I Swear You Will Be Fine

Dear Josh,

I read that Canada is delaying Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) for individuals whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness until March 17, 2027. From what I’ve read, MAID is legal in Canada for eligible adults with serious physical illnesses or disabilities. The federal government passed legislation in early 2024 to extend the temporary exclusion of individuals with mental illnesses to give medical professionals more time to develop training standards and prepare the healthcare system. Basically, MAID was supposed to be available for individuals with mental illnesses earlier but at the moment, it has been extended to 2027.

There’s an ongoing debate about whether MAID should be made available at all to those suffering mental illnesses only. Some government officials recommended an indefinite pause or permanent exclusion for expanding MAID for mental disorders. Some are requesting the extension in hopes that treatment will advance and the need for MAID for mental disorders will decrease.

I read some online comments about this news. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, a lot of individuals with BPD are speaking up. Some are taking this news very lightly, jokingly asking when they can start getting in line for the procedure. Someone said, “Finally! People shouldn’t be forced to suffer.” I also saw a “Some people are treatment resistant, nothing helps and they suffer immensely, so why not?” This one made me sad, “We don’t hesitate to use euthanasia on our animals when they are suffering. Some of us deserve the same mercy.” There were many comments. “As someone with BPD, I think this is fantastic.” “You wouldn’t know unless you have it how hard it actually is to live a normal life. I just feel like we deserve that option.” “The line will be full of people with BPD.”

Then there are those who disagree. One argued a thought I had, “BPD is so erratic. You can think of killing yourself now and not want to do it later. How can they ensure that we won’t regret it?” This comment came from someone with BPD. She shared that her thoughts of dying frequently exist as fleeting moments. This made me very sad because it solidified my fear that maybe you weren’t planning on dying. What if you were just being impulsive and needed an outlet? What if you thought nothing bad would happen and you’d be fine after this “attempt”? What if you had no intention to go?

I wonder what you would have thought about MAID. We would have had an interesting discussion but a huge part of me would have been worried that you’d consider it. I’m not sure how I’d feel if MAID was eventually a choice for you. I don’t know how I could have coped with that.

With that said and after thinking about, I think MAID should be made available to those with mental illnesses albeit with many precautions. I might be wrong, but I think that’s what you would have said. It is a mercy. As sad as it will be, and as optimistic as I want to be about treatment options and time “healing”, I think MAID is the kinder option.

I hope that whatever your intention was that night, you’re happier now. We’ll try not to let you worry about us. Can’t wait to see you again. I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, and I’ll miss you more than you can imagine.

Love always,
Sha