Warning: This article may contain some distressing information.
A Canadian actress and comedian is asking the courts to allow her to die by medically assisted suicide, saying decades of severe mental illness have left her with no hope of recovery.
Claire Brosseau, 48, is suing for access to Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying program (MAID) after struggling since childhood with manic depression, anxiety disorder, substance abuse disorder, chronic suicidal ideation, and numerous other mental health conditions.
She told The New York Times that despite years of treatment, her suffering has never meaningfully eased.
Years of treatment with little relief
Brosseau is a Montreal-born performer who has appeared in dozens of films and stage productions.
In an open letter published on her Substack last year, she described a lifetime of failed interventions and constant suicidal thoughts.
Brosseau said she was diagnosed with manic depression at 14 after a period marked by heavy drug and alcohol use and risky behavior.
Over the years, she was also diagnosed with PTSD, an eating disorder, a personality disorder, and anxiety, among other conditions. Despite earning steady work in film, theater, and comedy, she said her mental health repeatedly derailed her career.
“I had a great place to stay, and I was doing well on the film, and I was having fun on set, and every night I would go back to my hotel, and I would bawl and scream and rip my clothes apart,” she told the Times.
“And cry and just - I wanted to kill myself, and I couldn't wait to get out of there. And then the next day at work, I'd be fine, and I'd have so much fun," she added.
The 48-year-old, who does not have a partner or children, said she even once ate peanuts despite being allergic, hoping it would trigger a fatal reaction.
Legal fight over Canada’s assisted dying law
Back in 2021, Brosseau applied for euthanasia under Canada’s MAID program, which allows adults with a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” to end their lives with a doctor’s assistance, per The New York Post.
Patients whose conditions are solely mental health-related, however, are currently excluded.
That exclusion was set to expire in 2023, but the federal government delayed it twice. As a result, Brosseau may not be eligible until 2027.
She has now joined a lawsuit with advocacy group Dying With Dignity Canada, as well as former war correspondent John Scully, alleging that the exclusion is discriminatory and violates her rights. The case remains pending.
Despite what she described as “an embarrassment of riches,” including close friends, a supportive family, and her dog, Olive, Brosseau said she believes she will likely die by suicide if she is denied access to MAID.
Psychiatrists are divided on her request
Brosseau’s own doctors disagree over whether assisted death is appropriate in her case.
Dr. Mark Fefergrad expressed concern about her pursuing MAID, saying he has seen patients recover after years of suffering.
“I believe she can get well,” he told the outlet. “I don’t think MAID is the best or only choice for her.”
Dr. Gail Robinson, however, said she believes it is discriminatory to deny MAID to patients with chronic mental illness.
“I would love her to change her mind,” Robinson said. “I would hope that she would not have to do this. But I will support her.”
If she is granted access to euthanasia, Brosseau said she hopes Fefergrad, Robinson, and her loved ones will be present to support her, though she does not want them in the room when she dies.
“And it’s been too much already,” Brosseau said. “It’s enough.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.