Zoraya ter Beek, a 28-year-old from the Netherlands, has chosen euthanasia next month. Though physically healthy, she suffers from “severe depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder,” which she describes as “unbearable.”
Her case has sparked global debate about euthanasia, especially for psychiatric patients. In the Netherlands, euthanasia is legal if a person faces “unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement.” Ter Beek qualifies under these terms, but critics argue it’s sometimes approved too easily.
For ter Beek, the decision isn’t about giving up but finding peace. “I don’t see it as my soul leaving, but more as myself being liberated,” she explains.
She plans to die peacefully on her sofa, with her boyfriend by her side. She has chosen cremation to make things easier for him after she’s gone.
Although she admits feeling “a little scared,” ter Beek believes euthanasia offers relief from a life she no longer wants to endure.
