To be deeply saddened by a teenager being euthanised **Upsetting content - warning added by MNHQ** ***MNHQ further note that the details of this story are disputed***

[TheHorseOnSeventhAvenue]

I am greatly aware of our rights and understand autonomy but as far as I can see this young Dutch girl, Noa, did not end her own life but was assisted.

My heart goes out to her and her family but this is my absolute reason why euthanasia should not be supported.

And what happened to the man or men who raped her?

This is the result of his /their revolting criminal actions.

Is this the same case as a couple years ago or another girl with a similar story?

I’m actually finding it a little annoying that people are sharing anecdotes about their friends/family who are fine now.

It’s like telling someone who’s had an accident and lost both her limbs that your cousin had an accident and is walking fine now.

It’s great that some people recover from such a trauma. But not everyone does.

So the school of thought that you got over it/your friend got over it, so Noa would have too is a bit - disrespectful? I don’t know. It just doesn’t sit right with me.

Her mental health problems were caused by rape and sexual abuse.

Poor lamb.

I have MS. The choice should absolutely be available.

I think it is humane. I have always said that I would consider euthanasia when I have the choice of that or a nursing home. I think it is a good step and also might make countries take rape more seriously

I’m distraught reading this.

As a mother of a beloved daughter who has just turned 18 after battling severe anorexia and mental illness for 2 years, I have no answers, no judgment of anyone involved , but I’m breathless with despair at such loss and such pain.

How awful.

It’s a really difficult subject - I have seen relatives in great pain and distress at the end of their lives who died slowly and painfully. I’m pro euthanasia as I believe people should have the right to die with dignity when they choose to. However when it’s a young woman, with her whole life ahead of her, it’s very hard to accept. I can’t imagine the suffering she had in her life to choose this solution, but I also think I’d need more information to understand her position fully and form an opinion - media articles only have so much information available. Regardless, I’m sorry she went through such a difficult life.

My mum died four years ago. She had terminal cancer, she had been really well and travelled around the world until the point the cancer spread and obstructed her bowel. She could no longer eat but your body still produces waste, which she would vomit. It took a month for her to starve to death. She should have been allowed to die with dignity when she could no longer eat.

This young woman wanted to die. That should be her right. Her suffering must have been immense and never ending. As long as steps are taken to prevent coercion, financial factors etc, I support this absolutely.

Where does the information come from that Holland has no mental health care?

It has been stated quite categorically a couple of times now? Why?

Of course they have mental healthcare. It is included in the compulsory health insurance. And Noa herself referred to having accessed it, a lot!

This incredibly tragic girl lived with horrendous pain through PTSD. I had a sibling with the same condition who chose to die, as Noa did. It isn’t about support and help, some pain is too much, and we should accept that forcing people to live with agonising pain is inhumane

It is very easy to sit and judge the situation when you haven’t been in this girls shoes. I have complex post traumatic stress disorder, and it is torture. Medication and therapy don’t always work. Take a minute to imagine a life where you are consumed by flashbacks, awful frightening dreams night after night and an ongoing fight with your brain each and every day to override the thought of suicide. It is hell. The naivety on this thread would be funny if it wasn’t such a sad situation.

The article says one five the criteria for euthanasia is no mental health problems?

I am generally pro euthanasia but yes 17 is too young in my opinion. I think it's really sad that the services weren't there to help her through this. Thing is if she couldn't get help now then she probably couldn't get it at 21 or 25, so I can understand how helpless she felt. How this felt like her only option. Most people who commit suicide don't actively want to die, they just want the pain to stop and can't find any other way. It's heartbreaking that this was her only way.

One of not one five.

Havent we all/ most of us been sexually abused. There are not enough things in place to protect women in this world today. I have said that there should be a task force set up to tackle rape in each country. With proper government funding.Maybe these girls deaths will make countries look at rape more seriously.

"The naivety on this thread would be funny if it wasn’t such a sad situation."

Agree, some of the posts wouldn't look that out of place if they had a "chin up" in them somewhere.

It’s great that some people recover from such a trauma. But not everyone does.

But how can you make the decision that you won't recover at such a tender age?

The news says she was raped aged 14 and kept quiet about it for 18 months. So she’s only had about 18 months since her rape was brought into the open to be dealt with. That isn’t really long enough to decide that these still-raw feelings are bad enough and permanent enough to end your life over. She hasn’t had time to have sufficient therapy and support and conclude that it doesn’t work. The biggest failure here is the clear lack of MH support.

I'm a mental health nurse working with adolescents and female adults. 75% have experienced significant childhood trauma. I can't tell you how much this news report has upset me

Those saying about proper mental health care don't get that it just doesn't exist. The pain of childhood abuse runs deep.

If it was allowed here I would use it.

Some may disagree, butbi think this should be a law in all countries.

She was medically determined by a doctor that she was suffering, she was raped, she had her life and childhood taken away from her. If I was in her position I think I would want the same.

If someone wants to terminate their own life, why not. It's their life, our natural instinct is to stay alive, so for her to want to die, must have been a well thought out process for her.

It's her body, if she doesnt want it, she shouldn't be forced to live in it.

@curiosaboutsaphire I know, it is ludicrous. The Dutch are very advanced in their development of EMDR. Of course that won't mean everyone has access to this but I imagine their will be specialist treatment programmes. It's baffling that it has been quoted in the media that she did not have access to MH treatment.

I spent 13 years in the mental health system and made zero progress. Not because I wasn't ready to move on but I am considerable complex and many doctors can't deal with it.

For those asking me further questions. I chose the words carefully. I am deeply saddened - not judgemental.

My context is, having spent too much time in care homes recently, I have started to ask myself ethical questions about life at any cost. Medical advances mean life can be prolonged but when I see 90 year olds in physical pain, which will never improve, I do wonder if death can or would be preferable.

I do not think mental suffering or pain is less than physical suffering.

I suppose I do think that a 17 year old with mental pain may feel this way but there may still be hope and things could improve.

There are not enough things in place to protect women in this world today

I absolutely agree with this. Men can rape and abuse with very little, if any, consequences. It has to change.