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Physician-assisted suicide, also known as aid-in-dying or simply “assisted suicide,” is a decision made in collaboration with a medical professional to deliberately end one’s life. Most cases of assisted suicide involve a serious terminal illness, in which an individual is suffering immensely and/or has only a short time to live.

The practice is legal in some countries (and some U.S. states) only under certain circumstances. In these locations and elsewhere, however, it remains the subject of intense debate. Helping a person die by suicide, outside of a medical setting, is generally considered a crime, and some opponents of physician-assisted suicide have argued that the same principles should apply and that helping someone end their life is an affront to our moral responsibilities to one another. On the other hand, proponents of assisted suicide argue that forcing an individual (and their loved ones) to suffer serious pain with no hope of recovery is cruel. They also argue that—as with any other serious decision—each person should be granted the autonomy to make their own choices and end their life on their own terms.

For immediate help in the U.S., 24/7: Call 988 or go to 988lifeline.org. Outside of the U.S., visit the International Resources page for suicide hotlines in your country. To find a therapist near you, see the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Understanding the Assisted Suicide Debate

Whether someone has an ethical duty to speed the death of someone who is in terrible, incurable pain, or whether doing so would be morally objectionable, has been debated for centuries. But the modern assisted suicide debate, which questions whether doctors should be legally allowed to help terminally ill patients end their lives, dates approximately to the early 20th century. The debate, and legal action for or against assisted suicide, gained steam in the 1990s and early 2000s, and continues to this day.

What are the arguments for and against assisted suicide?

Those who argue in favor of assisted suicide often base their arguments on the principles of autonomy and “death with dignity.” They argue that individuals who are suffering should have the right to choose how much pain they will endure—and for how long—and end their life on their own terms when the costs of staying alive outweigh the benefits. They argue that, when applied judiciously and empathetically, assisted suicide can be a relief both for the terminally ill individual and for their loved ones, who often bear a significant burden as they try to care for the terminally ill person in his or her final days.

On the other hand, opponents of assisted suicide often argue that the practice devalues human life and that no one should actively seek to die; some make this argument for religious reasons, though not all do. Those who are skeptical of the practice also argue that physician-assisted suicide may be a mistake in cases of human error or random luck. Someone who is told they have six months to live, for example, may have received an inaccurate prognosis and end up living several more years; in rare cases, the terminal illness in question enters an improbable remission.

Some opponents of assisted suicide suggest that patients might refuse potentially life-saving treatments and opt for assisted suicide out of fear of looking like a “burden,” not because they truly desire to die; others fear that many terminally ill individuals will be pressured into assisted suicide by caretakers or others, or may only wish to die due to depression or another mental illness that may respond to treatment.

Both arguments have merit, and experts and laypeople will likely continue to debate the ethical, legal, and moral implications of assisted suicide for years to come. In many cases, someone’s personal feelings about assisted suicide are informed by their own experiences with death and illness.

What is the difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia?

The words "assisted suicide" and "euthanasia" are often used interchangeably, though their definitions vary slightly. 

"Assisted suicide" typically means that a doctor will assist a patient in obtaining the means of dying, but will not personally administer them. A doctor may, for example, prescribe a patient end-of-life medications, but would then leave it to the patient whether or not to take them; some patients who receive such medications ultimately decide not to follow through.

The term “euthanasia,” by contrast, most often refers to someone intentionally and directly ending someone’s life to spare them from pain and suffering—by, for example, personally injecting them with life-ending drugs. “Pulling the plug” on someone on life support, while technically a kind of euthanasia, is allowable in many countries—but “active” euthanasia, in which a deliberate intervention is undertaken to end someone’s life, is illegal in the vast majority of places, even many that allow physician-assisted suicide.

Making the Decision to Pursue Assisted Suicide

No one considers assisted suicide lightly. Anyone who even entertains the idea is likely facing an incurable illness, unbearable pain, or a looming loss of functioning that they find unlivable. Still, even then, deciding whether or not to formally pursue assisted suicide can be a difficult choice, and it's imperative that significant thought be given before any choice is made—often with the help of a therapist, other medical professionals, and close loved ones. Deciding to pursue assisted suicide is not without its challenges, but because of the legal and psychological safeguards in place, someone who is seeking physician-assisted death will hopefully feel confident that they are making the best choice for themselves and their family.

Why might someone consider assisted suicide?

The vast majority of individuals who consider assisted suicide often report that despite the hand they were dealt, they wish to retain at least some degree of control over their life. By controlling the manner and timing of their death, they assert, they are better able to make peace with their own mortality and mentally prepare for the end of their life. Many are in serious, near-constant physical pain or have burdensome medical needs; in most cases, the individual feels that their quality of life has deteriorated to such a degree that hastening death would be preferable to prolonging life.

Though evidence suggests that few who pursue assisted suicide are directly motivated by financial concerns or of feeling like a “burden” to their families, many cite their loved ones’ emotional well-being as a prime motivator for their pursuit of aid in dying. Ending their life on their own terms and with advanced notice, they reason, would help their loved ones prepare for and make sense of the death; research suggests that this prediction is often correct.

I am terminally ill. Am I qualified for assisted suicide?

In order to qualify for assisted suicide, most localities require that an individual be over 18 (in some places, 16), mentally competent, and diagnosed with a terminal illness that is strongly predicted to take their life in a short period of time. Anyone who lives in a country or state in which assisted suicide is legal should reach out to their doctor to discuss their options and get more information. 

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