[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Would you kill yourself... (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 8/5/2017 5:40:40 PM EDT
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...in old age if you were past an age you saw yourself living when you were younger? Assuming you're having medical problems that may be limiting your quality of life and putting a financial strain on your children?
Odd question, but after reading a few retirement threads and seeing how much wealth can vanish in a few short years and the burden it places on family to care of elderly with a poor quality of life, it really makes me think. What would you do? If yes, what factors would play into it? If no, why not? Btw I'm 28 so don't nobody call the suicide prevention hotline on me 
ETA we can include refusing medical treatment as "killing yourself" in a sense. |
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Neighbors elderly father saw me in the back yard a few weeks back..He knew my father and liked talking to him, so he came over to chat. Don't misinterpret what I am about to say..I like the guy, and have no issue with him..But he's gotta be in his mid 80s at least and is a burping, farting, belching, toothless pants pissing wreck who between farts and belches is telling me how he has lost control of his bladder, has to have his food mashed up for him,etc..etc..
I would not want to place the burden of me being like that and having someone else take care of me..Would I kill myself if I got to that point? No idea if I'd have the balls to do that or not, but I sure as hell hope I am six feet under long before I become a burden to someone else. |
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After seeing bed ridden old people crapping their beds and at the mercy of healthcare staff living how long like that? 1,5,10 years? No thanks. If I see it coming I'll end it on my terms when quality of life reaches an unacceptable situation for me.
I am an advocate for legal doctor assisted suicide. I remember a scene from "Going West" where an old Indian and his wife chose to meet the winter together rather than moving with the rest of the tribe because their season had passed. One last camping trip to the mountains in the winter. |
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lol, no. Â
When I was 25 I never figured I'd make it to 60, but I've recently had that grand experience and somehow I'm still upright, capable and enjoying life. Now, would I kill myself when I'm 85? Â Because I still don't think I'll make it there. Â I'm betting the answer is still gonna be "No". Â I'm not the suicide type. |
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Quoted:
What's amoral about taking your own life? ETA: While we're on the subject, what's amoral about keeping your own life, provided *you're* paying for your own care. Quoted:
Quoted:
40% of GD lacks morals.. ETA: While we're on the subject, what's amoral about keeping your own life, provided *you're* paying for your own care. |
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Having worked as a firefighter/medic for decades I've seen a lot of terrible things. I decided a long time ago that I will not ever be a burden on my children. Nor will I ever rely on another person for my personal care. With that said I ain't killing myself either. I'll figure out a way to remain independent until I die even if it means I have to have an RV dump hook up for my future colostomy and a drive through wash system for my wheelchair. Thank God that there is no family history of debilitating disease like dementia or Alzheimers, that living hell would really screw up my plan.Â
eta Catastrophic illness or injury is of course another thing. I guess I should contact a lawyer and put something in writing. If I can't take care of basics or stay alive under my own power, I want an out. |
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Once my mom passes, all i have left will be my best friend and my God daughter. I would never burden them with caring for me.
So... if i see my health starting to fade and i realize that i can't take care of myself, I'll wait until a fine fall evening as the sun sets and i can smell the smoke from a distant fire, walk out into the yard so i don't make a mess, and put a .38 to the roof of my mouth... Moral? Immoral? Sin? I don't know and i don't care all that much... i won't burden my loved ones, and i don't want to become a wreck of a human being in old age.. |
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After watching my mom go through cancer, treatment and ultimately, her passing, I have decided that there is no way I would go through that.
Sitting around waiting to die in pain is not a road I am going to go down, morphine or not. If I got to that point I would grab a beer and a cigarette (I quit several years ago) and go out to the garage, put some of my favorite music on, start the car and go to sleep. |
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Quoted:
There are some diseases where a quick bullet would be a mercy. Modern medicine does some great things, but there are a lot of conditions that are cared for that just end up torturing the patient. |
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My dad wails see some old codger pulling an o2 tank or on a walker and tell me that he expected me to help him off himself if it came to that, and that I was to remove him from life support if he was vegetative.
He had a massive heart attack and was dead before he hit the floor, just the way he wanted to go. |
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Oh hell fucking yes if I were in pain or about to be, or wasting insane amounts of cash to stsy a few more weeks.
And fuck dying in some hospice bed, riddled with sickness and blasted on dope. Lets just say a case of whisky and a case of dynamite can fix a lot of problems. 
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A lot of men kill themselves. Usually single, no kids or wives or friends or family. Stuck in a low paying hard working job. Probably don't see a point in continuing and just tired of it all. It's one way to retire when you're broke.Â
I think having a good fulfilling career and a family of your own and close friends make you want to keep on living. I mean if I had kids I wouldn't want to die ever. And if I had a rewarding career that I enjoyed doing, then I'd want to keep doing it as long as I could. So I think it depends. Good life? Die of old age. Crappy life? Good chance you might kill yourself at some point if things never improve. Point is you gotta find something worth living for. |
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Fuck yeah...
Every time I walk out if the retirement/nursing home my MIL is in my wife and I turn to each other and affirm... "Fuckin' kill me before I get to this". I mean really... When your entire day revolves around toileting and you don't know where you are or what era it is half the time.... It's time to go. Especially since there's a huge industry in it designed to drain every last penny out of one's estate while you sit around waiting to die. Current bill is about $8k per month, but the diapers are included so we have that going for us.. I'd rather leave my $ to my children so they can use/enjoy it |
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I've always felt like I would check out on my own terms at some point. I don't want to live in the type of condition I've seen loved ones in.
That being said, you would be amazed at the human ability of self-deception even in the worst circumstances. It's heart breaking to see a terminal patient talk about "once they get better". As long as you have hope that things will change, you are gonna have a hard time calling it quits. |
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Quoted:
There are some diseases where a quick bullet would be a mercy. Modern medicine does some great things, but there are a lot of conditions that are cared for that just end up torturing the patient. |
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I may have felt that way when I was a young buck like most of you. I'm 69 now and in relative good health. I have a health directive stating my wishes if I become debilitated due to poor health or medical condition. I don't want to be a burden to my children or my spouse if I am gravely ill. However I can tell you that life becomes dearer as you grow older. When you have grandchildren and great grandchildren there will is a significant longing to be involved in their lives. My unsolicited advice would be to:
1. Take care of yourself both physically and mentally. try to live life to the fullest. 2. Plan financially for retirement and long term care, and end of care. 3. Remain active. Just because you are retired doesn't mean that you retire from life. 4. Let your family know your wishes so they make no mistakes of kindness that would unreasonably extend your life. 5. Leave no financial or personal mess for your family to clean up once your gone. |
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I don't want to spend my final days as I've seen others live. That's just needless suffering.
My grandfather had a stroke, woke up in the hospital, and realized he was partially paralyzed, and would probably never regain his former quality of life. He spent every waking moment trying to kill himself from his hospital bed. Finally jerked himself out of bed and smashed his head on a dresser before falling headfirst on the floor. I don't know if I'd have that strength. |
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My dad did in 05. I'm 42 now with a son of my own, 2 hours ago before this thread I was grillin on the deck wishing he was here to see his grandson. Miss him daily, got the 45 long colt single six in safe he used. Shoot it on his birthday. Will be my sons after he's old enough to hear the story. I still fight with the thought of him sick (cancer), and what condition life for him today would be.
I suppose memories are better of the good times. But INMHO I feel robbed overall. |
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Quoted:
After watching my grandfather pass last year due to issues with Alzheimer's..... Please let me eat a bullet and not put my family through the sadness and financial strain. He lasted roughly 10yrs diagnosed but the last few we're not what I would call living. |