1-1: Introduction

Hello Internet!!

In the Disney movie The Incredibles, There is a scene in the beginning where Mr. Incredible saves a man who is about to commit suicide by jumping off of a building. It later shows news clips of the lawsuit that follows this incident. The news reporter says that the man jumping off of the building didn't ask to be saved, didn't want to be saved, and Mr. Incredible needs to not interfere. This is why I am deciding to call this study, The Incredibles Project. This idea got me thinking about how this could apply to the medical field, especially with mental patients. Can treating a mental patient who "doesn't want to be saved" be considered medical malpractice and how does this play into doctor assisted suicide?

I want to study more about this subject because I want to learn how the human brain works in regards of life and death. I have known various people who have struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. Is it really someone's place to say whether someone else can live or die? I hope to research this subject over the next several weeks and gain a deeper understanding of this issue.
I have an uncle who is a Psychiatrist and he sometimes tells me about his interesting cases. He really sparked my interest about this topic. Everyone's perception of "what is normal" is different and many feel like taking medications to counteract mental illnesses is opposite of what is natural and how their body is supposed to be.

Doctor assisted suicide has been a controversial topic for decades. When someone no longer has the desire to live, is the doctor held responsible when their patients misuse prescribed medication in order to commit suicide? Should doctor-assisted suicide be classified as murder or manslaughter, or should the person requesting doctor-assisted suicide be the one in the wrong? These are all questions that I hope to gain further understanding on as I continue with my research this semester.

I've struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember and honestly, I hate taking the medicine that doctors have prescribed to make me "better." They make me nauseous, they make my thinking foggy and unclear, and I definitely do not feel like myself. Honestly, I feel better when I spend quality time with people I care about, when I spend time outside, and when I take care of myself: eating clean, whole foods, maintaining my personal hygiene and getting plenty of exercise. Medicine is not the only cure for disease.

This argument brings into question alternative medicines. Herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years to treat both physical and mental illness. When doctors try and force the idea that medicine is the only way to get "better" they are being closed minded to the fact that herbal remedies do have remarkable benefits. Someone who doesn't want to be treated could find a lot of benefit from herbal remedies.

I hope you find this topic as fascinating as I do and will stay tuned for more of my findings.

(To view the clip mentioned in this post, click here)