Gucci Mane and his wife Keyshia Ka’oir recently had a candid conversation about his mental health journey.
The rapper’s new book, Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man, was released on October 14. According to People, Gucci Mane reveals that he’s been living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The book detailed that he’s experienced periods of paranoia and hearing voices.
Recently, Gucci Mane and his wife appeared on The Breakfast Club, where they talked about how they protect his mental health.
How does Gucci Mane manage his schizophrenia and bipolar diagnoses?
During the interview, the married couple openly discussed the work they’ve been doing to support Gucci Mane’s mental health since his diagnoses.
“I have a system,” Ka’oir shared, according to People. “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.”
She also explained how she recognizes the signs and keeps treatment appointments as part of their routine.
“I control that. You’re not going on Instagram, you’re not going on Twitter, it’s deleted. I control everything at home,” she said. “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.”
Gucci Mane chimed in, saying that when he had episodes, he would hear voices in his head.
“You’re kind of like in a warped world,” he shared. “It’s a psychosis. You know what I’m saying? You dealing with stuff, like you hearing voices.”
When did Gucci Mane get serious about his mental health?
Gucci Mane says his turning point came in 2020. He stated that a severe episode early in the pandemic forced him to stop hiding and commit to real care.
“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,” he said, according to People. “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.”
Gucci Mane added that Keyshia was expecting their son at the time, which sharpened the stakes at home and made him rethink what fatherhood would look like if he ignored his mental health.
“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.”
From there, Gucci Mane put a plan in motion. He started therapy, followed medical guidance on medication and learned to spot what sets him off — naming stress and substance use as key triggers. Today, he says the structure is working and that he is not experiencing episodes. The mindset is as important as the tools.
“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.”