The daughter of famed Canadian clinical psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson said Saturday her father is suffering from “a psych-med-induced neurological injury.”
Peterson, who was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) in August 2025, also suffers from akathisia, a movement disorder which creates difficulty in sitting still and causes restlessness. Peterson’s daughter, Mikhaila, provided the update in a Saturday post to X which included a 35-minute video.
“We figured out that dad has a psych med induced neurological injury, and has been suffering from akathisia. It’s been 6 years since any psych medications,” Mikhaila wrote. “Last summer his symptoms started, after a flare up likely induced by mold (CIRS) and stress. It was complicated by pneumonia and associated sepsis a month later. It’s been horrible. Neurological injuries from psych meds are far more common than people know.”
WATCH:
We figured out that dad has a psych med induced neurological injury, and has been suffering from akathisia. It’s been 6 years since any psych medications. Last summer his symptoms started, after a flare up likely induced by mold (CIRS) and stress. It was complicated by pneumonia… pic.twitter.com/wPjAz4XsLT
— Mikhaila Peterson (@MikhailaFuller) April 18, 2026
Should awareness of psych med injuries be increased?
“I made this video to explain what they are and what akathisia is because they’re not talked about enough, they’re misdiagnosed, nearly impossible to treat, and hidden by the pharmaceutical industry,” Mikhaila continued. “I don’t plan on making another update about my dad, it stresses my family out, and myself, and there’s nothing more to say about it until things get better. I will be jumping up and down about psych med injury awareness from now on as it’s impacted my health as well, and is devastating. Prayers are appreciated still.”
Peterson emerged as a popular cultural and social commentator among conservatives after his research funding was cut off in 2017 after he refused to use non-binary pronouns. His daughter urged those using medications to not rush to leave them, despite her father’s medical condition.
“Warning for people on psych meds listening – if you’ve been taking a psych med, particularly a benzodiazepine long term and are stable, don’t feel pressured to taper,” Mikhaila added in a follow-up post on X. “Do your research but don’t get concerned from this video and destabilize a stable situation without knowing the risks.”
In August 2023, a Canadian court upheld a ruling by the College of Psychologists of Ontario requiring Dr. Peterson to receive sensitivity training following an interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast and comments he made on social media on transgenderism. Although Peterson posted to social media that he refused to comply with the initial ruling in January, he later said he would do so.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make all of this as public as I possibly can. I mean, I have done that from the beginning,” Peterson told Fox News host Jesse Watters in August 2023. “I released all the documents that included the charges, so to speak, that the College [has] levied against me. I want to make this 100% transparent that led to the public decide for themselves who exactly is acting, let’s say, in an unprofessional capacity.”
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