Concerns about rising euthanasia among young people with mental health problems

The State Secretary of Public Health, Vincent Karremans, and the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, are concerned about the rise in young people requesting euthanasia as a result of severe psychological suffering. Karremans emphasized in a parliamentary debate that no matter how “sad” this wish is, a careful procedure is always followed. He also stated that only a small number of these requests are granted.

Numbers provided by the Centre of Expertise on Euthanasia show that the number of young people who want to be considered for euthanasia due to psychological suffering has quadrupled between 2012 and 2021. There have been 397 requests for this from people who were younger than 24 years of age.

The researchers find it noteworthy that three-quarters of the requests to have their life ended are done by women. Only three percent of the requests due to psychological suffering genuinely lead to euthanasia, which is performed by a doctor.

Slightly more requests ended because the person involved committed suicide (4.3 percent) or stopped eating and drinking (0.5 percent). Around 47 percent of the young people retracted their request, and 45 percent of the requests were denied.

Karremans thinks it is too easy to point towards a possible failure of mental health care as a reason for the increase in euthanasia requests. Some parties have this belief as there are long waiting lists at mental health centers due to staff shortages, and complex care needs are not addressed in a timely manner. The state secretary has said that he is working on improving these issues.

People within the Dutch Association of Psychotherapy (NVP) are divided about granting requests for euthanasia amongst young people. This has led to some criticizing each other in the media.

Due to a portion of the health care providers not granting euthanasia requests to young people, there is a stigma on the psychiatrists who do so. The state secretary has spoken with the association and wants to give the sector “the space” to start an internal dialogue.

Wieke Paulusma, a member of parliament for D66, asked the state secretary to actively protect the psychiatrists who consider euthanasia requests. She emphasized that young people are given a different perspective when they can talk about their wish to end their life. “When people have somewhere to go with their story, the desire to live increases,” said Paulusma.