Is refusing treatment considered suicide?

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I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Thankfully i don't have a serious illness but i think i'm kind of a hypochondriac and i'm really scared of going through painful medical procedures. I research a lot of medical stuff and get scared by the possible treatment options, and often think that a painless death would be preferable, especially after my parents die and i'm left alone in the world. But i always feel bad afterwards since in my religion this is considered similar to suicide...
Anyway, i just wanted to ask opinions about this, because no matter how i think about it, a painless death seems better and more humane than the anxiety and pain of medical procedures, especially when you have/had lifelong mental health problems too. What do you think?

I refuse medical treatment, DIY, or source it, independently, as I am in favor of pro-active, moral free agency. I have picked the most favorable choice, as I am not at all passive, nor intent on self harm. Medical treatment is a service, and you refuse all kinds of business, everyday, a matter of self-preservation.

I feel that palliative care, or outright self-neglect are gray areas, because the person is probably, already prone to dying. He is resigned to it, and is just making it as comfortable as possible. There is a phenomenon called suicide happiness, because the person is free of moral duty, or social obligations. Sometimes, the suicidal seem to be content, to all of their closest friends. So, my question is whether you're being responsible. I mean, responsible to yourself. I am not asking as a pedant or elitist.

I would say yes, what you are contemplating is a form of suicide.

If you have some incurable disease which gives you unstoppable, unbareable pain, then ...maybe...suicide might be justifiable. But it would still be suicide. So if your religion forbids then it would your religion would forbid it.

What makes you think you're a hypochondriac.




This passage is not commonly quoted, I think, for obvious reasons --
"It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." -- from Prov 31

What is their responsibility, and what is their religion, if you don't mind discussing those. Also, do your parents happen to be mortally ill, or is it just something you think about.

In other words, are you feeling guilty or depressed, over something, which is not real. Who is refusing a treatment, and for what.

It still doesn't necessarily hurt, to make a plan, in case of emergency, to satisfy the mystery of the unknown. You can know how you would like to handle it. You can know your values, and make peace with those, just in case.

Not really, choosing a path that inevitably leads to death isn't the same thing as actively ending your life.

Further, you're entitled both to refuse any treatment you wish OR to intentionally kill yourself; as a free individual with agency to choose what's best for yourself both are choices that you have the right to make for yourself.

Thank you for the replies and opinions, thankfully i don't have a chronic disease but i'm just scared for my future, I can't see myself going through painful procedures alone when i don't have much to live for. It just seems like it's meaningless pain. I wish there was a certain date for me to die and i'd just reach that time painlessly and peacefully. The fact that i might suffer is so scary.

I tend to research illnesses a lot and also if i might have them, though i'm not sure if it's what hypochondria is.. And thankfully my parents are healthy, but they're getting older and i'm scared of them getting ill, i just want them to pass away painlessly and without any struggle. My religion is islam, although i'm not religious at all, i'm just scared of committing a sin. But i'm also scared that i'll have to endure something i might not be able to endure. I went through a lot in my life and don't want any more pain and struggle..

Hypochondria is when you think you have diseases.

When someone reads about the diseases, and becomes concerned for their health, that is called (informally) cyber-chondria.

A constructive way to not be lonely, to conquer death, dying, and disease, and pursue an academical interest in Islam, is to render medical assistance to the needy. While I am concerned by radicalization, and also the mutilation of women under Islam, it was also very cosmopolitan. Under Islamic names, people have compiled a rich, medical and artistic knowledge and high culture. They are a money interest, associated with classical luxuries as well as modernday, scientific innovation.

However, due to my name and religion, there are cities, where I am not allowed to set foot. It's not a personality conflict, per se.

FGM isn't limited to Islam and the areas where it's practised it tends to be practised by all faith groups. My gf's mother has undergone it, it's typical of Ethiopian Christians.

I see innovations, in Dubai. I am a merchant and have an interest in tech, plants, and religious history. Namely, Oud, Jaffa oranges, Ajwa date, those named in Medieval, medical texts. My family considered occupation, under the Ottomans, to be an auspicious time, in some cases, so have retained their Islamized names.

So, without any social justice warrior-ing, especially when you read that someone is under stress, is the OP obliged to undergo the procedure, because of her academic interest. Or, can she be put-upon in any way.

Some are very dignified. I believe that a level of involvement is possible, but to be attentive to local custom.

One of my genetic tests, puts me within the margin of error, for a Palestinian, the Ishmaelite being my racial brother. I don't ask out of racism.

I am sorry, but apprehensions can be useful, at times. Sometimes, we are apprehensive about something safe. (displacement, projection) It turns out to be something else, that we are not allowed to talk about.

I can see where someone refusing to have an open wound cleaned and bandaged while hoping for gangrene to develop and cause death could be considered suicide, but I have just recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the only "treatment" (yet to begin) for my particular condition cannot accomplish anything greater than possibly (no guarantee) delaying the inevitable...and I have never heard of any religion requiring people to do absolutely anything and everything possible to try to remain alive for yet another day even if that means increased suffering caused as side-effects of whatever might be able to possibly (no guarantee) make that possible.

Many years ago I drove a cab and occasionally transported people to a facility for purification of their blood by dialysis (in place of the normal kidney function they did not have). One man had a long ride each way, and he spoke quite candidly about feeling well only ever third day each week -- two days per week -- while feeling quite ill on all the others either immediately preceding or following dialysis. He occasionally told me he was thinking of just stopping the dialysis altogether and "letting nature take its course"...and there is where I believe everyone is free to have a clear conscience after weighing so-called "quality of life" against the effort and possible suffering required to try to sustain it at all.

I'm very sorry to hear this. i wish you a good, peaceful life no matter what happens. Also thank you so much for your kind comment, it comforts me a lot to think like that. I've also heard a lot about dialysis patients thinking like that too, and it makes sense to me.

I thank you. I have an inner peace that usually does not whine, moan or complain about my various physical discomforts, but that does not mean I am automatically excited about the possibility of a certain medication being "useful" (the doctor's word) when all that is actually going to do is to lengthen the duration of my current suffering. It bothers me greatly that I might never be able to complete some home projects and fulfill promises made to my wife, but I definitely know she definitely understands.

almost through with passing through...

No, as treatment is refused more often than not because prolonged life means extended suffering, and death, regardless of treatment, is the only outcome. The choice of refusing treatment is a logical one, as the alternative is a long, misserable death.

Some people would rather die than seek treatment again. Sometimes it's very painful to go through it all so they choose death. There was a story here in my area about a five yea old girl deciding to not go back to the hospital next time because she didn't want to go through it all again so she decided she would rather go to heaven. That stroke a controversy like the parents had put their kid up to making that decision and manipulating her because they didn't want the burden anymore and other comments were supportive about it and were sympathetic for the parents and how strong they are.

Here is the story right here:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/health/gi ... index.html


And also another thing, you have to be 18 in the state of Oregon to decide on assisted suicide. This girl was 13 years too young to make that choice.

We actually have three unique thoughts going at once here:

1) Declining further treatment (freedom of choice);

2) Refusing further treatment (as if anyone could ever force it even on a child);

3) Assisted suicide (permitted homicide).

So in fact, there is really no such thing as "refusing treatment" in any legal sense (other than possibly in a military setting) even though medical professionals do like to use that expression when treatment is declined. The case of the child is a bit more difficult, however, since governments typically view parents as obligated providers under their (government) control and direction until the child is emancipated into adulthood.

I agree with this too, it seems the more humane option.


I don't know what to think about this, i think i wouldn't be confused if the girl herself insisted she didn't want to go to the hospital while fully understanding the consequences but since she's only 4 it doesn't seems right somehow..