Suicide Attempts: A Cry for Help

The following article is based on the article by Pat McGeehan that was published by the Fayette Tribune on October 10, 2024.

Vote YES on West Virginia Amendment 1 for protection from assisted suicide (Link).

For every suicide in our country, there are an estimated 25 non-fatal suicide attempts. Most people who survive a suicide attempt do not try to take their lives again: “nine out of ten people who attempt suicide and survive will not go on to die by suicide at a later date.”

Suicide attempts aren’t always about seeking death—they often express deep misery and are a cry for help. People who attempt suicide are usually looking for an end to their suffering, shame, and depression—not life itself. These attempts often prompt the intervention of loved ones and the medical community, and in the majority of cases, life, not death, is the final outcome.

 
Assisted Suicide: A Misleading Assumption

It is a mistake to think that a request for medically-assisted suicide is different from other suicide attempts. When a loved one expresses suicidal thoughts, we are advised to restrict their access to lethal means, like medication or firearms. However, in places like California, if someone opts for medically-assisted suicide, a highly lethal cocktail of poisons, sedatives, and painkillers (DDMA or DDMP) is mailed directly to their home.

Unlike other suicides—where the person is clearly torn between life and death—medically-assisted suicide is often assumed to be a rational, unchanging decision. This is a dangerous assumption.

Michael Freeland’s Story

Consider the case of Michael Freeland, as recorded by the National Council on Disability. At age 62, with a 43-year history of depression and suicide attempts, Michael was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He requested assisted suicide, and Dr. Peter Reagan, an advocate for Compassion & Choices, prescribed him lethal drugs. However, Michael later reached out to Physicians for Compassionate Care (PCC), who provided emotional support and medical care. With this help, his cancer symptoms improved, and he reconciled with his estranged daughter. Ultimately, Michael lived two more years and died naturally—having abandoned his wish for assisted suicide.

A Missed Opportunity for Intervention

Michael’s story shows that medically-assisted suicide, like other suicide attempts, stems from an ambivalent desire. In his case, support from friends and caregivers led him to choose life. But what if his desire to live had surfaced only after taking the lethal pills?

In states where assisted suicide is legal, there is no opportunity for a life-affirming intervention. The drugs used are designed to be maximally lethal, ensuring that survival isn’t an option. Assisted suicide becomes an irreversible decision with only one outcome: death.

Ignoring Underlying Causes of Despair

Proponents of assisted suicide often believe it is a clear-headed choice, but they fail to acknowledge the underlying hopelessness and neglect that drive many of these requests. In Oregon, for example, the time between a patient’s first request for assisted suicide and their death has shrunk significantly, from 18 weeks in 2010 to just five weeks in 2022. Only 1% of patients are referred for psychiatric evaluation, even though depression is a common factor in suicide.

West Virginia: A State of Hope

Here in West Virginia, when someone expresses a desire to end their life, we don’t ignore the cry for help by handing them lethal drugs. Instead, we offer support. Our doctors do not respond to despair by recommending death. This is a trust that we must protect.

Without rejecting medically-assisted suicide, we could follow Canada’s path, where it is now the fifth leading cause of death. That’s why it is crucial to vote for Amendment One this November. It will protect West Virginia from medically-assisted suicide and uphold our commitment to suicide prevention. It sends a message that our state values hope over despair.