After watching Manic yesterday I couldn't help but think about how controlling one's environment and actions is so crucial to leading a functional life. And, since the movie revolved around the lives of a couple suicidal manic depressives, I decided to look up some more information on that. I stumbled upon this article via Psychology Today discussing the illusions of control and suicide. Ira Rosofsky, PhD, has had years of experience working with the elderly (nursing homes/assisted living), and his article talks about systemic policies that address this issue with suicide, control and the elderly. Rosofsky first highlights some normal thought processes of suicidal individuals, and how committing suicide is the last successful and controllable act in which one can engage. He writes, "If I were to develop a theory of self-esteem, I'd put control or mastery on the top of the list." Exerting control over any situation determines that individual has gained some sense self-esteem, because that controlled behavior encourages high self-efficacy.
In the article, Rosofsky describes a piece of legislature that the state of Oregon enacted back in 1997: the Death with Dignity Act. Basically, this law gives physicians the legal rights to prescribe a patient with a lethal dose of medication to be taken privately in his or her home. This law, however, is only limited to those who are terminally ill. With the indirect assistance of a physician, terminally ill individuals have a choice to commit suicide if they so choose. Fortunately, people aren't necessarily abusing this "privilege". From when the law passed in 1997 up until 2009 - when this article was published - 292 patients have jumped on the assisted suicide bandwagon. Roughly 24 people each year have taken that route. According to U.S. suicide statistics from suicide.org, a grand total of 30,622 individuals committed suicide in 2001 alone. Among that total, 5,393 of those suicides were from the elderly (65+ years old). That 292-suicide rate over a 12-year period pales in comparison to that one-year statistic of over 5,000 elderly suicides. What's even more paradoxically reassuring is that those who decided upon the physician assisted suicide died in a stable, controlled environment, many times with their loved ones around and aware of the situation.
Rosofsky later posits, "People like the reassurance of knowing they can do it, even if they never pull the trigger." For many terminally ill patients, their living conditions are much less than comfortable and satisfactory (in terms of constant pain), so being dead is the next successive step toward happiness. I know that sounds incredibly morbid, but the large corpora of suicide research suggests that notion. Finally, Reeve (2009, p. 242) states, "Mastery beliefs reflect the extent of perceived control one has over attaining desirable outcomes and preventing aversive ones." In the case of terminally ill or irreparably depressed persons, suicide is his or her desired outcome, and living such a painful life is clearly the aversive one.
I am going to pull a question directly from the article that Rosofsky poses as food for thought: "People who have had every treatment imaginable - pills, psychotherapy, electric shock therapy - and want to end their suffering. Who am I to say no to them? To request them to spend some weeks, months, years talking to me instead?
In the article, Rosofsky describes a piece of legislature that the state of Oregon enacted back in 1997: the Death with Dignity Act. Basically, this law gives physicians the legal rights to prescribe a patient with a lethal dose of medication to be taken privately in his or her home. This law, however, is only limited to those who are terminally ill. With the indirect assistance of a physician, terminally ill individuals have a choice to commit suicide if they so choose. Fortunately, people aren't necessarily abusing this "privilege". From when the law passed in 1997 up until 2009 - when this article was published - 292 patients have jumped on the assisted suicide bandwagon. Roughly 24 people each year have taken that route. According to U.S. suicide statistics from suicide.org, a grand total of 30,622 individuals committed suicide in 2001 alone. Among that total, 5,393 of those suicides were from the elderly (65+ years old). That 292-suicide rate over a 12-year period pales in comparison to that one-year statistic of over 5,000 elderly suicides. What's even more paradoxically reassuring is that those who decided upon the physician assisted suicide died in a stable, controlled environment, many times with their loved ones around and aware of the situation.
Rosofsky later posits, "People like the reassurance of knowing they can do it, even if they never pull the trigger." For many terminally ill patients, their living conditions are much less than comfortable and satisfactory (in terms of constant pain), so being dead is the next successive step toward happiness. I know that sounds incredibly morbid, but the large corpora of suicide research suggests that notion. Finally, Reeve (2009, p. 242) states, "Mastery beliefs reflect the extent of perceived control one has over attaining desirable outcomes and preventing aversive ones." In the case of terminally ill or irreparably depressed persons, suicide is his or her desired outcome, and living such a painful life is clearly the aversive one.
I am going to pull a question directly from the article that Rosofsky poses as food for thought: "People who have had every treatment imaginable - pills, psychotherapy, electric shock therapy - and want to end their suffering. Who am I to say no to them? To request them to spend some weeks, months, years talking to me instead?
Depression is a very common thing. Most people experience episodes of depression during their lives. Having bouts of depression is not a bad thing as long as the depression is short term and does not take over one’s life. There are different kinds of depression, with some being worse than others. For example, the two most common forms of depression are major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder. I have talked about depression in a number of my classes and I have learned that most people don’t commit suicide in the winter, but in the spring. The reason for this is because when a person is severely depressed, they don’t have the energy to commit suicide. When things start to get better is when they actually commit suicide. This is something that surprised me when I learned about it. If people realize that they are depressed and get help for it then they will be less likely to commit suicide. Something that I could not find information on is what motivates some people to seek treatment and not others? That is one reason why is relates to motivation and emotion. Another reason is how people’s emotions differ. When a woman has depression her emotions are different than when a man had depression.
The post talked about assisted suicide, which is only available in Washington, Montana and Organ. Assisted suicide and Dr. Kevorkian tend to go together. Dr. Kevorkian assisted at least 130 patients die, which is illegal. Kevorkian was tried and sentence for assisting patients with their death. This website gives a brief overview of Dr. Kevorkian and his life. Since these three states have allowed assisted suicide, there are only a few people who have taken that leap. I believe that just having the choice and giving them a little control over their life and illness makes them feel better and therefore they choose not to end their life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kevorkian
This is a great website information about depression:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-index.shtml
Euthanasia has long since been a heated topic up for debate. The most notable and prominent figure that comes to mind as the poster above me has pointed out is Dr. Kevorkian. Although he went about his work in an unfacilitated manner I don't think he was incorrect or immoral in providing these elderly individuals with the means to an end; which was accepted by the individual. For some reason as I was reading this article (I am an activist for euthanasia) I was struck with a sense of morbidity when elderly or terminally ill were used congruently with suicide. But as the article states the fact that the individuals knowingly have the option; whether they choose to or not, is still comforting knowing there is an end if they choose so. The word "reassurance" is used in the article and I can see how the presentable option alone can relieve some of the doubt, stress, and pain that accompanies one in a terminal position. This post doesn't necessarily contribute assisted suicide to depression which opens up a whole new issue that I believe will never be seen. Personally I feel assisted suicide should be very limited and very controlled. It'd be too easy to give anyone in a lowered-state the option to commit suicide. Patients diagnosed with depression shouldn't even be propositioned with the notion of suicide. As long as "controlled suicide" is regulated promptly I'll be in support.