The girl decided that life was not worth continuing after she learned that doctors were powerless to help her overcome her mental disorder.
Citizen of the Netherlands, 29-year-old Zoraya ter Beek finally received permission for euthanasia, which she had been seeking for more than three years. The girl suffers from chronic depression, anxiety, autism and a vague personality disorder. Her death by injection will occur in a few weeks.
The Guardian writes about this.
The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia. This happened in 2001. According to the law, permission for assisted suicide can be obtained by a person who “is experiencing unbearable suffering and has no hope of improvement.” Such a person must be informed about the procedure and have strong intentions to end his life.
Despite the fact that thousands of people have already benefited from euthanasia in 23 years, cases of mentally ill people are an unusual occurrence, although there is a clear trend of their increase. Thus, in 2010, only two mentally ill people received permission for euthanasia, and last year there were already 138 such cases.
Zoraya said that her case once again raises the issue of the ethics and legality of euthanasia.
“People think that when you are mentally ill, you cannot think straight, and this is offensive. I I understand the concerns of some people with disabilities about euthanasia, as well as the concern that people are being pressured to die,” the girl said.
She has experienced mental health problems since early childhood and has repeatedly thought about death. But when Zoraya met her partner, she decided to begin intensive treatment and hoped that a close relationship would help her heal. But, unfortunately, this never happened.
“During therapy, I learned a lot about myself and coping mechanisms, but it did not solve my main problems. At the beginning of treatment, you feel hope. I thought that I would get better. But the longer the treatment goes on, the more you lose hope,” the girl said.
Zoraya abandoned her intention to simply commit suicide because she did not want to hurt her loved ones.
“I finished electroconvulsive therapy in August 2020, and having accepted that the treatment would no longer help, I applied for euthanasia in December of that year. It's a long and complicated process. It's not like you ask for it on Monday, and by Friday you’re already dead,” shared Zoraya ter Beek.
To obtain permission for assisted suicide, the girl had to undergo a long and complex examination, during which doctors repeatedly asked if she was sure of her decision.
“In these three and a half years, I never wavered about my decision. I felt guilty – I have a partner, family, friends, and I am not indifferent to their pain. And I became afraid. But I’m determined to get through this,” Zoraya noted.
Now that permission has been received, the girl hopes that she will die in the next few weeks.
Zoraya said that finally her long struggle for the right to die is over and she feels relieved.
Remember, Zoraya has decided where she wants to die and what should be done with her ashes.
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