Reply #39: Depression and disability [View All]

[Kerridwyn]

There is a hell of a lot of difference between "life getting a little tough" and being depressed too, thanks. There are people with full-body paralysis who hate their lives, and who lack the ability to control their destinies, and there are those who do not feel that way, who are given the access to the help they need to be in control, even if it's not the kind of control the able-bodied imagine they could cope with.

Not everyone with depression has access to help and treatment; all too often, the help and treatment offered doesn't work. We could all just shoot ourselves or die horrible deaths from poison, sure. But I find the way you refer to depression here both ignorant and offensive.

Since there are many people with full body paralysis who actually enjoy life and want to live, and there are others who are depressed by their condition and want to end it, would you agree that they should be given help and treatment for their depression?

Would you also agree that if that help and treatment doesn't help, all people who are profoundly miserable and want to die should be given access to simple, painless means? Blowing your head off leaves an awful mess for your family, or some other poor sucker, to find and clean up, after all.