23 year old Belgian girl "euthenized" for depression

[BornFreeNowAgain]

No matter if you believe in Pro euthanasia or not, when a 23 year old cannot go on; you have to think that there is a failure of society on some level. The quality of mental health services is shocking; and a lot of mental health is caused by trauma which is often not even addressed in the mental health field and treatment. In many native cultures, things like suicide are seen as 'failures' of the wider community, not 'failure' of the individual. 

 

Years ago I used to firmly support euthanasia, until that is that I did an essay on it when I re-engaged with further education as an adult. On researching the topic, I could not fail to see the possible 'agenda' behind supporting euthanasia, and the horror stories in the regions where euthanasia was legal. Older people being pressured to end their life so the children could get their long awaited inheritance and other horror stories. Then of course things like the Liverpool 'Care' Pathway. 

 

I have personally had loved ones and loved ones of friends take their own lives, and it is horrific the 'wounds' that it leaves. But I can understand why people get to such a dark place that suicide is seen as the only option. I worked on a suicide prevention line for several years and I always maintained that I would do my absolute best to prevent suicide, but if I 'knew' it was a lost cause, that I would 'be there' on some level if they chose that route. Thankfully it never came to that. Another of my colleagues that I respected tremendously came to the same conclusion and again thankfully it was never needed. 

 

What I found with a lot of people who had been through incredible trauma and particularly 'system trauma' (caused either solely or in part by the system or product of the system) is that there was 'something missing'  from their healing. You can end up reaching a point where your healing becomes 'stunted' because a lot of the psychiatrists, psychologists etc lack the knowledge and awareness of the 'conspiracy' and so clients are often not believed or at least not supported in going beyond the level that their mental health supports are willing to go/can handle. There is a saying by John Rowe I believe (a therapist) "You cannot take a client further than you yourself have been" and I think it can apply in trauma. I am not sure I am explaining myself well but I had one client as an example who had lost his mum to the hospital 'system' and he knew that they effectively 'killed' his mum. He was 'stuck' because nobody could believe that this was true and so he never got the support or validation that he needed, in fact quite the opposite, a lot of people assumed he was 'crazy'. It is likely why organisations like Samaritans and Childline exist, as gatekeepers for the 'protected'.