MAID mental illnesses

[ThePollinator]

I live in Canada, and MAiD (medical assistance in dying) will be available to people whose sole condition is mental in March 2027. What mental illness do you think will be considered for MAiD? I don't have the energy to kill myself anymore, so my hope is to just wait until MAiD may be a possibility.

 

[mistercarrot1]

Yeah there's no list right now. If I had to guess I think it will be pretty stringent like having schizophrenia, psychosis etc.. Unfortunately I "only" have treatment - resistant depression so I don't think I would qualify. Hope springs eternal though!

 

[Mr.Tristesse]

I don't see why depression, the literal misery disease par excellence, wouldn't be deemed eligible if the extension actually materializes. Though if you hope to go via MAID you'll have to wait a lot longer than another year even if the extension happens since the application process is long, barring imminently terminal disease.

 

[TAW122]

I live in the US, but I support MAID for mental illnesses, however, I'm thinking that it's likely it'll probably just be continuously and indefinitely postponed until one day it just fails to expand. It really sucks and I think that is the likelihood of things and dependent on how the political landscape of Canada is (whether it becomes more conservative or what not). I do hope that Canada allows MAID for those with incurable, debilitating, and continuous mental anguish and mental illnesses.

 

[OnMyLast Legs]

How humane and compassionate policies like Belgium's and the Netherlands' are. It would be so beautiful to have that here in the US. But for now it's just a dream.

 

[lachrymost]

I live in the US, but I support MAID for mental illnesses, however, I'm thinking that it's likely it'll probably just be continuously and indefinitely postponed until one day it just fails to expand. It really sucks and I think that is the likelihood of things and dependent on how the political landscape of Canada is (whether it becomes more conservative or what not). I do hope that Canada allows MAID for those with incurable, debilitating, and continuous mental anguish and mental illnesses.

I'm Canadian and I agree. Either way I'm kind of losing, because if it does happen then I'll have to go through the hell of actually applying all while knowing they probably won't let me do it. Lol. And I do have a significant psychiatric history. I imagine it will only be for people with decades of treatment-resistant suffering who have fried their brains with ECT, unless you really happen to luck out with the two doctors who evaluate you. And if there are enough doctors like that, there will be even more legal challenges to it.

That said, I really cannot believe it's even being seriously considered in the first place. Nice to be one of the better places in the world in that respect.

 

[OnMyLast Legs]

That said, I really cannot believe it's even being seriously considered in the first place. Nice to be one of the better places in the world in that respect.

I have so much envy for you. The opportunity to get MAiD is awesome. It's a shame only a tiny percentage of the planet has access.

 

[Tired_birth_1967]

I live in Canada, and MAiD (medical assistance in dying) will be available to people whose sole condition is mental in March 2027. What mental illness do you think will be considered for MAiD? I don't have the energy to kill myself anymore, so my hope is to just wait until MAiD may be a possibility.

If this happens, it will be a step forward. Currently, it is very restricted. Very few people would be eligible. Psychological suffering, for example, must be linked to a condition of irreversible decline in physical health. But it's better than there being no possibility at all. But I don't believe that even then it will be easy to be eligible.

 

[Tommen Baratheon]

How humane and compassionate policies like Belgium's and the Netherlands' are. It would be so beautiful to have that here in the US. But for now it's just a dream.

In 2024 only 1,4% of all euthanasia cases in Belgium were linked to a psychiatric disorder. People who request euthanasia in case of unbearable mental suffering (ondraaglijk psychisch lijden) need to be approved by 3 medical doctors, one of them being a psychiatrist. After the trail of Tine Nys doctors are very cautious to approve euthanasia for people with a psychiatric disorder.

Finding a psychiatrist in Belgium is very hard, let alone a psychiatrist that will approve euthanasia. I've heard cases that take up over 2 years and all the while you're suffering. Not too long ago a Flemish actor with mental problems was euthanised, so waiting lists are even longer now. Some people commit suicide while waiting for approval.

Yeah, it's all compassion and humanity here in Belgium...

 

[InTheAbyss]

Most people don't know that there are conditions that most think are mental health. But for MAID they are not considered mental health. Anything that is a developmental or cognitive condition is not a mental health condition in the programs eyes and are valid for a MAID request. Explicit examples given were dementias, ADHD, and autism. This is in their own model of standards and practices. But good luck finding a doctor that will even look at you for that. There's no enforcement for a doctor saying that they know what the rules are but they believe different and don't want to.

 

[INYGTRMTFMO]

Some people commit suicide while waiting for approval.

I don't live somewhere where MAID for mental health conditions exists, but if I did, I think being told by a team of doctors that I'm "mentally ill enough" to qualify for MAID would be all the "permission" I need to die by my own hands. "Oh, cool, so medical professionals AGREE that I can't be saved and I'm better off dead, I got it from here, thanks!"