Zoraya ter Beek

Zoraya ter Beek was born in 1995 and grew up in Oldenzaal, Netherlands. She struggled with mental health issues from an early age, experiencing depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder and a personality disorder.^[2] Despite initially aspiring to become a psychiatrist, her conditions worsened, leading to difficulties in education and employment.

Ter Beek sought treatment for over a decade, including therapy, psychiatric medications, and more than 30 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy. Despite extensive efforts, her doctors concluded that her suffering was incurable.^[3] In 2020, after being informed that no further treatment options were available, she began seeking approval for euthanasia. She wore a “Do Not Resuscitate” tag from the age of 22.

Ter Beek's euthanasia drew significant attention from international media, including prominent coverage by The Guardian, The Free Press, Fox News, the New York Post and People.^[4] She publicly documented the legal and medical process of euthanasia on her X account. Her story sparked intense public debate, highlighting the ethical complexities of euthanasia for mental illness.

The Netherlands is one of the few countries that allows euthanasia for psychiatric disorders. Ter Beek’s case highlighted tensions between suicide prevention and assisted dying laws. Critics questioned whether psychiatric suffering can be deemed incurable, while supporters argued that psychological pain can be as unbearable as physical illness.^[3]