In the Phoenix New Times story about this, it was noted that the victim’s hypochondria was so acute, that her doctor no longer wished to treat her, as she was in the habit of calling his office about 10 times a week.
I mention this for two reasons. The first being that this is an increasingly common behavior, and it is terribly expensive to our health care system; and second, that sooner, rather than later, health care providers are going to start including a “hypochondriac clause”, that if patients annoy the provider too many times with imaginary problems, they will be discontinued.
So what happens to hypochondriacs when they no longer get the medical attention they crave? It is unlikely that their imaginary health problems get better. In fact, many may persuade themselves that they are dying, and seek out suicide providers. And if a simple death pill is devised so that they may painlessly end their lives, there is a good chance that many will opt for it.
And they are just one group. I have seen what was called a top notch nursing home for the elderly, and was utterly horrified by what I saw. Narrow corridors filled almost exclusively with elderly women, all in wheelchairs, lined up side by side. Most had some degree of dementia, were sleeping, or were otherwise non-responsive. There was little chatter over a TV set none were looking at, blaring daytime television in the nurses station.
I can see why there is a new trend in nursing home care, in Mexico. If you are too frail to live, perhaps it is best to be surrounded by far more people caring for you then the few nurses in an American nursing home. And doing so in a place where it is not terribly expensive, you will not be drugged to the gills, and be allowed to die with dignity of natural causes, without having your remains desecrated first.
And they probably serve better food as well.
Weirdly enough, there is the third option that is being chosen by many people. It was discovered that the high cost of nursing homes in the US is such, that you could instead go on a permanent cruise on a ship. Living in luxury, eating good food, and with the ship doctor to look after you, and for about the same price as living in an institutional nursing home, eating pre-digested pablum, and staring at paint peel all day.
You do realize that nobody *chooses* to live in an expensive institutional nursing home. They end up there because they have no family at all or no family that is either able or willing to care for them and they can no longer live independantly because they can no longer walk, or dress or feed themselves due to disability or senility.
A cruise ship is not going to allow this type of passenger on permanent cruise status unless they have their own personal caregivers.
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In fact, many may persuade themselves that they are dying, and seek out suicide providers. And if a simple death pill is devised so that they may painlessly end their lives, there is a good chance that many will opt for it.
Mental illness can be treated. We don't need to euthanise them or allow others to do so.