When unbearable suffering incites psychiatric patients to request euthanasia: qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Medical Ethics
• Sociology

Background:

• The concept of 'unbearable suffering' is key in euthanasia legislation but poorly understood for psychiatric patients.
• Psychiatric patients' suffering experiences are central to euthanasia requests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the multifaceted suffering of psychiatric patients who have requested euthanasia.
• To gain insights into the lived experiences of these patients.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of testimonials from 26 psychiatric patients requesting euthanasia.
• Utilized QualiCoder software for qualitative data analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified five suffering domains: medical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, societal, and existential.
• Hopelessness significantly contributes to suffering; lengthy euthanasia processes exacerbate it.
• Physician engagement with requests can offer new treatment perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Developing assessment tools for psychiatric patients' suffering is vital for humane euthanasia evaluations.
• Socioeconomic factors like low income correlate with suffering, necessitating broader societal and political debate.
• Euthanasia must not be a solution for societal failures.