The 45-year-old artiste reveals the diagnoses in his book 'Episodes: The Diary Of A Recovering Mad Man'. Photo: TNS
Gucci Mane is sharing his experience after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
In his book Episodes: The Diary Of A Recovering Mad Man, the 45-year-old rapper reveals the diagnoses and gets candid about the mental health struggles he’s dealt with.
The King Snipe artiste and his wife, Keyshia Ka’oir, opened up on The Breakfast Club on Monday (Oct 20) about managing his mental health conditions over the years.
“I have a system. I take his apps off his phone,” Ka’oir said. “First thing I do, I delete Instagram. I delete everything. Even if I gotta change his password, I’m changing it because I don’t need the public to know he’s having an episode.”
“I control that. You’re not going on Instagram, you’re not going on Twitter, it’s deleted. I control everything at home,” she continued. “Now, before the episodes come, I catch it. That’s why he hasn’t had another one. How you catch it is he doesn’t speak to you, he wants to be left alone, he don’t eat, he does not sleep. Text messages, there’s a period after each word.”
Ka’oir went on to explain that she shifts into "mother mode" to make sure her husband receives the care he needs during his episodes.
Gucci, whose real name is Radric Davis, echoed her sentiments, adding that episodes often feel like he’s in a “psychosis” or a “warped world.” He also revealed that he’s heard voices in his mind and felt that people were conspiring against him.
The rapper recalled an intense episode in 2020 during the pandemic, prompting him to seek professional help.
“After that, I was like, man, I got to really just hold myself accountable and take care of my health. I don’t ever want to have an episode again. If I have to see a therapist, if I have to take medicine… I kinda threw the towel in, like, do what I need to do to get better.”
He continued, “I don’t want to raise a family, and then my mental health is gone. What if I have an episode I can’t come back from?” he said. “So I just started to do the work, started seeking the help.”
Since beginning therapy and receiving medication for his mental health conditions, Gucci says he no longer experiences episodes. He hopes that by being open about his mental struggles, he can save others facing similar issues.
“You got to do the work yourself if you want to really get better,” he said. “People can want it for you, but you still got to want it more than they do.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
