We cannot allow survivors to give up on themselves

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In Holland, a Dutch woman in her 20s who reportedly experienced childhood sexual abuse from the ages of 5 to 15 and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and other complex negative consequences as a result was allowed to choose lethal injection in Holland when doctors decided her condition was untreatable.

If that doesn’t make me, a trauma psychologist, want to scream or cry, I don’t know what would. Treatment is hopeless? Who says that to their patients? And why should people stand for such cynicism from their health-care providers?

Recovery from such severe trauma is not easy, but telling someone it’s not possible? Well, at minimum, that’s just untrue.