VSED: Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking

This is a medical aid in dying. The latest language in legislation allows for this in the context of terminal illness. A physician can prescribe you a medication that you may use to end your life at the time of your choosing. Thanks to advocacy work at the state level, more and more states are passing laws like this. It’s based on our legally protected rights as patients to say “no” to any treatment.

You always have the right to say no to treatment.

Based on this ethical underpinning, Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) is a way that someone who wants to hasten their own death may do so.

You can live for about a month without food, so stopping both eating and drinking usually means that within a week or so death is likely to come. It’s always in your control to do that, but it can be uncomfortable. Thirst and hunger pains can be very difficult. Also, literally waiting around to die for several days can be very emotionally taxing, so it can be a hard route to go. However, it is within your right to elect VSED.

If you’re going to go that route you probably still want to have some support, whether that’s in-home hospice or caregiver to help with basic symptoms such as administering drops to keep your mouth from feeling so dry. Basic human and moral support is important.