18-Year Old Nadia Kajouji's Suicide COULD Have Been Prevented

Since I am American, I do not know the health privacy laws of Canada. However, I do know that once a person turns 18, there is no legal obligation for a doctor to reveal or release one's medical records, or even to inform parents or family that their patient has a serious health problem and needs support and additional treatment. Yet, according to Canadian law, and Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's privacy commissioner, a University CAN disclose health information to parents. 

BUT WHAT WAS DONE? NOTHING...

Here's an example: The Virginia Tech massacre. Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people, not including himself, and who seriously injured dozens of others was clinically depressed and was seeking treatment; yet due to the HIPAA laws in the United States ("Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act"), no one was informed of his condition.

Look how that ended up. Thirty-three dead and an entire university and community in shambles. What could have been prevented? Why did no one speak out? Even an insurance company has the rights to one's medical records!

These laws are to protect that person's privacy, but there has to be a line drawn in this case and exceptions must be made. These conditions are a matter of life and death. It's not as if Nadia was getting an abortion, or in a drug rehabilitation program, where that is kept strictly confidential. But in cases like this, when one is threatening or thinking of suicide, someone must be held accountable for keeping silent.

In my opinion, the University and the lack of their actions are responsible for the death of Nadia. If her doctor would have come out and told her parents that she needed more psychiatric care than what she was receiving, she might still be here. If the University took a moment out of their "busy schedule" to talk to Nadia's family, she might still be here.

This specific Canadian law was put in place to protect people. Not to hide and end up with the grizzly consequence of one's death, or the death of many.

It's time that our society (not just Canada, but the U.S., and the international population as a whole) wakes up, re-evaluates our understanding and education regarding mental health and address it instead of ignoring it by sweeping it under the rug, like so many did in the 1950's-1960's.  This disease takes the lives of 1,000,000 worldwide per year.

I feel angry and empathize with Nadia's family. Something should have been done. Sometimes one has to "screw the rules". Sometimes rules are meant to be broken. In this situation, it should have been broken...out of the conscience of her doctors or therapists.

She was in dire need of help, but did not receive adequate treatment. For crying out loud, she was corresponding over the internet with a perfect stranger for help! What does that say? How does that reflect our attitudes and priorities? It only shows ignorance, a continuing stigma, and the fact that society, the law, physicians, and health insurance companies DO NOT CARE about those afflicted with depression or other mental illnesses.

If you are reading this and have or are currently suffering from depression or any other mental illness such as bipolar disorder, I'm sure you've heard this many times: "Snap out of it!" "Pull yourself up with your boot straps and get on!" "Go exercise!" The list goes on and on.

I am angry with the "system" and the "powers that be". It's disgusting and against all decent human rights. When people need help in situations such as this, hiding or ignoring the problem will only make situations worse and more people will die as a result. 

(my opinion provided by Michelle Says So)

 

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