Refusing treatment

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rosejmj

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I have a few questions regarding the Catholic morality

Do you think it is a sin to refuse medical treatment for a life threatening illness if it could save your life?. Like for example if someone had cancer and it was in it’s early stages and treatable, would it be bad if the person chose not to undergo treatment and to just allow the cancer to take over and kill them? Technically they are undergoing a natural death. And let’s say they have no one dependant on them and they are content with their life and feel ready to die.

Another similar question, I struggle with depression and anxiety and have gone to therapy and taken medication but it wasn’t ever very helpful and so recently I have decided to stop altogether. I live at home with my parents as a young adult and they are upset and want me to continue treatment. The depression and anxiety is not too extreme, but it is enough to make it harder to function normally. Things like work, having friends, dating and getting married, and just being content with life are/will be much harder. Do you think it is sinful for me to refuse treatment when it is available and my parents want me to? Is it my fault if I am unhappy and fail in life?

What about the thought that suffering is meritorious. Wouldn’t it be better to suffer from an illness, even something like depression, rather than ease the pain for ourselves?
 
rosejmj said:
Do you think it is a sin to refuse medical treatment for a life threatening illness if it could save your life?. Like for example if someone had cancer and it was in it’s early stages and treatable, would it be bad if the person chose not to undergo treatment and to just allow the cancer to take over and kill them?
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I is up to the person to decide if the benefits of the treatment outweighs the burdens. In this situation it seems to me negligent to not accept treatment.
 
rosejmj said:
And let’s say they have no one dependant on them and they are content with their life and feel ready to die.
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Probably not immoral, but still depends on the circumstances. Like is the treatment reasonable, and how old are they, what is quality of life with and without?
rosejmj said:
Do you think it is sinful for me to refuse treatment when it is available and my parents want me to?
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Not according to what you’ve said here. Lots of people don’t do well with meds. There’s nothing sinful about finding your own way in life.
rosejmj said:
Is it my fault if I am unhappy and fail in life?
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Aside from a major mental illness, probably yes as far as happiness. If you fail, there is no need to blame anyone, just keep moving forward.
rosejmj said:
Wouldn’t it be better to suffer from an illness, even something like depression, rather than ease the pain for ourselves?
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No, it wouldn’t.
 
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How old are you?

As for the terminal illness, there are times when it doesn’t make sense to treat cancer.

For instance, if you have somebody who is very old and infirm and their life already presents many challenges with multiple other illnesses, it would make no sense to treat a slow-moving cancer with aggressive treatments that will cause them even more pain and infirmity, when in all likelihood they will probably die of their other illnesses before the cancer takes them out.

So it needs to be decided on a case by case basis.
 
Regarding other people’s choices, it depends on the overall situation and normally you can discuss it with your priest if you have a question. Treatment often comes with a huge amount of side effects, high costs, and isn’t guaranteed to work. We are not required to undergo extraordinary means of treatment, but it should be the person making these decisions.

Regarding your personal situation, you need to talk to a doctor.
 
THIS! It took me trying several medications to find the combination and dosage that is right for me. Speak with your doctor about this. Also, you should never stop a medication without your doctor’s okay. Some you need to be weaned off of or you might be hurting yourself.
 
Ok so let’s say you have appendicitis and if your appendix is not removed you will die. You have the resources to undergo the surgery, but can you morally refuse to undergo the surgery even though it means you will die? What if you want to die faster?
 
Well what if I just decided I dont want to try medication anymore although it was recommended and it could help?
 
If you’ve started taking it, ask your doctor about alternatives, as well as how to taper off the doses. I agree with other posters that stopping cold turkey can be dangerous with some drugs.

Also, consider seeing a nutritionist or naturopath to meet any dietary deficiencies, as low levels of various vitamins and minerals can cause depression.
 
CCC Respect for health 2288 "Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good. "

We have a moral duty to take ordinary care of our own health. Taking antidepressants falls within reasonable & ordinary care.

I have the impression from this post and other comments this poster has made in other threads including topics created by the poster that the poster is young.
rosejmj said:
Well what if I just decided I dont want to try medication anymore although it was recommended and it could help?
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Firstly, if you are young, and still under legal age and as you said earlier how your parents want you to resume taking medication - then you are morally obliged to obey your parents as God has placed them in authority over you - 4th Commandment. Not to mention that your parents want what is best for your benefit.

Secondly, our life is not ours to do with as we wish as our life is a gift to us from God. He created us and we are His creatures.

When you are depressed and especially if you stopped taking your antidepressants - then you almost certainly not thinking straight. Depression skews how one thinks.
 
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