Hello,
It'is my story
I have just learned today that I could have an assisted suicide for psychiatric illness with a Swiss association but which only accepts Swiss people or people who live in Switzerland.
BUT there are other associations in Switzerland that accept foreigners living abroad for assisted suicide due to mental illness.
I am in my late thirties. I have had psychological problems since adolescence: personality disorders (bordenline) / recurrent depressions etc. I have been followed in psychiatry for 15-20 years, I have had between 15-20 hospitalizations, I have had lots of therapy, I have had lots of different drug treatments etc. etc. Rather, it was a failure.
I have been thinking about assisted suicide since 2017-2018. At first it got me a lot of problems and troubles; especially with doctors, psychiatrists, caregivers etc. You cannot imagine all the problems I had as a result of this and the "medical violence" suffered.
After that I stopped talking about assisted suicide and I realized that I had to do my own thing (buying things on the internet). Several times I had problems, delays in my projects but I never gave up. Finally, I preferred to abandon this project because I didn't really have a choice. I was still in trouble because of this, but less serious.
Since I had no choice, I took the risk of talking to my psychiatrist about assisted suicide last summer (2019). At least with him, I did not have medical violence but he was opposed, it was the first time that I spoke to him about this. J
I got back in touch with the assisted suicide association and there they provided me with 4-5 names of psychiatrists who might be willing to help me.
It was difficult and it was only the 3rd psychiatrist who agreed to see me again. I had to wait 3 months. Then the procedure was long (10 months) because the psychitric evaluation must be serious and the "expert" psychiatrist doctors must provide a good report to the association. As a rule (but not always), the association also needs the report of the patient's psychiatrist + the patient's doctor. Fortunately for me, my psychiatrist had changed his mind and also agreed to make a report for the association and my doctor also agreed.
All of these reports are only valid for 6 months and assisted suicide can only be done within 6 months. So if we want to wait more than 6 months for the suicide, we must be sure that the doctors will agree to redo the reports.
You see it is possible to have an assisted suicide for psychic illness. There are also Swiss-to-Swiss associations for foreigners living abroad. But the hardest part is finding doctors who will agree to make these reports.
This is my story. I haven't chosen a date yet.
I still have time.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate.
However, I will not be able to answer before Tuesday.
See you next time.
Sorry for the mistakes.
Thank You everybody
actually this made me hopeful for a peaceful death. i hope everything turns out as you want
Thank you
Happy for you that you will have a peaceful exit. I would love to apply but I don't think my doctor would ever sign off on it.
Thank you. Maybe you can find another doctor. But it's true that it's very hard to find.
I'm also happy for you. I hope this will become a viable option in more countries. The suffering mental illness can cause is underestimated in my opinion. There's a Dutch documentary by Vice called 'Too young to die'. Which is about young people with mental illness who have applied for assisted suicide. So yeah, it's already possible in some countries. It has English subtitles.
Thank you so much. I will have to watch this documentary.
It is true that no one realizes how much we can suffer psychically.
You have all my empathy.
I know that 2 countries are even more open than Switzerland for assisted suicides for mental illness: Belgium (Flemish region) + the Netherlands.
If the OP could provide links or more information on how to begin/apply for this process that'd be much appreciated!
I would give some information on this procedure after having all the messages.
Glad to hear you will have a peacful exit, best of luck to you buddy.
Thanks my friend.
Good luck to you too
Glad to hear that you are approved for the process and I hope you find peace in whatever you choose to do as well as during the interim.
Thank you so much. For now I'm not going to "rush",
GOD!!! I wish had assisted suicide for mentally ill people in america. Would make my life way more easier.
Yes, you're right. I understand you. You have all my sympathy and compassion for your suffering. I hope things will change.
That's amazing, I really hope it works out for you and maybe helps make a case for more to follow in the future as well.
I thank you. Cases of assisted suicide for mental illness are very rare in Switzerland (the country is not very open). Belgium (Flemish region) and the Netherlands) are much more open to this.
I hope this will evolve and everywhere on the planet. And that it will be a free thing too.
No one on earth deserves to suffer and everyone has the right to go whenever they want.
But we have to change things.
You are all in my heart.
Thank you for your kind message
Thank You everybody
Thank you
Thank you. Maybe you can find another doctor. But it's true that it's very hard to find.
Thank you so much. I will have to watch this documentary.
It is true that no one realizes how much we can suffer psychically.
You have all my empathy.
I know that 2 countries are even more open than Switzerland for assisted suicides for mental illness: Belgium (Flemish region) + the Netherlands.
I would give some information on this procedure after having all the messages.
Thanks my friend.
Good luck to you too
Thank you so much. For now I'm not going to "rush",
Yes, you're right. I understand you. You have all my sympathy and compassion for your suffering. I hope things will change.
I thank you. Cases of assisted suicide for mental illness are very rare in Switzerland (the country is not very open). Belgium (Flemish region) and the Netherlands) are much more open to this.
I hope this will evolve and everywhere on the planet. And that it will be a free thing too.
No one on earth deserves to suffer and everyone has the right to go whenever they want.
But we have to change things.
You are all in my heart.
Thank you for your kind message
Now I can tell you about assisted suicide in Switzerland.
Here is the message I had prepared:
Here,
Sorry for only writing now.
I wanted to talk to you about assisted suicide in Switzerland.
In Switzerland there are a lot of organizations for assisted suicide, of which I give you the links:
selbstbestimmtes , würdiges Lebensende
www.exinternational.ch
20 Jahre EXIT Deutsche Schweiz: Die Vereinigung für humanes Sterben wurde 1982 gegründet. Der politisch und konfessionell neutrale Verein kämpft für das Selbstbestimmungsrecht des Menschen im Leben und Sterben und unterstützt die Mitglieder bei der Durchsetzung dieses Rechts.
exit.ch
Notre volonté première est de lutter contre l’acharnement thérapeutique, de faire reconnaître les droits du patient en revendiquant à travers ses directives anticipées le respect de sa volonté et de ses choix face à sa mort.
exit-romandie.ch
pegasos-association.com
International Association for Self-Determination
www.lifecircle.ch
Eternal SPIRIT Foundation: live self determined – die self determined
www.eternalspirit.ch
You will see, some associations give a lot of information and others very little.
Some provide information in a foreign language and others in one of Switzerland's national languages (German, French, Italian, Romansh).
If sometimes you lack information, it is best to write an email to one of the associations.
But one thing is certain, it is possible to have assisted suicide for mental illness in Switzerland, but it can be easy but above all difficult.
It all depends on the organizations whether you are Swiss or foreign, whether you live in Switzerland or abroad.
In short, it is more difficult (procedurally) if you live abroad and it is very expensive if you live abroad.
The procedure (at the doctor's level) can be as difficult as it is not always easy to find doctors who will agree to do the medical paper explaining your mental health for the association. Sometimes you will need 1 or 2 doctors. Sometimes they have to work in Switzerland. It's not easy to find (even your own psychiatrist), sometimes you can do without your psychiatric doctor (but you will still need papers from 1 or 2 doctors).
It is best to ask the association if they know and have contact details of psychiatrists in Switzerland; often associations do not give a list of psychiatrists.
BUT my advice, ask other associations (even those that refuse foreigners etc.) if they have a list of psychiatrists in Switzerland. You can have nice surprises. Some of these psychiatrists in Switzerland speak foreign languages.
Each association with "its exceptions" some refuse foreigners, some refuse to carry out assisted suicides for mental illnesses only etc.
The procedure in case of mental illness can be as complicated or easy. It all depends on the associations.
I said that it can cost "little to a lot" depending on whether you are Swiss or foreign and whether you live in Switzerland or abroad.
Between CHF 100 to CHF 10 -13'000. I would like to point out that CHF are roughly worth EUR and USD. At most there is a factor of 1.1 I guess
Some associations, depending on the state of the proceedings, make small refund and can sometimes help a little by making the cost cheaper ( if you don't have a lot of money).
There is also a rule in Switzerland for assisted suicide: one must be of legal age, have the capacity for discernment, and even perform the act of assisted suicide (drink the product or activate the dial of the infusion).
Here is more information on associations.
It seems to me that the last 3 associations accept foreigners but do not agree to practice assisted suicide for mental illness. A person has the right to have a mental illness, but that is not why he should request assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is expensive.
It seems to me that the 1st association accepts foreigners and it is possible to have an assisted suicide for mental illness. But it's also very expensive (it doesn't matter where you live.)
For the 2nd association, I am not aware.
It seems to me that the 3rd and 4th associations work in a similar way and that their regulations are similar. I don't know anything about the 3rd association but I have a little more information about the 4th association. It seems to me that she does not accept foreigners. You can have assisted suicide for mental illness. Since apparently it's only for the Swiss in Switzerland, it's inexpensive.
What I wrote is my current knowledge and things may have changed and may change in the future. I may also have made mistakes.
There will surely be mistakes in my way of expressing myself but I did my best. Please excuse me.
Hope I could have helped you.
Bye
THIS IS THE GOOD MESSAGE
Now I can tell you about assisted suicide in Switzerland.
Here is the message I had prepared:
Here,
Sorry for only writing now.
I wanted to talk to you about assisted suicide in Switzerland.
In Switzerland there are a lot of organizations for assisted suicide, of which I give you the links:
DIGNITAS
Exit International
selbstbestimmtes , würdiges Lebensende
www.exinternational.ch
Exit
20 Jahre EXIT Deutsche Schweiz: Die Vereinigung für humanes Sterben wurde 1982 gegründet. Der politisch und konfessionell neutrale Verein kämpft für das Selbstbestimmungsrecht des Menschen im Leben und Sterben und unterstützt die Mitglieder bei der Durchsetzung dieses Rechts.
exit.ch
Exit Romandie
Notre volonté première est de lutter contre l’acharnement thérapeutique, de faire reconnaître les droits du patient en revendiquant à travers ses directives anticipées le respect de sa volonté et de ses choix face à sa mort.
exit-romandie.ch
Pegasos
pegasos-association.com
Life Circle
International Association for Self-Determination
www.lifecircle.ch
Eternal Spirit
Eternal SPIRIT Foundation: live self determined – die self determined
www.eternalspirit.ch
You will see, some associations give a lot of information and others very little.
Some provide information in a foreign language and others in one of Switzerland's national languages (German, French, Italian, Romansh).
If sometimes you lack information, it is best to write an email to one of the associations.
But one thing is certain, it is possible to have assisted suicide for mental illness in Switzerland, but it can be easy but above all difficult.
It all depends on the organizations whether you are Swiss or foreign, whether you live in Switzerland or abroad.
In short, it is more difficult (procedurally) if you live abroad and it is very expensive if you live abroad.
The procedure (at the doctor's level) can be as difficult as it is not always easy to find doctors who will agree to do the medical paper explaining your mental health for the association. Sometimes you will need 1 or 2 doctors. Sometimes they have to work in Switzerland. It's not easy to find (even your own psychiatrist), sometimes you can do without your psychiatric doctor (but you will still need papers from 1 or 2 doctors).
It is best to ask the association if they know and have contact details of psychiatrists in Switzerland; often associations do not give a list of psychiatrists.
BUT my advice, ask other associations (even those that refuse foreigners etc.) if they have a list of psychiatrists in Switzerland. You can have nice surprises. Some of these psychiatrists in Switzerland speak foreign languages.
Each association with "its exceptions" some refuse foreigners, some refuse to carry out assisted suicides for mental illnesses only etc.
The procedure in case of mental illness can be as complicated or easy. It all depends on the associations.
I said that it can cost "little to a lot" depending on whether you are Swiss or foreign and whether you live in Switzerland or abroad.
Between CHF 100 to CHF 10 -13'000. I would like to point out that CHF are roughly worth EUR and USD. At most there is a factor of 1.1 I guess
Some associations, depending on the state of the proceedings, make small refund and can sometimes help a little by making the cost cheaper ( if you don't have a lot of money).
There is also a rule in Switzerland for assisted suicide: one must be of legal age, have the capacity for discernment, and even perform the act of assisted suicide (drink the product or activate the dial of the infusion).
Here is more information on associations.
It seems to me that the last 3 associations accept foreigners but do not agree to practice assisted suicide for mental illness. A person has the right to have a mental illness, but that is not why he should request assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is expensive.
It seems to me that the 1st association accepts foreigners and it is possible to have an assisted suicide for mental illness. But it's also very expensive (it doesn't matter where you live.)
For the 2nd association, I am not aware.
It seems to me that the 3rd and 4th associations work in a similar way and that their regulations are similar. I don't know anything about the 3rd association but I have a little more information about the 4th association. It seems to me that she does not accept foreigners. You can have assisted suicide for mental illness. Since apparently it's only for the Swiss in Switzerland, it's inexpensive.
What I wrote is my current knowledge and things may have changed and may change in the future. I may also have made mistakes.
There will surely be mistakes in my way of expressing myself but I did my best. Please excuse me.
Hope I could have helped you.
Bye
