“Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder
BackgroundPrevious research has provided insight into the grief of suicide survivors, but little is known about grief following physician-assisted dying (PAD), and no prior study specifically focused on grief following PAD due to a mental disorder. The current study aims to increase insight into exp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.894417/full |
| _version_ | 1817976941780664320 |
|---|---|
| author | Marianne C. Snijdewind Marianne C. Snijdewind Jos de Keijser Gerty Casteelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid |
| author_facet | Marianne C. Snijdewind Marianne C. Snijdewind Jos de Keijser Gerty Casteelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid |
| author_sort | Marianne C. Snijdewind |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundPrevious research has provided insight into the grief of suicide survivors, but little is known about grief following physician-assisted dying (PAD), and no prior study specifically focused on grief following PAD due to a mental disorder. The current study aims to increase insight into experiences preceding PAD or suicide of a loved one due to a mental disorder and their impact on mental health symptoms.MethodsWe performed a survey study and in-depth interviews with 27 bereaved life partners. The deceased had been in treatment for mental disorders and had died by PAD (n = 12) or suicide (n = 15). Interviews explored grief experiences and experiences with mental health care. In the survey, we assessed self-reported symptoms of grief, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and impairments in social, and occupational functioning.ResultsAll participants reported generally low levels of mental health symptoms. Longer time since death and death by PAD were associated with lower grief intensity. Interviews showed various degrees of expectedness of the partners' death, and a varying impact of being present at the death on bereaved partners.ConclusionExpectedness of the death of the partner, absence of suffering of the partner at the time of dying, and presence of physician support may in part explain the protective effects of PAD against severe grief reactions. Physicians considering their position regarding their personal involvement in PAD due to a mental disorder could take grief reactions of the bereaved partner into account. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:09:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-08f092be3e0449e9bb107bf9f141da90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:09:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-08f092be3e0449e9bb107bf9f141da902022-12-22T02:27:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-07-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.894417894417“Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental DisorderMarianne C. Snijdewind0Marianne C. Snijdewind1Jos de Keijser2Gerty Casteelen3Paul A. Boelen4Paul A. Boelen5Paul A. Boelen6Geert E. Smid7Geert E. Smid8Geert E. Smid9ARQ Centrum'45, Diemen, NetherlandsDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsExpertisecentrum Euthanasie, Den Haag, NetherlandsARQ Centrum'45, Diemen, NetherlandsARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsARQ Centrum'45, Diemen, NetherlandsARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, NetherlandsDepartment of Humanistic Chaplaincy Studies, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, NetherlandsBackgroundPrevious research has provided insight into the grief of suicide survivors, but little is known about grief following physician-assisted dying (PAD), and no prior study specifically focused on grief following PAD due to a mental disorder. The current study aims to increase insight into experiences preceding PAD or suicide of a loved one due to a mental disorder and their impact on mental health symptoms.MethodsWe performed a survey study and in-depth interviews with 27 bereaved life partners. The deceased had been in treatment for mental disorders and had died by PAD (n = 12) or suicide (n = 15). Interviews explored grief experiences and experiences with mental health care. In the survey, we assessed self-reported symptoms of grief, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and impairments in social, and occupational functioning.ResultsAll participants reported generally low levels of mental health symptoms. Longer time since death and death by PAD were associated with lower grief intensity. Interviews showed various degrees of expectedness of the partners' death, and a varying impact of being present at the death on bereaved partners.ConclusionExpectedness of the death of the partner, absence of suffering of the partner at the time of dying, and presence of physician support may in part explain the protective effects of PAD against severe grief reactions. Physicians considering their position regarding their personal involvement in PAD due to a mental disorder could take grief reactions of the bereaved partner into account.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.894417/fullgrief/losssuicidephysician-assisted dying (PAD)mental disordermental health |
| spellingShingle | Marianne C. Snijdewind Marianne C. Snijdewind Jos de Keijser Gerty Casteelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Paul A. Boelen Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid Geert E. Smid “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder Frontiers in Psychiatry grief/loss suicide physician-assisted dying (PAD) mental disorder mental health |
| title | “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder |
| title_full | “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder |
| title_fullStr | “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder |
| title_short | “Only One Way Out”-Partners' Experiences and Grief Related to the Death of Their Loved One by Suicide or Physician-Assisted Dying Due to a Mental Disorder |
| title_sort | only one way out partners experiences and grief related to the death of their loved one by suicide or physician assisted dying due to a mental disorder |
| topic | grief/loss suicide physician-assisted dying (PAD) mental disorder mental health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.894417/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariannecsnijdewind onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT mariannecsnijdewind onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT josdekeijser onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT gertycasteelen onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT paulaboelen onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT paulaboelen onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT paulaboelen onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT geertesmid onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT geertesmid onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder AT geertesmid onlyonewayoutpartnersexperiencesandgriefrelatedtothedeathoftheirlovedonebysuicideorphysicianassisteddyingduetoamentaldisorder |