AN acclaimed actress and comedian who was diagnosed with manic depression when she was 14 years old says she will die by assisted suicide.
Claire Brosseau, 48, says she cannot overcome her mental illness, which she developed when she was a teenager after a drug, alcohol and sex-filled bender.
Born in Montreal, Canada, Brosseau is fluently bilingual in French and English and has appeared in dozens of Hollywood movies.
She was identified as having anxiety, chronic suicidal ideation, an eating disorder, personality disorder, substance abuse disorder, PTSD, and a slew of other mental health conditions at a young age.
In an open letter on her Substack earlier this year the actress revealed she had made several suicide attempts.
She also said she was treated by psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors all across America.
Various medications, therapies and guided psychedelics have all failed to improve her mental health.
In 2021 Brosseau decided that she would apply for euthanasia under Canada‘s Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) program.
The program allows people with “grievous and irremediable medical conditions” to end their life with the assistance of a doctor.
However, if a patient’s illnesses are solely mental health-related they are not yet eligible for MAiD.
This restriction was due to end in March 2023 but has been delayed twice, with Brosseau now unlikely to have access to MAiD until 2027.
The actress has now filed a complaint with the Ontario Superior Court alleging genuine rights violations.
She told the NY Times: “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.
“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.”
After graduating school at 16 Brosseau was recruited to attend an elite drama college in Quebec.
At the college she studied theatre performance for two years before moving to New York City.
After the move to America she kept up her studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater.
She would go on to have a successful career as an actress and comedian, landing roles in dozens of musicals and films.
Following another depressive episode that saw her struggle to eat and drown her emotions with booze and drugs Brosseau moved back to Montreal in her early 20s and was hospitalized for several months.
After her mental health improved she began to appear on screen and stage again.
You Are Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
Brosseau had roles on Entertainment Tonight Canada and The Strombo Show, a radio show hosted by Canadian broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos.
She also undertook TV projects with James Franco and Daniel Stern, secured a deal with a comedy club chain, acted in commercials in Los Angeles and took some writing gigs.
But Brosseau said she never managed to land her dream part in a European film and added that her mental health conditions still impeded her success.
After another booze and drugs incident saw her stumble and smash her face into a curb at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards she got sober.
Brosseau underwent treatment at an intensive psychiatric care unit, began a series of therapies and started taking prescribed antidepressant, antipsychotic, and anti-anxiety medications.
Things improved for the star for several years but she admitted that in 2021, as her career hit a low point, she attempted suicide again.
She decided to pursue MAiD shortly after that, under the belief that it would be eligible for mental health patients in 2023.
She went on to host a series of “farewell dinners” with her friends and family – revealing her intentions to end her life.
Brosseau is now suing the Canadian government for the right to die alongside former war correspondent John Scully, who suffers from PTSD.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
