Gucci Mane discussed managing his mental health challenges on The Breakfast Club, where he appeared with his wife Keyshia Ka’oir Davis. The couple described the plans they have in place to address his recurring episodes of psychosis. We got some insight from professionals.
He Reveals His Mental Health Diagnoses in a New Book
The rapper, whose real name is Radric Davis, recently released a book titled Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man (Simon & Schuster). It was Co-written with Kathy Iandoli. Within its pages, the rapper reveals he has been diagnosed with “bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.” It is part of a growing canon of texts in hip-hop culture that address mental health-related stressors.
Davis touched on his mental health struggles in his previous book, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, but his latest book goes into his challenges in graphic detail. He is not the only artist sharing his struggles. Big Sean co-authored Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace with Jay Shetty earlier this year. Juicy J talked about his mental health in his 2023 book Chronicles of the Juice Man: A Memoir.
Understanding Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that heavily impacts one’s thoughts and behavior. “Schizophrenia is one of the top 15 leading causes of disability worldwide,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
“Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes clear shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration,” per the National Institute of Mental Health.
Both Conditions Face Intense Stigma
Like anxiety and depression, there can be long periods of time where a person with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia does not have an episode. While generalized anxiety disorder and depression are more frequently discussed by those in the limelight, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are less visible.
The couple shared that Davis has not had a full-blown episode in years.
“The stigma is stronger for those diagnoses than, say, anxiety or depression, even though depression and anxiety can also be very debilitating. It’s not always perceived with the same lens,” said Cassandra Raphael, MD, MPH.
“There is a lot of stigma that comes with those classes of diagnosis with schizophrenia and bipolar,” said Stacy McCall-Martin, LMFT, DSW-C, a therapist with firsthand clinical experience working with people facing the condition.
“Specifically in the Black community,” added Martin. “We are coming from lineages where we don’t talk about these types of things.”
Recently, Cardi B, who revealed her own bouts with depression during a press run for Am I The Drama?, shamed Nicki Minaj by alleging she had been diagnosed with it. “Quiet as kept, the truth is you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for almost 9 years,” she wrote in a post on X, according to Hot 97. The alleged diagnoses were a weapon in their ongoing social media war.
Gucci Gets Vulnerable
The Breakfast Club host Charlemagne Tha God praised Radric for his extreme vulnerability when Radric opened up about his symptoms.
“You dealing with stuff like you’re hearing voices,” he said. Paranoia can accompany the symptoms. “I might think that you trying to fight me you ain’t even did nothing,” he continued. “That’s what I used to deal with.” “I might think that you trying to fight me you ain’t even did nothing,” he continued. “That’s what I used to deal with.”[sic]
Keyshia, a celebrated beauty mogul in her own right, confirmed the severity of the episodes her husband faces. “It was really, really bad. It’s really sad because you’re seeing someone you don’t know,” she said.
She clarified that she was not afraid of her husband. She also explained that she insists the couple avoid specific environments during Davis’ episodes, including tall buildings and high balconies, out of concern that he might commit an act of self-harm.
“I’m like, is he going to jump? Is the voice going to tell him to jump?” said Keyshia. “That’s the scary part. Not me being scared of him hurting me.”
Was the interview Reminiscent of the one with Mike Tyson, Robin Givens, and Barbara Walters?
Some on social media compared the interview with the 1988 interview Mike Tyson and Robin Givens gave to Barbara Walters during their brief marriage. Givens shed light on Tyson’s mental health at the time and expressed concerns that he might self-harm.
“He’s got a side to him that’s scary,” Givens told Walters then. “Michael is a manic depressive.” Bipolar disorder was previously referred to as manic depressive disorder. The term has since been phased out in the medical field.
What kinds of Treatments are available for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disease?
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be treated with a combination of therapy and medications. “It cannot go unmedicated, and the quicker the better,” said Keyshia during the interview.
“Therapy and medication. Those two go hand in hand,” confirmed Martin.
Access to these treatments is not equitable due to disparities in the healthcare system. “People who are most impacted living with the symptoms are not getting the care that they need,” said Martin. “The ones that are out on the margin don’t have those resources.” How
Have Gucci Mane’s Mental Health Challenges Shown Up In The Public Eye?
Both diagnoses are marked by erratic behavior. Davis has shown this repeatedly in his conduct on social media, where he has made accusations and called out people in the industry. There are now family plans in place to prevent this from happening and protect his privacy.
How Does Keyshia Ka’oir Davis Support Her Husband Through Episodes?
Keyshia explained how she helps protect her husband during an episode. “Stress is a trigger, and stress brings on episodes. So, I don’t allow any stress,” she said. She manages their businesses and intervenes to limit their exposure to stressful situations.
Stress has routinely been linked to aggravating bouts of psychosis.
“I have a system,” Ka’oir told The Breakfast Club. “I take his apps off his phone. 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.”
McCall-Martin confirmed that having a go-to protocol is useful. “It’s absolutely imperative to have a plan or pre-plan in place,” she said.
“Having a structured plan in place for the caretaker and for the person experiencing the symptoms helps to keep things as stable as possible around them.”
Raphael emphasized the importance of consulting with the person you are caring for while they are well. “Establish that plan with your loved one,” she recommended, noting that they may not have the “insight” necessary to do so in the midst of an episode.
“Once you’ve had your first break or your first manic episode, your first break of psychosis, then you know that. ‘Okay, this can happen to me.’ And hopefully, as a final and essential part of the process of recovering from that episode, is establishing a plan,” she continued.
What Kind Of Support Do Caregivers Need?
Bipolar disorder does not only affect the individual—it also places a significant burden on caregivers and family members,” according to a 2025 article from Frontiers in Psychology.
The Breakfast Club asked Keyshia how she cares for her mental health, and she disclosed that she does not have a therapist. McCall-Martin advises that caregivers routinely receive mental health treatment.
“There’s a large possibility of burnout when it comes to providing care for someone,” she said. “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” added Raphael.
“You want your relative to be well, and you invest wholly into that project, but it can’t come at the cost of your own mental health, so you need to sleep well. You need to eat well. You need to be able to take a break when you need to take a break.”
Resources
National Institute of Health: Schizophrenia
National Institute of Health: Bipolar Disorder
Community Mental Health Journal
Nature.com
Frontiers in Psychology
