Horror of euthanasia for depressed

The gradual loosening of restrictions for euthanasia has made headlines in Belgium as an official revealed about 50 people opt to die annually for psychological reasons, and a Brussels newspaper profiled a physically healthy 24-year-old woman due to die this summer because she cannot deal with her depression, writes Tom Heneghan.

Wim Distelmans, chairman of the Federal Euthanasia Commission, said bipolar patients were the majority of the 50-60 psychiatric suicides, among the 1,924 people who died last year by euthanasia, which was legalised in 2002.

“They think they’re not at home in this world,” Distelmans said. The Flemish daily De Morgen published a  profile of Laura, 24, from a broken home, who said “life isn’t for me”. After she asked to be euthanised, three psychiatrists concluded she should be allowed to die.