Zoraya ter Beek, a 29-year-old Dutch woman suffering from chronic depression, anxiety, trauma, and an unspecified personality disorder, has been granted approval for assisted dying due to unbearable mental suffering. Her case, which took over three years to reach a conclusion, has sparked intense debate across Europe about the ethics and legality of assisted dying for psychiatric illnesses. Although euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands under strict conditions, cases involving mental health remain rare but are gradually increasing.

Under Dutch law, assisted dying is permitted only for those experiencing “unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement,” and the person must be fully competent and informed to make such a decision. Zoraya’s struggle with mental illness began in early childhood and worsened despite extensive treatment, including talking therapies, medication, and more than 30 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). After a decade of trying various treatments with no lasting relief, she concluded that her suffering was irreversible.

The process to approve her request was long and thorough, involving multiple assessments by doctors willing to consider assisted dying in psychiatric cases—a group that remains small due to the complexity and controversy of such decisions. Throughout, Zoraya remained resolute in her choice, despite feelings of guilt and fear, supported closely by her partner. She emphasized the importance of strict safeguards in the Netherlands and refuted misconceptions that people with mental illness cannot make rational decisions about their lives.

Public reaction to her case has been deeply mixed and sometimes hostile, particularly after international media coverage brought widespread attention. Zoraya faced an onslaught of social media messages offering unsolicited advice, religious condemnation, and calls to change her mind, leading her to delete her accounts for her own wellbeing. Despite the backlash, she remains at peace with her decision, expressing relief that her long struggle is nearing an end.

Zoraya expects her assisted death to occur in the coming weeks, surrounded by medical professionals and supported by her partner. She described the process as peaceful, likening it to falling asleep after being given a sedative before the final medications are administered. Acknowledging the pain her loved ones feel, she said, “Sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go,” underscoring the complex emotions surrounding assisted dying for mental suffering.