Working Hypothesis – For my research paper i will be researching why certain mental and physical illnesses have the option of assisted suicide and others don’t. My research will be in what medical professionals believe is valid for assisted suicide and what that can mean for others with those conditions.

Source 1: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1752928X13002916

Background : This article goes into the legality of assisted suicide in Italy and Switzerland for mentally ill individuals.

How i intend to use it: I would use the examples they gave of patients with mental illnesses such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder who were living in agony everyday and how they were evaluated for this type of process

Source 2 : https://www.psychiatrist.com/read-pdf/20371/

Background : This article goes into how mental illness is a large reason for suicides. Even though people with physical ailments who request assisted suicide who have gotten better psychiatric assistance have been proven to be greatfull for not having died

How i intend to use it : It shows that suicidal ideation is very tied into mental health and that having physical ailments should not automatically make you qualify for assisted suicide.

Source 3 : https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ps.201700013

Background : In the United States only terminal illnesses are considered for assisted suicide. Canada is considering whether to extend the practice to encompass intractable suffering caused by mental disorders, and the question inevitably will arise in the United States. Legitimate concern exists that assisted death could serve as a substitute for creating adequate systems of mental health treatment and social support.

How i intend to use it : To see how it has been implemented in other places around the world and using that information to see if it could work in the US. If assisted death can be used with conditions that won’t end up killing them in the end, and if those people still have a good quality of life in non life threatening conditions.