Suicide is against the law in the state of Texas. If you attempt suicide it is considered attempted murder, and they could give you the electric chair, or life in prision.

I know it seems I am making a joke, and I am sorry if it offends anyone. But I am not, and I do not wish to offend, but it is just another example of the stupidity of politicians.

well i agree with what people are saying about that depression is treatable but sometimes the person cant even see past the next hour let alone the next week.I lost my friends mom to suicide when i was in the 5th grade.she suffered from horrible deprssion and was even driving 4 hours to seattle twice a week to see a top notch dr.It was very sad

BUT in the last month i have helped her best friend and her kids grieve,heal,pick up pieces....after her husband shot himself in front of her and their oldest daughter.We're not sure why what happened or any of that.We do know there had been some problems they had been working on the week before.It has been one hell of a month as you can imagine and we're all still very angry and hurt that he did this not only to himself but to his family and all his friends.The poor daughter heard a gunshot yesterday and just broke down crying.How could anyone do that to their family if they loved them?so yes i believe suicide is very selfish and you're not thinking about your loved ones.I could go on and on about the after affects i've seen in this last month alone of suicide not even thinking of the rest of these peoples lives.He was only 27...he was a good husband good dad a father figure to my kids a soccer coach and a good friend.It's been a horrible situation

Well, if doctor assisted suicide (with criteria) were set up the way I'd like to see it set up, I can just about guarantee that the woman you just spoke of would actually be saved by such a program.

Although, she may save herself anyway. But with the program she would have help.

One thing that a lot of people don't seem to understand is that proponents of doctor assisted suicide are not saying, "Hey just bring in anyone who wants to die and we'll put them to death without any questions or concern".

I don't think anyone would want to see that kind of totally uncaring type of doctor assisted suicide implemented.

The criteria for a suicide program would be a huge project in and of itself.

I think clearly there would be at least three major divisions.

1. Physical Illness; This would address people who are already diagnosed and known to be suffering from painful or debilitating diseases. They should be able to request euthanasia fairly quickly. The only criteria there should be to determine that they are serious about it, and in sound mind in the sense that they fully understand what it is they are requesting. Another more touching topic in this same area would be to allow relatives or loved ones to make this decision for a totally disabled person. Although, if this were a commonly accepted practice people could have already written or signed papers of their own indicating their wishes should they become unable to communicate this because of illness. I know that I would personally sign such paper. I already wear a medical bracelet that says, “Do Not Revive”. Technically, paramedics and/or doctors are not legally permitted to shock me to try to restart my heart, or to put tubes down my throat to prevent me from suffocating. However, most paramedics I’ve talked to would not respect the bracelet anyway. They would rather spit on my wishes and face the consequences. That attitude seems awfully strange to me. People who have no respect for the wishes of other going around saving lives? That’s almost material for a horror film.

2. Mental Illness; Naturally everyone who requests suicide should be checked for mental illness. This too could be a very touchy loophole because mental illness is itself so ill-defined that in most cases a doctor could claim that there are symptoms for mental illness. But there should be some criteria in place that requires that the mental illness be treatable. If it can’t be treated with success then the person’s request for suicide should still be honored. Perhaps the reason they wish to terminate is because they can’t stand living with their mental illness. This would then be no different than physical illness. A mental illness that cannot be cured or brought under control, is a physical illness of the brain.

3. Emotional duress; This should also be considered as a valid reason for euthanasia. However, the criteria for this condition could be quite lengthy. If a person wants to die because they are under duress, there should be certain things that they must do. And these could even take place over a period of a few months. They should be required to attend certain social events, possibly change their employment, especially if this is a major cause of duress for them. Possibly change living arrangements, etc. In order to qualify for assisted suicide they would need to do certain things over a period of several months. If they have accomplished everything that had been required and they still choose to die at the end of that period then their wish should be granted.

I think these are all quite realistic proposals. No one is suggesting that a distraught person should be able to run to a doctor and be put to death during the office visit.

After all, the OP did suggest (with criteria).



I don’t think she ever meant to suggest that doctors should just grant suicide to anyone who walks in their office and says, “I’ve had it doc, put me to sleep permanently”.

That would be far too easy.

Actually with the right criteria in place. People who are suffering from emotional duress, would most likely be saved by a program like this and never end up dying anyway. The other people who have serious medical or mental problems might actually be far better off being allowed to die peacefully with respect.

Why force people to either live a miserable painful life, or have to take suicide into their own hands? That makes absolutely no sense at all to me.

People need to get over their phobia for death. Death is every bit as much a part of life as birth. It’s a natural thing. Ever living thing dies at some point. If it’s suffering, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, in a constant and never-ending way, then why demand that it remain alive? That’s just nothing more than cruelty being forced upon people who are suffering simply because someone else has a phobia of a perfectly natural part of nature.

Most younger people who would normally commit suicide when in emotional duress would probably benefit by the program I outlined above and this program of doctor assisted ‘suicide’ could actually end up saving lives. Those who are still quite vehement about still wanting to die by the end of the program should be granted their wish with respect. After all, if they went through a few months doing the things that were required of them and they are still determined to die after that, then maybe their request should be taken seriously and respected.

Clearly anyone who does that at least wants to go out with RESPECT, and could hardly be held up as being selfish. If they didn’t care about respect they probably would have just committed suicide themselves anyway, even if the doctor-assisted euthanasia program was legal and available.

Even making such a program available, isn’t going to stop some people from committing spontaneous suicide. But it could actually save some who are wise enough to apply for doctor assisted euthanasia.

The other thing that people will whine about is that they will say that some people will just use the program to get attention. Maybe so. But I ask those people then, “Why is our society so fcked up that people feel a need for attention in the first place?”

If we have a sick society that makes people feel that way then maybe we need to address THAT problem.

Where is your info on that?

I know a bystander or one who knowingly does nothing can be charged, but attempted murder and then the electric chair is downright idiotic.

Ummm, I'm never considered free will as a power to act despite reasons, causes, and rational thinking. As a matter of fact, I'd say it was the opposite. You are allowed (and should!!) to reason, and think things through, and make decisions as best as possible from the knowledge at hand.

Someone telling me I can't do this but can provide no reason, means they are incompetent and don't need to be telling me something. Someone who can tell me why I shouldn't, and give me reasons that allow me to make my decision in my own way are who I would listen to.

I don't always agree depression is treatable. The biggest issue I've found is being drugged out. Who really wants to do that and live their whole life in a fog?

Someone mentioned terminal depression.

The friend who committed suicide at the beginning of the year had been off and on anti-depressants his entire life. In and out of medical facilities, etc. He hated basically living like a mind-numb automaton, and in the end, he didn't want to continue. He called up a couple of friends, said goodbye, and as the one fellow was trying to talk him out of it, and the others were hauling *** over to his place, he blew his brains out with a shotgun.

Everyone agreed he was probably much happier now, then while he was alive.

First off,I was not trying to imply any happyness to topic!But I am with the poster I responded to.Life is horreble for most of us on a regular bases.I also have two family members comit suicide.And have a few friends lose loved ones.
My daughter had a very bad year with depression.Her whole world fell apart in an instant.Thank God we made it through.They have said that people that go through with killing there self,Sometimes have a gene in thair body that allows them to follow through.
Also,If a person has a mind set to comit suicide,There is nothing anyone can do to pervent them from doing it.They will find a way.
I have always said,If we think it was hard on us,I can't even amagine what they were going through.

Thanks for the info, wux, can you point me in the direction of where you found it? As an atheist, I really don't have any religous views on the act, like going to hell or it's a refusal of a gift. But I love to read, so this is just a little of what I found from seperate cultures.

actually i'm gettin a bit uncomfortable wi this thread

I think it is.



Absolutely! I am deeply saddened that we have youth in this country who suffer and sometimes die for lack of medical treatment because its against their parents' beliefs - but I am equally sad that a human being of any age can be court ordered to undergo an undesired treatment. Its just wrong.

As far as the 'right' to suicide, I think there are many different kinds of situations, and I hesitate to generalize, but on the whole I think our culture does not have enough respect for the individual's choice.

I'm open to circumstance-specific objections, but in general I believe if a person really wants to kill themselves, thats up to them.

Fifer - you holding back something? I mean, thats not like you at all, I'm just wondering.

my most recent friend who went by choice of suicide is still a fresh wound...
makes me uncomfortable too.

no, just creeps me out

and what do u mean not like me?!

Exactly! I mean, what about those of us that don't even have any?!"

Why does the topic of suicide cause discomfort?




Where does the discomfort come from?



A person choosing to take their own life, is (from the outside looking in) always reflected back on our perceptions...of where the other person's mind was at, how it impacts on us...and others...


To choose to stop this existance...is often motivated by pain...either physical, mental or spiritual.

I suspect the intense discomfort for those left is based in their own ideas of what they didn't do...an impotence to change the mind of the suided...wrapped up in alsorts of mindsets about religions, the afterlife, the very real shadow of death of this human body that is cast over all of us.

uncomfortable because I miss my friend(s). I know there is peace in where they are, therein lies the only comfort.

I can't remember where I heard this: My high school history teacher expounded this? Or I heard it in a pub? I can't remember.

The only useful answer I can provide at this point is "google it!"

A better subject to read up on would be the letters of Paul. He was a rabid anti-gay advocate. He was quite intolerant. In fact, the hardest part of any translator of the New Testament is to euphemize the word Paul used for gays. Take any translation, and you'll see really funny terms in English that are supposed to be equivalent to the original Greek by Paul, that used the word "arsenokoitei" for men who liked boys.

I can't say what this word means on this topic, but think that "arse" comes from "Arse" in Greek, and "coitus" comes from "koitein". Butt f... that's how it ought to be translated if one was to stick to the strict meaning and flavour of the language.

I beg to differ. Those politicians are not dumb. In fact, they are wise.

Does it matter if the attempted murder was done pre-meditated or as a crime of passion? Does it sway the judgement if the attemping murderer was pre-medicated or he was a passion-fruit full of swelling and throbbing desire?

What's the ruling of the court if the guy has killed himself accidentally? Like the guy who dropped his car keys through the grates of a sewer by the curb, lifted the cover out, bent down and in to pick his keys, got stuck, it started to rain and the culvert filled with water, and he drowned.

Was the fact that his causing his own death was accidental a mitigating circumstance in his sentencing? Or was there an argument that it constituted "manslaughter" (which, etymologically, comes from the word "man's laughter").

Also, were the attorneys of his heirs able to prove in court that the guy did not exercise the proper amount of care and attack his estate before the probate court, on grounds of tort-law? If this indeed got to the courts, then whether or not a posthumous settlement was obtained for the guy before the will was executed, to be paid out of his estate, some monies from the estate would be paid out to the lawyers. This would be a good thing for the heirs in case this reduction on the gross amount of the estate was marginal, but successful in bringing the estate's net value to under $10 million dollars. This would be beneficial for the heirs, since "inheritance tax" would not apply (I.T. only applies to estates that are worth over $10 million.)

Bang, the heirs nearly double their cash income from this move.