Assisted Suicide and Tinnitus

Hello,

I am French and I ask you to forgive my bad language.

I am 25 and I research information on assisted suicide for people with tinnitus.

In France the subject is taboo because we are a country quite backward.

Otorhinolaryngologists do not even know the anti-epileptics or any medication mentioned on this site. Yet I had the opportunity to try a lot of things by improvising alone. Gabapentin, Clonazepam, Alprazolam, Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, Flunarizine.

Nothing worked or accidents caused new aggravations. I would have liked to know if an American on the forum could freely discuss these subjects in the US without prejudice?

In France no site has the right to talk about suicide or even euthanasia. In the United States there are sites that give advice, speak freely about this subject but I wanted to know if American Internet users had information on the procedures of assisted suicide in America or in the rest of the world.

Cordially

 

Please seek counseling as soon as possible.

 

You really need to seek help. I understand this noise is awful and none of us want to live with it but you must. Sometimes medication can take time to help and therapy along with it would be more beneficial.

 

If you can't answer his question, don't answer it at all. There is nothing worse than looking for information about suicide only have do-gooders butt in with their uninvited advice.

 

It's a sensitive topic and even here in America you will find a lot of people trying to dodge the question or steer you away from "the big S" at all costs, sometimes not even listening to what you have to say.
What I've learned about assisted suicide is that there are a few states in the US that will support it, but it's not obvious to me that a tinnitus diagnosis will qualify for it.
Some of us here are aware of Gaby Olthuis from the Netherlands, who had the support she needed to go through with it, so it's obviously possible at least in the Netherlands.

There is no cure and no treatment that works for everyone, but one thing we do know is that some things work for some people (scientific publications are available for your perusal), and research is making progress towards either a cure or some way to manage the symptoms better.

Why don't you tell us your story and how you got to this point?

A bientôt!

 

Well it's our instinct to help another fellow human being and convince him not to kill himself.

 

The question was if Americans could talk about or had information about assisted suicide. We can talk about it and there is information about it online, but ultimately it's physician assisted so it's best discussed with a physician. And it's not legal in every state nor is it legal for every condition. Guidelines in the six US states that allow it are that the condition must be terminal.

 

The best way to help is to listen to what he is asking us for. He is looking for suggestions for a painless and reliable suicide. He did NOT ask for our help to get him to appreciate life again. He is an adult. He has had T for over 6 years now.

How is this different from a person asking for a weight-loss methods, and instead of that getting recipes and suggestions to keep eating tasty food?

 

A documentary about Gaby Olthuis, a T sufferer who got her doctors to help her with her suicide

"I have tinnitus and I want to die"

 

They asked about assisted suicide. The way to do that is to speak with a physician in a country or state where it is legal. I don't think any of us here are physicians who have been involved in that process.

And the clinic who assisted her was later criticized and told that Gaby Olthuis should have undergone further psychiatric testing.

She had severe hyperacusis in addition to tinnitus.

 

@Ubiquiste Qu'est ce que vous voulez savoir? Je ne suis pas Américain, Canadien (Quebecois), mais peut être je peut vous aidez. Vous pouvez m'envoyez un PM si vous voulez.

Edit: PM si t'a besoin d'aide et a parlez a quelqu'un. Acouphène est difficile mais c'est possible d'avoir une bonne vie avec.

 

This is not appropriate for a support section. I remember being brand new to T and being terrified by horror stories on here. If you are reading this, and are scared by it, please know that there IS hope. This is a support forum, not a suicide forum, and we should really be more aware of that. To the OP, please reach out to someone on here (me if you want) and get in touch with your GP ASAP and tell him/her exactly how you feel.

 

Maybe don't read the horror stories if you are scared that easily, I don't know, just an idea.

Horror stories are a part of illness and of life, might as well face it rather than hide from it.

Sorry to say, things can get shitty. We shouldn't be pushing people into isolation because we are scared and don't like to hear scary things. Everyone should feel free to share here publicly and not be shamed, judged or told what they have to say is "not appropriate" that would be true support IMO.

 

Why the passive aggression?

 

@Ubiquiste isn't asking where they can buy Nembutal in the black market, which between hanging or jumping is more effective, and how they can hire a hitman to kill them.

What they are asking is if there's a legal way to do this in the United States, like via assisted suicide, for which one has to undergo a long and complicated process before getting the go signal -- if they get it. To be willing to undergo such a process means one is already resolute and is ready to justify their choice. It's a far cry from being an impulsive decision.

I think it's better that @Ubiquiste is exploring this option because if they're aren't as decided as they thought themselves to be, they can back out during the process which I read can take years.

I also think this is a legitimate question, even if there is no solid answer for it. [Edit: The solid answer is no according to @Tinker Bell.]

@Telis is right. We can all pretend people don't resort to killing themselves over ear issues but the fact is that they do. Things can get so bad that there are those who'd choose death. If this side of reality bothers you, just avoid it instead of telling people not to talk about it, specifically people willing to find legal ways.

 

I completely agree with your post Paul !!!

This woman needed continued intensive psychiatric treatment and apparently did not receive it. Oh great: she successfully kills herself and then... possibly in the very near future some treatment/cure/whatever is discovered but noooooooooooo.... it's too late for her ... and her children are without a mother and she's without her Life. I am surprised at some of the members here... almost pardoning assisted suicide rather than "supporting" others who are suffering here. Hey, perhaps I am mistaken but I thought that was the purpose for all of us here banded together???

It's very easy to advocate suicide if YOU are not the one considering it and some here become very annoyed with those who are against this option. I would like to see those who espouse it even remotely consider doing away with themselves in a serious way. I very much doubt they would! Oh... it's easy to say in this forum that they are considering suicide BUT... given the chance.. how many would actually proceed? I think very few in fact. If people who have unfortunate lives wanted to end it all the population would decrease dramatically. The teenager who is bullied, the person who suffers from malformed body parts, the person with low self-esteem who keeps on being rejected.... the list goes on and on. Of course, tinnitus is an entirely different malady but what about support and compassion and trying to help a sufferer? There are many here who have horrendous tinnitus by their own admission and suicide is furthest from their mind.

Not that this may be pertinent but take Stephen Hawking.... he is literally entombed in his own body and yet... he struggles to live. He was told he would die at about age 25 and he is about 70 years old now. He has 3 children and more importantly... he still maintains a zest for Life .. he wants to live because he feels he can still contribute and his Life aint easy !

 

There is a solid answer to this: no, assisted suicide for tinnitus is not legal in the U.S. Physician assisted suicide is only legal in six states and Washington D.C. Individuals petitioning for assisted suicide must have a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live -- thus the request process actually does not take long because of the limited time the patient has left. Individual state laws have further guidelines dictating the request process as well as the method. And you must be a resident of the state, meaning you could not travel from another country simply for this one purpose. You would need to establish residency in that state before the request process could begin, and there are several items required as proof of residency including tax returns, state issued ID, or a voter registration card. You would also need to prove mental competency and possibly be evaluated for mental illness and depression.

I'm not uncomfortable discussing physician assisted suicide. Having seen loved ones die from terminal illnesses, I think death with dignity laws are needed in more states. I also think current state laws leave little room for interpretation regarding what qualifies for assisted suicide.

 

Thanks @Tinker Bell. I'm not from the US, I'm not familiar with your laws.

Seems like Dignitas in Switzerland is one of the few options OP has left but I heard it's hella expensive and the process is long to ensure patients are making sound decisions for themselves alone.

 

She knew about this possibility. She also knew about how torturous T felt to her. She used all of that knowledge to make her decision.

 

T is tortuous, that is for sure. More so for some than others.

I think what "noobs" to this site need to see is that just because someone else's T was so bad that they felt the need to end their life, doesn't mean that their T will be that bad, and if it is, they don't HAVE to make the same choice. Some of my friends decided to join the Marines right out of High School, a life-altering decision for sure. I am not wired they are, mentally, so I couldn't imagine doing that.

People are different, even when presented with the same scenarios.

 

The author of this thread is not a newbie. He has struggled with T for over 5 years...

 

I didn't say the author of this thread was a newbie. Bill, I realize you are on quite the suicide-kick right now, but PLEASE give an honest reading of my postings before attempting to correct me.

If you read what I wrote, I wrote that clearly some people choose to end their lives because of T. I don't look to silence these people, but rather add some perspective for newcomers to the site who may be looking for "support" in the "support" forum.

 

I wasn't questioning your post. I agree - T gets better. I think one ought to wait at least a year or two before considering suicide. This is because the T that a newbie hears in the early stages is unlikely to be the T that he or she will end up being stuck with (assuming it doesn't resolve itself). I was just pointing out that your post won't help the author of this thread.

I am not on a suicide-kick. I have always (even before the onset of my T) wanted the government to treat me and others as free adults and to provide us with an option for a doctor-assisted suicide (even when we are completely healthy).

 

Oh I know my post doesn't help the OP. This thread has been derailed already. But hopefully, my post will help a new lurker who may just have searched the forum for the keyword "suicide".

 

Great analogy!

 

Dignitas doesn't help tinnitus people with assisted suicide.

Dear Mr Davidson

Thank you for your e-mail and your interest in Dignitas. Attached please find our brochure as a pdf-file. Please read it carefully, thank you.

You can find the pre-requisites for an assisted suicide on page 6 of the attached brochure.

Please, be aware that with the only diagnosis “Tinnitus” you might not get the provisional Green Light for an assisted suicide. Even if we can understand that this is unbearable; we never find a doctor who prescribes the lethal medication for a patient who “just” has as diagnosis Tinnitus. Sorry, we are being honest with you.

Yours sincerely

----------------------------------------

Dignitas

 

Euthanasia is legal in Netherlands and Belgium at least. + Assisted suicide in Switzerland, run by private associations.

We are in 2017, I can't believe some people still approach this matter with "good or bad" arguments and just judge. All the time, they judge. Choosing our own death when facing an unbearable condition belongs to human rights.

And what do you think ? If the OP needs answers about that, he will find them, it's all on Google. He needs to understand what his options are. Only then he can decide if he wants to die or not. Most people who read about assisted suicide will never do it, it's just a necessary step sometimes to go on and start coping.

 

Do you have some stories to back up that statement? Not that i don't believe you, but after researching and reading ALOT about tinnitus online, it seems tinnitus mostly stays the same. Rarely have i heard of T diminishing or changing to the better.

 

On the contrary. Tinnitus can improve a lot by this I mean one's perception of it. In some cases tinnitus can reduce to such a low level a person isn't aware of it for most of the time. It has been known to go away completely. Many things can cause tinnitus. It comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. I have corresponded with many people with tinnitus over the years and counselled them.

Michael

 

This is based on me reading about experiences of others on this forum and on private conversations. I would say that I rarely heard of it Not diminishing or changing for the better.

In any case, I just created a poll
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/did-the-severity-of-your-t-change-over-time.22707/
Note that this poll will likely be biased (people who get better are less likely to continue coming here on a regular basis).