299: What if your only hope for life was choosing death?
This Is Actually Happening
Audible
4.6 • 10.4K Ratings
🗓️ 21 November 2023
⏱️ 59 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Growing up with a controlling and mentally abusive mother, a woman suffers from a severe eating disorder that leaves her hopeless, until she discovers Medical Assistance in Dying, a program in Canada whereby people can receive assistance from a medical practitioner to voluntarily end their life.
Today’s episode featured Agata. If you’d like to reach out to her, you can email at amgawron@shaw.ca
Agata's story came to us by way of Todd Rennebohm. Agata was originally featured on Todd's podcast, Bunny Hugs and Mental health, which focuses on conversations with survivors, professionals and families of those who have lost someone to mental illness and addictions. So please check out Bunny Hugs and Mental Health, and a special thanks to Todd for referring today's guest.
Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva Lipkowitz
Content/Trigger Warnings: childhood medical trauma, sexual assault, parental abuse, severe eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, suicide attempt, discussion of suicide, death and dying, explicit language
Social Media:
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Twitter: @TIAHPodcast
Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com
Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com
Website for Aviva Lipkowitz: https://www.avivalipkowitz.com/
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Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper
Music Bed: “Cylinder Four” – Chris Zabriskie
Services
If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988
National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is actually happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events. |
| 0:04.1 | Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode and for more information about support services. Hi listeners a couple announcements before today's episode. |
| 0:19.0 | First, this episode features someone who is actively pursuing Maid, which stands for medical assistance |
| 0:25.6 | in dying. |
| 0:27.0 | This is a program in Canada where people can receive assistance from a medical practitioner |
| 0:31.6 | to voluntarily end their life. |
| 0:33.7 | Currently under Canadian law, made is only available to those suffering from a terminal medical |
| 0:39.4 | condition based on a physical illness. |
| 0:42.0 | Extending made to those whose underlying condition is a mental illness |
| 0:45.5 | is currently under consideration by the Canadian government |
| 0:48.5 | but is not yet available. |
| 0:50.3 | As a precaution before you listen, |
| 0:52.3 | be advised that this episode involves intensive discussion of a severe eating disorder and suicide, featuring a woman who is actively pursuing a medically assisted death. |
| 1:03.4 | Also, a special announcement about next week's episode, |
| 1:06.4 | which will be number 300. |
| 1:08.6 | To mark and honor our 300th episode, |
| 1:11.2 | we've decided to go back and re-interview the first storyteller ever on the show from episode one |
| 1:17.7 | What if your boyfriend lit himself on fire? |
| 1:21.0 | Just yesterday we re-released episode one for all listeners. |
| 1:25.0 | So if you want to hear her original telling of the story, you can find it on the public feed as |
| 1:30.0 | episode one. |
| 1:31.0 | Or you can stay tuned next week as we feature her full journey, |
... |
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