From Mad in the Netherlands: Euthanasia based on psychological suffering has been possible for over twenty years. Yet, only in recent years has there been an increase in the number of euthanasia procedures performed. The topic is also finding its way into the media. On talk shows, in newspapers and magazines, young people, their loved ones, and caregivers in particular are sharing personal stories about suffering and the euthanasia process. While attention to this form of euthanasia is important for its understanding, it also leads to criticism. The reporting is said to be too one-sided, with insufficient space for the complexity of euthanasia practice. Death is said to be romanticized, and euthanasia is too central to the concept of a solution for psychological suffering.
These concerns about media attention, combined with the rise in euthanasia among young people, led to a strong backlash from a group of psychiatrists this summer. A group of people with lived experience also felt their perspectives were not being heard enough in the discussion. In a letter, they asked the professional association for psychiatry to involve them more in the dialogue about euthanasia practices.Â
Read the full article here and the English translation here.Â
