News Doctor-Assisted Death For Those Living With Ptsd

[shimmerz]

It's not sugar coating. I am not going to die on the streets in the freezing cold because someone is going to feel badly that I didn't take my destiny into my own hands. These people have absolutely NO idea what it is like to be me. A productive day is trying to figure out how to stay alive in -30 degree weather. If you want to know how that feels and you are housed properly - try standing outside for the day in -30 (without the wind chill factor) with no cell phone, not a penny to even get on a bus, no place to sit without people 'moving you on'. Trauma, on top of trauma, on top of trauma. No thanks.

And speaking of 'loved ones', in my case, they were nowhere to be found unless they were screaming at me because I wasn't 'trying hard enough'. Didn't even offer up their garages to allow me a tiny bit of shelter. Not once. They wanted their cars warm in the morning.

Perhaps loved one's time would be better spent learning about what it is really like to have PTSD and the thrills that go along with it - like no job, no money, no warm safe place to live, no food, no safe place to sleep. Oh, and wait. While living on the streets there are always the random and vicious physical attacks from others (especially in shelters). THAT has been my reality for the past 10 years. Society has been programmed to see the homeless or ill as losers, deserving of their fate, people who should be ignored and stepped over or better still spit upon.

Fix societal views before anyone bitches and complains at me that I am not trying hard enough. Given the current mandates, I absolutely believe that I should have the choice as to whether I want to live on the streets. It is a torturous existence. I don't want to be homeless, never wanted to be homeless, did everything I could possibly do to try to avoid being homeless.

 

[Gs172003]

It's not sugar coating. I am not going to die on the streets in the freezing cold because someone is...

Im sorry you are going through this. I don't know what it's like in Canada I just know what it's like here. Im sorry nobody will help you. Believe me if I was closer I would offer you a room. If you can get here I can give you somewhere to stay. It's not the best but it is not outside and I can feed you.

I hate that there is not anywhere you can go to be safe and warm. I don't know enough about your area to do research. If you want me to I can but I will need information.

 

[shimmerz]

Thanks Zoogal, I appreciate that. I am now housed for the first time in 10 years. It has been 4 days now. My kids finally cracked and are helping me with rent because there is literally no place to live on the meager social assistance they provide here.

I could argue both ways here, honestly, because where I had lost hope, I now am looking at a much brighter future. I have been working really hard this past year and it is finally paying off. Much of this turn of events has to do with my new meds (MMJ). I have known maybe a handful of people who have been able to dig their way out of our social system, but there are so many more who are literally freezing and dying of starvation or being beaten to death on our streets. For most, there is no faint hope clause to hold onto. It is those people that I am advocating for for choice.

They die alone in poverty and in great pain. And truthfully, there is no province in Canada where one can get away from the cold. Our government knows that and are choosing to victimize these people even more by waging a war against the poor people saying that because they are mentally ill, they WANT to be in this position, which is such bullshit.

It is so incredibly painful to know. It was so much easier when I was ignorant to the very system that I supported with my tax dollars. I am ashamed of myself for not having seen this sooner.

Thank you for your kindness. I know not many people know where I have been and what I have seen. It hurts my heart more than I can find the words to express....

And yes, many of our points of view differ from country to country, province or state to province or state and even city to city and region to region. I think that that may well be why these types of post have such varying views. I appreciate your kindness in your offer - I have a year to fix this and then will be staring down the barrel of homelessness again. I have every intention of advocating for these people - not so they can die - not so that they want to die - but so people (normal folks) pressure the government to change things.

I am currently on 3 committees for those with 'lived experience'. One of those committees is working on a 'mental health hub' brick and mortar alternative to a hospital. I think it is a great plan. Keep these poor people out of the hospital if possible.

I am working towards helping those who need help for PTSD/homelessness with 3 other agencies here. I am educating those in need through yet another agency. I absolutely will not sit back and continue to watch people be driven to want to die, but I completely understand it. Feel it.

My voice is loud, my experience is like a horror flick called the NeverEndingStory, and I am passionate about effecting change so others don't have to go through what I have. I am sick of all of this.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

The state should not be investing in death. They should be invested in help and health

^^^^^^^ THIS! THIS! THIS!

In a very small area in America there is a tiny home villiage for the homeless. They work there, taking care of the place, must be clean of drugs and under a lot of rules, and participate in learning to work for a living and are there, for free other then giving up time to work there until they get on their feet but why in the hell pay a doctor to kill these people when there are answers like that? Why not invest money in warm homes, warm food, mental health services? The State has to pay out either way so why not pay out to help rather then to kill? Fix the health care system but in the meantime, make mental health easier to obtain and even free for the homeless. Spend money doing that rather then paying doctors to kill people.

In my opinion, unless the person is already dying in a very horrible way (termal illness) there is zero reason to assit in suicide and even then I think its dangerously close to crossing the line.

 

[Gs172003]

Thanks Zoogal, I appreciate that. I am now housed for the first time in 10 years. It has been 4 days...

I work with a guy that was homeless and living in a shelter.He lost his home when his mom died and the nursing home took their house to pay the rest of what they owed. In his experience nobody wanted to get out of it except him. I offered him a room but he turned me down. He wanted to do it himself.
Quite a few homeless here are opiate addicts. It makes it so hard to know who to help and who not. I wish I had answers I really did.

^^^^^^^ THIS! THIS! THIS!

In a very small area in America there is a tiny home vill...

This.

Thanks Zoogal, I appreciate that. I am now housed for the first time in 10 years. It has been 4 days...

I think it's pretty awesome that you are becoming part of the solution. Thank God youre still here to be able to do all this for so many! Your story though hard to see is also inspiring. Your taking something bad and making something good out of it.

 

[scout86]

And speaking of 'loved ones', in my case, they were nowhere to be found

"Loved ones" is probably looking at it from the wrong angle. You may love those people, but, to me, they clearly don't love you. Although they may think they do. The people who truly care about you will do what they can and will feel they failed you if you kill yourself. (I suppose that's a little harsh. There ARE people who believe in "tough love" and all that. They may be misguided, more than anything else.)

There's probably a whole lot wrong with what I'm saying,

Nothing that I can see. Although, I wonder (intellectual curiosity, literally) if that reaction to the nearness of death is always, and for everyone, what you experienced. I knew someone who survived a near drowning. She actually described it as "peaceful" and said that, when the time came for her to die once and for all, she'd be ok with drowning. Not what I'd have expected! And I can't explain it either. Won't even try. I know that my own experiences with close calls (which were all accidental) was that there was always a "I could get killed/Not today" dynamic to it that was kind of amazing. Like, I know I couldn't do some of that stuff again, under more normal circumstances and I have no idea how I did it then.

I think it is good for a society to have a heads up on what is actually driving these people to want to kill themselves.

I agree. But that would mean people would actually have to CARE. And, frankly, a lot of them don't, and I doubt they will. Psychologically, there's actually a comforting aspect of being able to separate themselves from "those people". The world is less scary if you can tell yourself that someone living on the street is there because of something they did or didn't do, and there's no way it could happen to you. I don't think you're going to solve these problems by forcing people to confront their own vulnerability, which is what a direct, frontal assault on the problem does.

Personally, @shimmerz , I think the solution to the problems you're talking about is economic. Society has "evolved" to a point where a few people control most of the resources and many people have trouble acquiring enough resources to get by. And, there's no incentive for the "haves" to share the wealth. But, this is kind of off topic, I guess. It's a problem, but I really fear that, if you allowed for euthanasia to be legal for crazy people, there are those who'd use it with glee for a whole new take on the "war on poverty". I'm not sure I trust government to be able to solve any problems more serious that garbage collecting and sometimes they have trouble with that. Personally, I think the idea of euthanasia for mental illness is the Catch 22 of to qualify you have to be of sound mind, but if you're mentally ill, by definition you aren't that. I can see a place for easing the process of dying. My dad died, slowly and badly, of Parkinson's. If he'd wanted to die faster (he didn't) I could have justified helping him, but death was really and truly his only escape. There was literally no hope. With something like depression, it seems to me there's always hope, even if you can't feel it yourself.

 

[joeylittle]

Although, I wonder (intellectual curiosity, literally) if that reaction to the nearness of death is always, and for everyone, what you experienced.

I do too. And it's wrong to generalize. The only death I've observed as peaceful has come to people who are in certain kinds of full physical shut-down. So, the body aging out, or sometimes, the types that go along with fully altered consciousness.

I knew someone who survived a near drowning. She actually described it as "peaceful" and said that, when the time came for her to die once and for all, she'd be ok with drowning.

Yeah, I've read about that phenomenon. Can happen to freezing people as well. I really don't know if it's an 'all people (say 99%) have this physical reaction to this kind of system shutdown', or if it's more affected by other individualized things. I'm always curious about the science around endorphin production, and what they are biologically there for, for example. I'd be curious how your friend described the 'fight' period, before the 'peace' period - it sounds like there was not much time to the struggle, and I don't know how much duration plays into things, either. Water temperature is a factor too. Age. And, memory. So many aspects to it all.

Personally, I think the idea of euthanasia for mental illness is the Catch 22 of to qualify you have to be of sound mind, but if you're mentally ill, by definition you aren't that.

This is what I was trying to say, but with too many words. Agree fully.

And truthfully, there is no province in Canada where one can get away from the cold.

True point. Makes me want to look at other countries with socialized health and similar ratios of population to national wealth, and see what's different, if anything - just in the specifics of addressing the homeless population. Geography creates a whole category of stressors.

 

[Abstract]

Feelings in the moment? I always suspect part of it is to do with the context or how one perceives it. The brain is a powerful thing and that can result in all sorts. I hope that makes sense. Sure there are various physiological influences too and of course things like pain are relevant.

So glad you for now have a roof over your head Shimmerz. Sorry it got to that point. :(I truly hope something changes for you as sad to see you thinking this way.

 

[shimmerz]

Why not invest money in warm homes, warm food, mental health services?

This is exactly the question I have been asking myself all of these years. And here in Ontario it is because land value is at a premium. So they build 1M+ houses for those who can afford them. It is insane. There are a select few people who are hoping their municipalities build subsidized housing, but most are of the mindset of 'not in my backyard'.

Your taking something bad and making something good out of it.

I have to. Otherwise there has been no meaning to it, you know? I haven't been through all of this just to sit back and watch repeats of Orange is the New Black. I very much appreciate your encouragement. It means a lot to me. Now I am hoping that without the repeated stressor of having no place to live, that I will be able to be an active part of affecting change in a very, very hopelessly broken system that is being presented as progressive.

Psychologically, there's actually a comforting aspect of being able to separate themselves from "those people".

Yes, I agree with that 100%. The thing that gets my goat though is that without proper awareness of the situation the hostilities and apathy is incredibly dysfunctional.

I don't think you're going to solve these problems by forcing people to confront their own vulnerability, which is what a direct, frontal assault on the problem does.

Agreed. I am very open to ideas if you have any. I am in a position right now to present them with people who are decision makers. I am too angry about all of this to be able to see it without losing my shit on people. I guess that is what happens. Maslows needs are in the background a bit now and this anger has welled up. I need to figure out how to properly direct it - in a way that is effective.

I'm not sure I trust government to be able to solve any problems

I agree with you, but I think what I am trying to say, although not very clearly, is that that is happening NOW. Here in Canada anyway. And I expect in the States too. I mean, how the hell do you make homelessness illegal? And how do people fall for that crap? It's brainwashing imho, and I think you are correct - this has a political and economic agenda behind it. So I guess what I am trying to say is that if it is already happening, by kicking people onto the streets who are not able to cope - what is the difference? These people are dying. Or going missing (ask me about the shelter and those beautiful young girls who just 'disappeared'). And the homeless ones aren't being missed.

there are those who'd use it with glee for a whole new take on the "war on poverty".

I am certain that they already do. They just have us believe that homeless people are crazy - when in fact it is the system that is crazy. Mentally ill doesn't necessarily mean that people can't make decisions for themselves. Pretty sure you and I both know that.

something like depression, it seems to me there's always hope, even if you can't feel it yourself.

Yes, agreed. But what I think that people are missing here is that many times along with depression (let's say) comes an inability to work, which leads to an inability to maintain housing, which, if the system is not helpful - there is no hope (here) for anything but a life full of misery and pain.

Makes me want to look at other countries with socialized health and similar ratios of population to national wealth, and see what's different, if anything

Yes. Agreed. It would be very interesting to know.

Thanks all for putting up with my rant. I needed to get this out after this whole shit show which has become my life. And like I said, I was inches away from taking matters into my own hands this year. I was at peace with that. And it sucks that any systemic failure drove me to that. It is not my usual frame of mind. Now? I will just be focused on being pissed off and moving forward.
Thank you all for your patience with me.

 

[Deleted member 541]

Housing here in the states has become so expensive that it’s now forcing people to be homeless. http://247wallst.com/special-report...ty-is-worse-than-you-think-3&utm_campaign=AOL

Right now, I have issues with my new landlord, yet I’m afraid to actually file the complaint I have against them for fear of being homeless. The complaint is with a housing authority, and I’m in the right and landlord is in the wrong. But still, I’m afraid. If I was to become homeless, I’m not sure what action I would take.

@shimmerz I’ve had respect for you, but reading that you’ve been homeless and the shit you’ve been through........ I now have great respect for you. I couldn’t/wouldn’t have survived what you have. I would have chosen suicide, it would have ended all suffering. Honestly, don’t know how in the hell you did survive.......

 

[shimmerz]

Honestly, don’t know how in the hell you did survive.......

Honestly, I ask myself that 100 times a day. Why me? Why was I lucky enough/stupid enough to survive? But here is the thing. Since I have, I am going to make the rest of my days count. Big time.

I totally get what you are saying about filing against the landlord. For me it wouldn't just be that risk, it would be the risk of the LL being pissed at me and making my life misery. This is all just so incredibly disempowering.... and I am so very sorry you are in that position She Cat. Much warmth and strength I am sending your way. Great respect my friend.

 

[Deleted member 541]

@shimmerz Yes, I too worry about the shit that the LL could cause me. I do know 2 very good lawyers and they have always had my back in areas that I’ve needed them before, so, I’m sure that they would be there for me. Just all very scary right now.....