Maybe a doctor mentioned medical assistance in dying (MAID). Maybe you feel like a burden, or that nothing will ever change. Those feelings are common with depression — and they can lie to you about your worth and your future.
We are not here to shame you. We are here because we believe you deserve real treatment, real support, and time to recover before any decision that cannot be undone.
If depression has you thinking about medical assistance in dying (MAID), please pause and read this. What you feel today is not the whole story — and you deserve care that fights for your life.
Depression is a treatable medical condition. Too many Canadians are being steered toward MAID when they still have treatment options that could help. That is not mercy — it is abandonment.
Over 13,000 Canadians died by MAID in 2022, and the numbers are growing. Including mental illness in MAID criteria puts people at their lowest point in permanent harm's way.
You deserve treatment, not death.
80-90% Treatment Success Rate
Most people with depression get better with proper treatment
Depression is Temporary
Chemical imbalances can be corrected. MAID is permanent.
You Haven't Tried Everything
Multiple treatments exist. Don't give up before trying them all.
of people with depression respond positively to treatment
Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime
of people deserve help, support, and the chance to recover
Depression is a medical condition, not a character flaw or weakness. It's a real illness that affects how you think, feel, and act.
When you're depressed, your brain chemistry changes. Neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine become imbalanced. This isn't your fault—it's a biological condition that can be treated.
The good news? These chemical imbalances can be corrected. Your brain can heal. Treatment works.
Learn More About DepressionEvidence & hope
Major depression is a medical condition, not a personality flaw. Most people improve when care matches their needs — even after years of suffering or failed attempts.
Not medical advice. Work with qualified clinicians on your plan.
Depression involves changes in mood-regulating systems. Medications and other treatments can help restore balance for many people.
CBT, behavioural activation, and other therapies teach skills that reduce hopelessness and suicidal thinking — not just “positive thinking.”
Sleep, movement, nutrition, sunlight, and connection are real interventions — especially alongside professional care.
The brain can form new pathways. What feels fixed today can shift with time, treatment, and support.
Medication plus psychotherapy often works better than either alone for moderate-to-severe depression.
Treatments need a fair trial. Decisions made in the deepest despair do not always match what you would choose when symptoms ease.
“Treatment-resistant” often means not yet matched to the right team, diagnosis, or supports — not that recovery is impossible.
MAID is permanent. Depression is often treatable. If you are weighing medical assistance in dying because of depression, you deserve a thorough course of care — not abandonment when the system is slow.
2,400 Years of Medical Wisdom
The Hippocratic tradition teaches that physicians should never give up on life while healing remains possible. For treatable conditions like depression, this principle is sacred.
Treatment Success Rate
Depression is highly treatable
Deserve Treatment First
Every person, every time
Times to Give Up Early
Never, while options remain
We believe in the timeless medical principle: exhaust all treatment options before accepting death. For depression—a treatable condition—offering MAID before trying everything violates this sacred duty.
Treatment first. Hope always. Life is precious.
Join us in standing for the principle that has guided medicine for millennia.
When you're depressed, your brain tells you things that aren't true — including that MAID is a reasonable “solution.” It distorts your thinking about yourself, your future, and your worth.
You do not have to face depression — or pressure toward MAID — alone.
Treatment works for most people. If you have not found the right care yet, use the resources on this site to take the next step.