Diagnosed at 14, Actress Claire Brosseau Says Lifelong Mental Illness Has Led Her to Consider Assisted Suicide

This actress, who has been battling severe mental health conditions since the age of 14, is seeking euthanasia to escape her suffering. Long-standing mental health and emotional pain have made her life difficult, leaving her with no relief.

Hollywood actress and comedian Claire Brosseau, who was diagnosed with manic depression at the age of 14, now wishes to end her life through assisted suicide, succumbing to her severe mental illnesses. The 48-year-old Claire states that she has been unable to overcome her debilitating mental health issues and fell into habits such as drugs, alcohol, and sex at a young age.

Seeking Euthanasia to Find Relief from Pain

Claire Brosseau suffers from several mental illnesses, including anxiety (chronic suicidal ideation), and is constantly plagued by suicidal thoughts. She has also been diagnosed with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), an eating disorder, substance abuse disorder, and a personality disorder. Claire Brosseau, born in Canada and fluent in French and English, has worked in dozens of Hollywood films. Earlier this year, she wrote an emotional note on her Substack detailing her multiple suicide attempts.

Actress Battling Mental Health Illnesses Since Age 14

Furthermore, Claire claims that all medications, therapies, and guided psychedelics have failed to improve her condition. She has consulted numerous psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors without any success. Driven by this despair, she decided in 2021 to apply for euthanasia through Canada's Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) program. This program permits individuals with "grievous and irremediable medical conditions" to end their lives with medical assistance. However, individuals with mental health-related illnesses are not yet permitted to die by assisted suicide.

Regarding Claire Brosseau's career, in her early days, she studied at Montreal High School and participated in plays. After graduation, she enrolled in an elite drama college in Quebec before moving to New York City, where she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Subsequently, the actress received opportunities to work in musicals and films, but even as she climbed the ladder of success, her mental health problems escalated.

After Tripping and Hitting Her Face on the Pavement

Speaking to The New York Times, Claire Brosseau recounted, "I had a really nice place to live, I was doing well in film, and I loved being on set, but every night I would go back to my hotel and cry and scream and rip up my clothes. I wanted to kill myself, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Then the next day at work, I was fine and I loved it and then every day was the same thing."

After tripping and hitting her face on the pavement at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards, she decided to take control of her life. Claire Brosseau underwent treatment in an intensive psychiatric care unit and took all prescribed medications, but her career declined in 2021, and she attempted suicide again. She now states that her mental condition has deteriorated to the point where she has decided to pursue MAiD, as she is exhausted and desires euthanasia.