Family says controversial professor Jordan Peterson recovering from addiction

Jordan Peterson's daughter says the controversial Toronto author and professor is recovering from an addiction to benzodiazepine in Russia.

Mikhaila Peterson says in an online video statement that her father had been prescribed the medication for anxiety and that his dose increased after his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April.

She says Jordan has been suffering from physical dependency to the psychoactive drug for the last eight months and went to Russia for an emergency medical detox. She says there have been several failed treatment attempts in North American hospitals.

She adds that the 57-year-old professor was suffering from suicidal thoughts, restlessness and an inability to sit still while trying to wean himself off benzodiazepine.

Mikhaila says her father's health is now improving after a four-week stint in an intensive care unit.

Jordan Peterson rose to fame as a self-help guru who earlier made headlines because of his opposition to Bill C-16, which extends legal rights to transgender people in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2020.