The Last 72

TRIGGER WARNING! THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HERE ARE ABOUT SUICIDE. IF YOU ARE EASILY TRIGGERED, PLEASE DO NOT READ. IN LOCAL AREAS PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DR. OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY HOSPITAL FOR URGENT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.

The following organisations are available 24hours a day:

Samaritans: 116 123

National Suicide Prevention Line: 0800 689 5652

I still haven't figured it out. I still feel rage, anger, frustration, anxiety and suicidal. And not because I'm on some: fuck the world, my life isn't worth living. I saw something I shouldn't have. I read something, I. Cannot. Shake. A sarcophagus pod designed for assisted suicide. There is no way, on God's green Earth that something so negative should ever be posted on a news outlet website! How irresponsible! No trigger warning, no mention of sensitive content. They didn't even bother to safeguard readers. No listing of any organisations or charities to contact in cases of emergencies. It was written so cavalier. Matter of fact. They made it sound: accessible. Easy. Standard procedure. Under NO circumstances should assisted suicide ever be accessible. I know what it's like to lose someone to suicide. I am today years old and still talk to my counsellor about it. I'm still confused. I lack the understanding and cannot comprehend the finality of death. I can never talk to him again. I don't even know where he has gone. Where is his energy? Has it been recycled? I'm still angry at him; rage fills my whole body I feel my jaw clench. Grinding my teeth. Bloody palms.

And here I am, after a socially draining night to read some bullshit about a sarcophagus pod. Designed for assisted suicide. Assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in the U.K., thank the universe. Yet in Switzerland, it's legal with some sketchy grey areas. There are literally opposing schools of thought DEBATING whether this is ethical! I am going to say a hard no in my humble opinion.

Now hear this. Whilst the majority of people would understand there are probably hella hoops to jump through in order to commit suicide. And yes, an emergency button on the pod exists allowing exit if the person changes their mind. But this isn't the point. Like I said, THIS in itself is a triggering read. For anyone that was considering it, have a mental illness. Scratch that. Everyone's mental has taken a knock; no-one is exempt from having some mental health experience these last two years. This pandemic has forced us to evaluate everything we live for and why. What truly makes us happy and what we longer will tolerate, for our own positive mental health. For me, someone who has had suicidal thoughts, and thankfully never acted on them, really disrupt not only my mental health. But piques at my Bipolar. Now, I have the burden of legal assisted suicide in a country less than a 5 hour flight away! We aren't taking about euthanasia because someone has suffered a debilitating illness, and no longer wants to suffer. For which I hold my own personal views about, but yet, understand that more than I do assisted suicide.

The part that infuriates me the most, is the blueprint is planned to be made available, for free, for download for 3D printing. I shit you not! Yes, whilst not all of us have immediate access to a 3D printer. And probably limited access to funds to pay for it or wait the time it takes to print (these being a few of the hurdles). The aim, however, is: to de-medicalise the dying process by removing the psychiatric assessment. To allow individuals to have more control. I can't even comprehend that. Death is a part of life, yes. But we live, we get sick, we seek medical treatment to CONTINUE living! We eat well to improve health; natural medicines help us live. Life is a medical process. We study biology and chemistry to understand how we work and continue living longer! We are getting closer to treating cancers more effectively. We are closer to providing a vaccine for HIV because of the developmental process undertaken to produce the COVID vaccine. That, in turn was designed to minimise people DYING from COVID! HIV has been ravaging underdeveloped countries and stigmatising the LGBTQIA+ community since it was discovered in the 80's. We are on the precipice of a new medical advancement. YET. Dr. Death as he is being called is making it easier for people to have a way out. Ending the potential they could have had. But equally detrimental effects to loved ones and finalising the impact they have had. Don't get me wrong, if someone has the conviction to do something; a strong determination to achieve something, they will. HOWEVER, there are very few things in this world no-one should have help with. Assisted suicide is at the top of the list.