A PHYSICALLY healthy Dutch woman suffering from crippling depression has made plans to end her life by euthanasia today, on her 34th birthday.
Jolanda Fun, who has prepared her funeral in advance, hopes to be the last person in the Netherlands to receive a doctor-assisted death.
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Despite having a family and a dog, Jolanda has been battling crippling depression since she was seven and described her life as one of constant pain.
She was medically diagnosed at age 22 and has attempted to seek help through dozens of therapy sessions.
In an interview with Sunday weatherJolanda revealed that she has long suffered from mental health problems, including depression, autism and mild learning difficulties, and now wants to “get out of life.”
The Dutch woman said she puts on a mask in all her social situations to hide her inner feelings, which she described as “darkness, overstimulation, chaos in my head, loneliness.”
She said in her interview: “Most of the time I feel very bad, sad, depressed, sad.
“People don’t see it, because that’s the mask I put on and that’s what you learn to do in life.
“My father is sick, my mother is sick, my parents are fighting to stay alive and I want to get out of life,” he added.
Jolanda chose euthanasia as her preferred option two years ago after a medical adviser said laws in the Netherlands allowed it for psychiatric reasons.
She posted on Facebook where she wrote that she was looking for medical experts who could help her with the process.
And during her interview with the editor, Jolanda revealed that her euthanasia was scheduled for April 25, which is also her 34th birthday.
He described euthanasia as a “dignified and painless death” and added that one can peacefully exit life with loved ones around them.
What is euthanasia?
EUTHANASIA, sometimes known as mercy killing, is the practice of intentionally ending someone’s life to relieve their pain and suffering.
The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning “good death.”
Euthanasia is deliberately helping or encouraging someone to take their own life, for example by giving them medication to do so.
Euthanasia is a crime under English law, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and assisted suicide 14 years.
The only exception is “passive euthanasia,” which involves withdrawing treatment that could prolong a person’s life, such as turning off a vital machine.
For terminally ill patients in the UK, the only alternatives are palliative care or refusing treatment, to which mentally capable patients are entitled.
As a result, some terminally ill people decide to travel abroad to die.
Euthanasia and death are controversial topics, with passionate activists on each side of the argument.
People who agree with euthanasia often argue that people should be allowed to die with dignity, and that they should be able to decide when and how to die, potentially sparing their loved ones the pain of watching them suffer.
Some also believe that death is a private thing and that it is not the state’s place to interfere if a person wants to die.
Those in favor of euthanasia also point out that we euthanize our pets as an act of kindness, and that resources could be allocated to people who want to live or whose diseases are curable.
However, there are concerns that allowing euthanasia would give doctors too much power and could even worsen care for the terminally ill and research into their illnesses.
Some also believe it goes against the job description of doctors and nurses and the oath they take not to harm patients; They also say it undermines the value of human life.
Others are also concerned about the possibility that someone will recover or change their mind when it is too late.
Some have even suggested that it could lead to people feeling pressured to ask for death, as they do not want to be a burden to those around them.
Euthanasia has been legal in the Netherlands since 2002, but remains illegal in the United Kingdom.
Under Dutch law, a patient qualifies for an assisted death after having exhausted all reasonable treatments and being able to demonstrate that he or she is in “unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement.”
More and more people are turning to euthanasia as a legal way to end their suffering while battling depression or anxiety, compounded by economic uncertainty and social media.
In 2017, of 6,585 euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands, 84 were due to psychiatric suffering.
But the approval procedure for psychiatric requests can take years and only about 10 percent of requests are granted.
A few days ago, another Dutch woman, Zoraya ter Beek, revealed that she wants to end her life through euthanasia after suffering from severe depression.
He is due to undergo the process in May after being told his condition will “never improve”.
Zoraya once aspired to become a psychiatrist, but was unable to finish her studies because she struggled with depression and autism.
For ten long years, he tried every possible solution, from therapy to medications, to improve his condition.
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It does not discriminate and touches the lives of people in all corners of society, from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It is the leading cause of death among people under 35, deadlier than cancer and car accidents.
Yet it is rarely talked about, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice now.
That’s why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all promise to ask for help when we need it and listen to others… You are not alone.
If you, or someone you know, needs help dealing with mental health issues, the following organizations provide support: