A 28-year-old woman from the Netherlands is scheduled to undergo euthanasia next month due to her ongoing struggles with mental illness, which her psychiatrist believes will not improve.
Zoraya ter Beek, residing in a pleasant home in a small Dutch town near the German border with her boyfriend and two cats, has made the decision to end her life because of her depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder, as reported by The Free Press.
Despite being physically healthy, ter Beek’s mental health challenges have thwarted her aspirations, including her dream of becoming a psychiatrist, which she was unable to pursue due to her own mental illness.
Now, weary of her existence, she wishes to bring her life to a close.
A tattoo on her upper left arm depicts a “tree of life” but in reverse symbolism.
“Where the tree of life symbolizes growth and new beginnings, my tree represents the opposite,” ter Beek explained.
“It is shedding its leaves, it is dying. And as the tree dies, the bird flies out of it. I don’t view it as my soul departing, but rather as myself being liberated from life.”
Ter Beek’s decision came after her psychiatrist informed her that all efforts to improve her mental health had been exhausted.
“We have tried everything to help you. It’s not going to improve,” she recounted her psychiatrist’s words.
Upon making her decision, ter Beek stated, “I was always very clear that if it doesn’t get better, I can’t continue like this.”
Regarding the process, ter Beek mentioned she would be reclining on the living room couch, with no background music.
However, she has requested her boyfriend to stay by her side until the end.
“The doctor is very considerate,” she remarked. “It’s not like they come in and say, ‘lie down now!’ Often, we start with a cup of coffee to calm nerves and create a relaxed atmosphere. Then she will inquire if I am ready. I will take my place on the couch. She will ask once more if I am certain, and then she will initiate the procedure, wishing me a safe journey. Or, in my case, a pleasant nap, as I dislike it when people say, ‘Safe journey.’ I’m not going anywhere.”
The doctor will first administer a sedative followed by a drug to stop ter Beek’s heart.
After her passing, a euthanasia review committee will assess the circumstances of ter Beek’s death to confirm that the doctor adhered to “due care criteria,” and the Dutch authorities will validate that her life was legally terminated.
Ter Beek has opted not to have a funeral. Instead, her boyfriend will scatter her ashes in a wooded area they had chosen together, in line with her wish for cremation.
“I didn’t want to burden my partner with the responsibility of maintaining a grave,” ter Beek explained. “We haven’t chosen an urn yet, but that will be my new home!”
While admitting a degree of fear of dying due to uncertainty about what comes next, ter Beek said, “I’m somewhat afraid of dying because it’s the ultimate unknown. We don’t really know what comes after — or if there’s nothing. That’s the scary part.”
The Netherlands became the first country to legalize euthanasia in 2001. Since then, at least eight other countries have followed suit. Additionally, assisted suicide is legal in ten U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and all six states in Australia.
Theo Boerin, a professor of healthcare ethics at the Protestant Theological University, served on a Dutch euthanasia review board from 2005 to 2014. He noted to The Free Press that during this period, Dutch attitudes toward euthanasia shifted “from death being a last resort to death being a default option.”
