Someone I know has a severe degenerative neurological disease. "Bob" says that he no longer wishes to remain alive and prays for death every night (he is a professed Christian). He has suffered many devastating losses--mobility, job, friends, cognitive function (memory, clear speech, confusion, etc.), sexual function, among other things. He is still a middle aged man and this disease probably will not kill him. He understands that he is depressed, but does not "believe" in therapy or counseling ("it's all bullsh*t"). Every day is a formidable struggle for Bob--just getting out of bed and into the bathroom takes enormous energy and concentration--he states that "this is not living--this is hell." Don't spout platitudes or try to tell him to "have a better attitude." He will rip your throat out! He believes that if anyone would spend 24 hours in his mind/body, they, too, would prefer death. What would you say to Bob?
2006-09-06 16:38:39 · 10 answers · asked by hopefulmaiden 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I had a friend who was shot 13 times in the back by and exgirlfriends new boyfriend and lost use of his entire body form the neck down. Before that he was active, blue collar worker, loved to play sports, and ran every morning. He told me he wanted to die so bad. He said after he became that way he felt he had no purpose in life. What was he good for? He said he cried every night for two years? He felt even worse because he couldn't even KILL HIMSELF. He said when he came to the point of losing his mind. He started just having different thoughts. He said he couldn't explain it if he wanted to. For the next three years he read and read and read and he studied pscychology and people, places things and he was he became a whole new and different person. He worked as a pychologist after he got a degree from distance learning and personal tutors at a local university. He was was like the eptimy of wisdom and knowledge. He was very good at what he did. He made notes with a computer board, and had mouth controls on his wheelchair. He helped a lot of people in his life and he became even more important then before because he helped so many lives. He even got married and his wife was great. A good person and pretty and smart too. She loved his mind, it was like she didn't even know there was something wrong with him. They were happy and his life was even better then he could imagine. He died about a year ago, but he lived a good life. He made something good come from a tradgey. And you could tell the love, inspiration and appreciation that came from his life at his funeral. He use to tell me all the time "You can't fight life. Because even when you think your life gone it still keeps coming at you no matter how mcuh you fight it. You make a compromise with life and say 'life what you got for me let me see what I can do' or keep fighting life and let it push you into a harder, lonlier, and sadder existence" He had a great life.
Maybe your friend just hasn't gotten to that point where he can stand up to life and he has to find that path on his own. Nobody can make you happy unless you want to be. No one can know how you feel and when you can "have a better attitude." He has his own path to follow and you can't change it. You don't know what he's going to do or which path he chooses to take all you can do is be there as a friend. Because no matter how hard yoou try it may not be your path in life to fix him or try to give him the right answers to his path life. Just be his friend like you always have and treat him like you always do. He'll either fight life or live it.
2006-09-06 17:16:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
sorry about this friend, but if it were myself, i would probably feel the same way, and would not have the desire to live neither. if he has a degenerative neurological disease, it will only continue to get worse, right? i think the counseling and therapy would only be to try to get is mind well, to deal with his problem. that stinks, i don't know what i would say in that situation.sorry!
2006-09-06 16:45:54 · answer #2 · answered by jan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My heart goes out to 'Bob'. His life must be a living hell. But if I was paralyzed from the waste down I think that I could make the adjustment. But from the neck down I would definitely want to die.
2006-09-06 16:41:34 · answer #3 · answered by Janet lw 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would probably feel the same way in that situation.
He is going to have to live with his condition. I would ask him if there was something that he wanted to do and that he could do? He needs to make the best out of a bad situation.
2006-09-06 17:53:44 · answer #4 · answered by Michael M 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Personally, if I could not care for my own basic needs such as feeding, washing and clothing myself, that's when I would wish to pass on. I think we should have a dignified way to do it as well - if that's our desire.
2006-09-06 16:45:22 · answer #5 · answered by Lake Lover 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Have you seen "Who's life is it anyways?"
Give Bob his rights... if he wants to die, unhook him.
2006-09-06 16:43:28 · answer #6 · answered by Kris 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Give me death.
2006-09-06 16:44:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I FEEL HE SHOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO FACE SUCH PROBLEMS.. COS ITS NOT THE END OF LIFE... JUS A SPEED BREAKER ON THE JOURNEY OF LIFE...
2006-09-06 16:42:44 · answer #8 · answered by amith_bs 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
die now go answer MY question
2006-09-06 16:39:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
WWJD?
2006-09-06 16:40:34 · answer #10 · answered by MPLS NEWBY 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋