The daughter of controversial Canadian author Jordan Peterson says her father is recovering in Russia from "physical dependence" to anti-anxiety medication.

Mikhaila Peterson says in a YouTube video that her father had been prescribed a low dose of Benzodiazepine a few years ago following a severe autoimmune reaction to food.

She says the dose was increased after his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April, and he's been suffering from dependency to the psychoactive drug for the last eight months.

The 28-year-old says her father went to Russia for an emergency medical detox after several failed treatment attempts in North American hospitals.

Mikhaila says her father's health is now improving after a four-week stint in an intensive care unit, but he still has a long way to full recovery.

Jordan Peterson rose to fame as a self-help guru who earlier made headlines because of his opposition to Bill C-16, which extends legal rights to transgender people in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2020.