Taken from a Sky News article: 

A 17-year-old Dutch girl has died after announcing she would stop eating or drinking and saying "within a maximum of 10 days I will die".

She writes: "After years of battling and fighting it's finished. I have for a while now stopped eating and drinking, and after many conversations and assessments it has been decided that I will be 'let go' because my suffering is unbearable.

"It is done. I haven't really lived for so long, I am surviving, and even that not really..."

Noa Pothoven had written an award-winning book about living with depression, anorexia and self-harm after being raped as a child.


Link to the article: [https://news.sky.com/story/girl-17-dies-after-being-legally-euthanised-in-the-netherlands-11734815] 

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She must have helped so many people and yet she couldn't find her own way in this cruel world. That's damn upsetting. She deserved to live her own life and to be happy. 

As a survivor of abuse, sexual assaults, eating disorders and mental health issues myself, it's really difficult to hear this decision was allowed. 

She was only 17, I went through the same thing at that age. I've been through it many times and fought fucking hard to get through it. 
I still struggle with eating. My most recent experience with sexual assault was a few months ago and before that it was only about 6 months prior.

It's always felt like the universe continously shits on me and as hard as it is, I struggle again and again and try to overcome it. It's just got under my skin and I haven't been able to shake it all day. 

Part of me is a hypocrite because I've attempted suicide numerous times and know how fucking hard it is to feel that way. 
Every day is a struggle.  

Obviously there's parts of me that have been stirred to the core because of this and that's my issue to deal with and figure out why it has. 
Something that comes up when thinking about this is people who I've lost at a young age, suddenly, through suicide and other ways and how much they had to live for and how their lives were wasted and they were taken too soon. 
Anyway, this isn't about me or about survivors guilt, it's about Noa.

It sounds like she had a supportive family and getting treatment. That's just the impression I got. 

I hope this young lady is at peace now and I'm sorry for the pain she's suffered. 
I can't help to think about what she could have done with her life if she'd be able to get the appropriate medical help. How happy she could have been despite the things that happened. It's so sad. 

The article states: 
"In the Netherlands, children as young as 12 can request euthanasia if they are terminally ill, suffering unbearably, able to express their will and have parental approval". 

That shit is crazy. I understand the terminally ill part, but that's a different subject entirely. 

I was wondering what other people think of this and what reactions and feelings came from reading the news story. 


Rest in peace, Noa. 
My thoughts are with your family and friends. 


Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.