French YouTuber with dissociative identity disorder rebuffed by Belgian doctors on euthanasia appeal

By William On Jan 24, 2023

A YouTuber suffering from multiple personality disorder is documenting her attempt to end her life at a euthanasia clinic.

The 23-year-old Frenchwoman, who goes by the name Olympe, recently told the 255,000 followers of her mental health channel that she was “in contact with doctors” in Belgium, where assisted suicide is legal.

The content creator suffers from dissociative identity disorder, a condition shaped by trauma that is often deeply distressing to those it affects.

But Belgian doctor Yves de Locht, approached by Olympe, said the clinics were not “euthanasia dealers” and that the process can take many months or years before someone can access assisted suicide services.

This follows the controversial death of another 23-year-old suffering from mental health issues. who chose to end his life in Belgium last year.

YouTuber Olympe spoke candidly to her followers on Instagram earlier this month.

What is dissociative identity disorder?

‘DID’, formerly known as multiple personality disorder, is a condition that results in the presence of two or more distinct and ‘relatively long-lasting’ personalities in the sufferer.

The condition is seen among around 1.5% of the general population and is the result of repeated or prolonged childhood trauma.

90% of those with DID have a history of abuse and neglect.

The condition develops in early childhood, before the brain can develop a single, integrated identity.

Treatment usually involves treatment of symptoms (“palliative” therapy) and psychotherapy. Without medical treatment, it is rare for the condition to subside on its own.

Diagnoses of the disorder have increased dramatically in recent years, in part due to the development of more diagnostic tests in the field of psychology and new techniques for imaging brain tissue.

The condition is often deeply distressing for those who suffer from it. More than 70% of people with the condition attempt suicide once.

Olympe initially said in a post on Instagram: “In the last quarter of 2023 I will resort to assisted suicide in Belgium.”

I am already in contact with the doctors.

She added: ‘It’s not a debate. It’s my life. It is a decision I made and it was difficult to make.

Olympe said that she could no longer handle the burden of her condition or its causes.

She said these included sexual abuse and moving between various foster homes.

But the Brussels doctor from Locht, whom Olympe reportedly approached, fired the claims that the talks had progressed in an interview with Le Parisien.

He said the process could take months or years, and said Belgium was tired of being colored as a “death row” for France, where assisted suicide is illegal.

I haven’t seen your medical file, but I have read your emails. She wants to meet me.

‘We don’t refuse to meet (with people like her) but we explain to them that the process can take months or even years.

‘This young woman has announced the end of her life at the end of the year. This date certainly does not come from me. I need a lot more information before I even think about meeting her.

Since then, the young YouTuber has stressed that she does not wish to set an “example” for young people, and urges those with darker thoughts to “find people around you to lean on.”

Euthanasia (withdrawing or stopping life-preserving treatments) is legal in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and Spain.

Assisted suicide (giving the patient the means to end their own life) is illegal in most of Europe.

Although Switzerland allows assisted suicide, active euthanasia is not legal.

While illegal in France, a citizens’ council has started debating the country’s approach to end-of-life care in general and the legal status of assisted suicide.

The recommendations will be presented to parliament in March this year.

In the UK, the act of helping someone take their own life is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Olympe said it would radically change its content after the negative attention online.

Assisted suicide presents many ethical complications in defining a ‘rational suicide’.

The scientific community is somewhat divided.

48.6% of psychiatrists respondent in 2019 did not support access to assisted suicide for people diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness.

Almost a third supported some degree of access, and just over 20% were neutral on the issue.

The authors said there was a growing number of psychiatric patients seeking assisted suicide.

1994 paper concluded that the availability of assisted suicide may lead to increased suicide rates in the general population, especially among young people, due to copycat behavior and destigmatization.

Authors of a paper last year highlighted the importance of assessing decision-making capacity when considering assisted dying.

This could be complicated by underlying mental health conditions.

Last year, Shanti De Corte, also 23, chose to end her life in Belgiumciting ‘unbearable’ mental anguish.

Court suffered trauma as a witness to the ISIS attack on Brussels airport in 2016.

After undergoing psychiatric treatment and medication, he decided to end his life in May 2022.

A neurologist later said the decision was premature, with options not yet fully explored, but claimed the woman’s mother overruled it.

When life is tough, the Samaritans are here, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.