Citation

Schneider B, S Müller R, Sperling U. GeroPsych (Bern) 2021; 34(2): 63-72.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Hogrefe Publishers)

DOI

10.1024/1662-9647/a000252

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Most cases of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) occur in the context of severe underlying diseases with concomitant dwindling needs for food and fluids. In these cases, VSED resembles the rejection of a medical treatment. While this is the leading difference to suicide, however, there are also situations within VSED in which aspects of suicide prevention must be considered. After defining the relevant terms and presenting a literature review, we outline options of dealing with different death wishes and provide recommendations oriented toward the possibilities of suicide prevention in the context of abstaining from food and fluids. © 2021 Hogrefe Publishing GmbH. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

disability; human; suicide; suicide prevention; Review; World Health Organization; quality of life; psychotherapy; palliative care; suicidal ideation; assisted suicide; suicide attempt; suicidal behavior; crisis intervention; disease severity; fatigue; head and neck cancer; death; mental disease; dying; euthanasia; disease association; life satisfaction; priority journal; terminal disease; practice guideline; drinking; palliative therapy; long term care; dysphagia; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; empirical research; fluid intake; liquid; patient decision making; eating; fasting; food refusal; death wishes; voluntarily stopping eating and drinking