Dignified Assisted Suicide Case Study
There are many ethical issues that psychologists face on a daily basis. This range from assessment and treatment practices to privacy, education, and even to interpersonal relationships with clients and their families. To help navigate the ethical waters, there are set standards. To this end, we present a hypothetical case in which this therapist has been challenged with an ethical problem.
CLIENT: Victor Wright, a 37yearold white male patient and resident of Oregon suffering from a latestage AIDS diagnosis. He has been battling the disease for 7 and a half years now and is expected to succumb to its overwhelming advance in the next 6 months. He has been my patient for 5 years and I have come to know he and his family incredibly well. I was recommended to him, whereas he …show more content…
I take the side of dignified and assisted suicide in this case. When there is no alternative and the power of a psychologist will provide great comfort to a victim of disease, I would nearly dishonor my profession to withhold my services to a client.
CURRENT SITUATION: The clients situation currently demands that family members be involved in the discussion of this decision. Planning should be arranged for his estate, finances, and burial requests. While this may be unimaginably difficult for some, it may only be worsened without the directed discussion of a psychologist.
My Argument:
Final Quote on Human Integrity: In the end, my argument can best be summarized by Stephen
Hawking who once said, "I think those who have a terminal illness and are in great pain should have the right to choose to end their lives, and those who help them should be free from prosecution…” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/17/stephenhawkingassistedsuicideoption_n_3940942.html)
It is a simple matter of integrity that we respect the wishes of those
CLIENT: Victor Wright, a 37yearold white male patient and resident of Oregon suffering from a latestage AIDS diagnosis. He has been battling the disease for 7 and a half years now and is expected to succumb to its overwhelming advance in the next 6 months. He has been my patient for 5 years and I have come to know he and his family incredibly well. I was recommended to him, whereas he …show more content…
I take the side of dignified and assisted suicide in this case. When there is no alternative and the power of a psychologist will provide great comfort to a victim of disease, I would nearly dishonor my profession to withhold my services to a client.
CURRENT SITUATION: The clients situation currently demands that family members be involved in the discussion of this decision. Planning should be arranged for his estate, finances, and burial requests. While this may be unimaginably difficult for some, it may only be worsened without the directed discussion of a psychologist.
My Argument:
Final Quote on Human Integrity: In the end, my argument can best be summarized by Stephen
Hawking who once said, "I think those who have a terminal illness and are in great pain should have the right to choose to end their lives, and those who help them should be free from prosecution…” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/17/stephenhawkingassistedsuicideoption_n_3940942.html)
It is a simple matter of integrity that we respect the wishes of those