSD or because you're d...

I live with ptsd and it's hard I've tried a lot I have this feeling of being tired in the inside that know drug can cure I had a very traumatic child hood and I could not take my own life and with assistEd suicide at times. maybe is such a big decision but it's hard with ptsd is a damage that is cause that is hard to over come

 

[Knak]

I'm reading "The Death of Santini", about Pat Conroy's true family life that was the worst of the worst. There were seven siblings and the youngest became schizophrenic and jumped off a high-rise at 39(?).

The anguish expressed by most siblings was heart wrenching, and those who cared felt the guiltiest. He said it will always stay with him. To avoid additional suffering he allows a sister to extort multiple thousands a year by threatening to kill herself.

It made me realize how badly it does affect the survivors, whereas I thought my siblings would be glad if I died. All my siblings were inwardly destroyed by our upbringing but it showed up later in their life than mine.

I was blamed to cause my own problem when I imploded. Now I'm blamed to be a cause of their pain so I had to split. It is affecting me so deeply I have no stability but I believe if I killed myself some who face reality to some extent would get worse.

 

[Weemie]

As a Nova Scotian, this article says everything you need to know about the state of mental health care in this province.

Sure, kill us all, it's sure as f*ck easier than treating us.

 

[Tinyflame]

I was blamed to cause my own problem when I imploded. Now I'm blamed to be a cause of their pain so I had to split. It is affecting me so deeply I have no stability but I believe if I killed myself some who face reality to some extent would get worse.

Hard when you can't leave. I was thinking of that today, but the opposite; 2 of my sisters couldn't care less, & even were it something like cancer would say it was my fault. The third would be more devastated than most for a short while- probably focus on an irrelevant detail causing guilt but referring back to herself, then she would get over it quickly.

It's my understanding they never met the deadline so each province has made their own guidelines, in line with the Supreme Court's decision.

Wouldn't write here but a woman out of the blue yesterday who I do not know, waiting at the bus stop, ripped an article about it out of the newspaper to give to me (- :wideeyed: huh, ?, I never asked), & said "How do they expect Roman Catholic nurses and doctors to kill their patients?" She then went on to say though, despite awful situation she told me about, she never thought of doing it, but that she had had a person help her, "which made me (her) think maybe there really is a God".

Who knows. Just heard a podcast where they said toxic stress/ ptsd's arousal causes development of brain cells to fight-or-flight but destruction of cells in the pre-frontal cortex for higher reasoning/ decision making. But that studies show love/ hope/ supportive environment can reverse it, & act as a buffer when back in toxically stressful situations. Not everyone's experience though. Also that situations where you could do nothing about it, or coping skills were low, were the most damaging. And that there is an interplay between stress, especially toxic stress, anxiety, & ptsd. Which is pretty funny (not in a haha way), since that doesn't touch on depression, isolation, lack of self-worth, pain, insomnia, or quality of life considerations.

Complicated, but also not much offered out here for any type of treatment/ support. Which is also likely why none require showing a person has tried options, only that it's causing grevious & irremedial suffering to the person.

 

[Knak]

Just heard a podcast where they said toxic stress/ ptsd's arousal causes development of brain cells to fight-or-flight but destruction of cells in the pre-frontal cortex for higher reasoning/ decision making. But that studies show love/ hope/ supportive environment can reverse it, & act as a buffer when back in toxically stressful situations. Not everyone's experience though. Also that situations where you could do nothing about it, or coping skills were low, were the most damaging. And that there is an interplay between stress, especially toxic stress, anxiety, & ptsd. Which is pretty funny (not in a haha way), since that doesn't touch on depression, isolation, lack of self-worth, pain, insomnia, or quality of life considerations.

This is what I've read recently but not the healing from love, support, etc. I've felt better when some few listen but only goes so far. I can't turn around.
I imagine happy people lie to themselves and use people. I fit the description above.

 

[Tinyflame]

I was surprised too @Knak . In so far as it was said from a scientic observable viewpoint.

But, though on one hand bad- the deteriortion continues, the other remarkble- there can be healing.

 

[Otto]

I'm not real sure about this. My opinion is quite mixed. Do you want die because of PTSD or because you're d...

PTSD is nothing to live with, there are no cures. The biochemistry behind the disease is stabilized with a tight support network, loving kind people, touch, reducing stress. Where is that? Where are these kind people, I never met them. Psychotherapy (one on one) does not help to repair/rebuild Maslows Heirachy of Needs. There is no cure. I am neither homocidal or suicidal, just can't suffer any more. As far as the 'mentally ill' not being able to make decisions for themselves. Decisions by others have been made all their lives and they are not any better. ALLO (a neurosteroid) has been found to shut down PTSD, yet it is not being made available. The only people that want us to stay alive and suffer are those who make money from our misery, e.g., psychotherapists, psychiatrists, gun manufacturers, drug manufacturers.

 

[Gs172003]

PTSD is nothing to live with, there are no cures. The biochemistry behind the disease is stabilized with...

So you're telling me youve tried every alternative?

This is what makes me so angry about this 'therapy " it's like handing us a gun with a bullet in it "just in case nothing else works" or they just plain out don't want to deal with it.

Yes. It hurts. Yes. It sucks. But it's not all there is. To let a crappy medical system tell you it is? I'm sorry.

 

[Ronin]

There is no cure.

There's no cure for life at large, it's terminal.

Why give up that easily?

PTSD isn't even remotely the worst one could be having. It sucks, but is major manageable.