Jordan Peterson suffers from a serious neurological condition: “Every day of the last year has been hell,” says his daughter

Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, whose books and public speaking have made him an internationally recognized name in recent years, is dealing with a serious health condition involving neurological damage and symptoms of akathisia, his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson, has revealed, quoted by The New York Post.

Mikhaila, who co-hosted Peterson's YouTube call-in show, “Answer the Call,” for the conservative publication The Daily Wire, said in a lengthy video message aired Sunday on the “X” network that her father had had a “terrible” year.

“Every day for the last year has been hell,” a teary-eyed Mikhaila Peterson said in an emotional video. “I cried every day,” she added.

“We realized that dad has a neurological injury induced by psychiatric drugs and suffers from akathisia,” she said in the text published alongside the video recording.

What is akathisia, the condition Jordan Peterson suffers from

According to MedLife, akathisia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that involves an inability to remain still. People diagnosed with akathisia feel an intense and uncontrollable need to move, especially in the lower body. They have a feeling of restlessness and inner restlessness. These are manifested by compulsive, repetitive movements.

It is a disease associated with some treatments that include antipsychotic drugs or lithium. Akathisia can be part of the picture of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's, and can be of several types, depending on its duration and the time of onset.

Acute akathisia develops in the early stages of antipsychotic treatment or when the dose is increased. It usually lasts less than six months. In the case of chronic akathisia, the symptoms last more than six months and can even reach years of manifestation.

Mikhaila Petersona noted that it had been six years since her father had been off psychiatric medication, but claimed that exposure to mold had worsened his symptoms in recent months, leading to septicemia. She added that the stress caused to the psychologist by the death of both his parents, as well as the sale of the home, also contributed to the worsening of his symptoms.

Peterson suffers from several health problems

“Last summer his symptoms started after a flare-up (CIRS – no Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) probably caused by mold and stress. It was complicated by pneumonia and associated septicemia a month later. It was awful,” continued Mikhaila Peterson.

She also said his father's akathisia was severe and argued that such neurological damage is “much more common than people think” and is often misdiagnosed.

“Akathisia is the most horrible thing I've ever seen anyone experience…it's catastrophic,” she stressed.

Mikhaila Peterson said she will stop posting on social media until her father's condition improves. “I'm not going to do another update on dad, it's stressing my family and me and there's nothing more to say until things get better,” she stated.

“From now on I will do my best to bring attention to the damage caused by psychiatric drugs as they have affected my health too and are devastating. Prayers are still welcome,” she concluded.

Jordan Peterson's daughter emphasized that he is not undergoing psychiatric treatment

Peterson was previously admitted in 2019 to a rehab center for benzodiazepine addiction.

“To be very clear (…) there is no drug treatment. It's a dysfunction of the immune system,” said Mikhaila Peterson, when she previously spoke about her father's CIRS diagnosis.

Peterson and his daughter have previously caused controversy by promoting a carnivorous diet, subsisting exclusively on beef, salt and mineral water.

Jorda Peterson, now 63, began her career at Harvard University before returning to Canada, and became known globally in late 2016 after posting a series of videos criticizing “Bill C-16” — a Canadian bill that she said made it illegal to refuse to address a transgender person by their preferred gender pronoun.

His YouTube lectures and appearances on popular podcasts such as “The Joe Rogan Experience” have attracted huge audiences, and in 2018 he published the personal development book “12 Rules for Life” before embarking on a global tour.