I agree - and the need to care for an animal can sometimes help cure a depression or at least survive until it passes.
But I think it also takes neighbours and friends keeping an eye.
Some depressives, alcoholics and drug addicts can go down so far that they neglect their animals, even to the point of starvation, while others can inflict their anger on the animals in erratic and unprovoked rages.
Each human wants to live - usually for as long as possible, or until they've grown so old that they feel too tired to keep on living.
I think being self-aware and having the desire to live is sufficient justification.
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The exception is people in suicidal depressions. My views are fairly radical on this topic. I believe that if a person has no dependents, has had competent psychotherapy and counselling weekly for two or more years, has tried lifestyle changes including exercise, diet, sleep, work and social life has had neurological testing to rule out a physical and curable condition, has tried drug therapies, and none of these have worked, then it is fair to permit a person to consider suicide. If an adult sees no realistic prospect of ever being able to achieve a happy life, society should allow a painless suicide.
In my view, it is not the one who commits suicide who is selfish. It's the ones who want to force someone to live a life of irreversible suffering who are selfish and cruel.
It's complicated of course. Every situation is unique.
If the depressed person has dependents, a different set of solutions needs to be worked out. A depressed person is NOT in suitable condition to be adequately caring for others.
When depressions are temporary, the means need to adapt to the phase.
This post was edited by inky at August 9, 2019 8:39 AM MDT
righty1 