Just over two years ago, my step-sister made an attempt to commit suicide – to segregate herself and her conflicts by means of ending her life. What was her method? By forcing a razor blade into her flesh, she would leave a single, deep incision from wrist to forearm. The cut would split open the skin, and like a dam failing to withstand an overwhelming pressure, blood would erupt from the wound. The result is death by blood loss. Defining suicide is significant in my life solely based on this incident and its prevalent effects on my family and me. To the few who commit, this finale can be a Hail Mary, a statement, or the finish line of an exhausting race. Though, others might see it as a crime against God or even remain neutral about the matter. …show more content…
A recent movement deemed the “right to die” law, enables a patient to legally request a lethal dose of medication. In an article issued by the magazine Ecomist, the author shares that over three-fifths of America openly supported this form of assisted suicide (“Final Certainty”). Granted, most incidences today require the patient to be in critical condition, such as irreversible cancer and untreatable pain. This twist on the definition of suicide makes the procedure almost seem beneficial to the patient though it is still considered suicide because the operation only occurs upon the patient’s approval. Also included in the article are numerous cases in which patients suffered for months at a time as a result of the courts declining their request to die. One example, a man, Steve Fletcher, became paralyzed to such extents that he was incapable of breathing without the assistance of a machine (“Final Certainty”). This form of suicide helps the patients escape from their pain and suffering by allowing them to pass with comforting serenity. Although this way of viewing suicide opens our eyes to a novel way in defining suicide, my connotation of the word needs to be further