Zoraya ter Beek, 28, lives in a quiet Dutch town near the German border with her boyfriend and two cats. Though physically healthy, she says years of depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder have made her life unbearable. In early May, she plans to undergo euthanasia—a “nice nap,” as she calls it—and not wake up.
In the Netherlands, euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal under strict conditions. Patients must make a voluntary, well-considered request, and their suffering must be deemed unbearable with no chance of improvement. A doctor administers life-ending medication or provides it for the patient to take themselves, followed by a formal review.
