Gucci Mane and his wife Keyshia Ka’oir are working together to manage his ongoing struggle with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—mental health conditions the rapper opens up about in his latest memoir, Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man, released Oct. 14.
RELATED CONTENT: Summer Walker, Gucci Mane, And More Brought The Heat To Dallas For The 1st TwoGether Land Music Festival
In a candid interview with The Breakfast Club on Oct. 20, Gucci revealed that his first major episode occurred in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a turning point in how he viewed mental health and leading him to finally seek treatment. The rapper was joined by his wife, who has played a huge role in his recovery process.
“After that, I was like, man, I got to really just hold myself accountable and take care of my health,” Gucci, 45, shared. “I don’t never 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, what I need to do to get better? I just didn’t never want to have that happen again.”
At the time, Keyshia was pregnant with their son, Ice Davis. Gucci admitted he feared having another episode—one he might not “come back from”—so he began taking his recovery seriously and getting professional help.
Keyshia, reflecting on that period, told The Breakfast Club that while walking away from Gucci during his darkest moments might’ve been the easy route, she chose to stay and support him instead. She had seen signs of his struggles even before they were married.
“I was like, man, somebody’s got to help this guy,” she said. “It was really, really bad. It’s really sad because you’re seeing someone you don’t know,” the mother recalled, describing how Gucci would say things that were “so mean and disrespectful” during his episodes. “I’m not talking to Gucci. Who is this person? So, I felt like if I had left, he wouldn’t have been the same. He needed someone to help him….I’m gonna fix him.”
What is Gucci Mane’s new book about?
In Episodes, Gucci gives readers a raw and personal look at his mental health journey with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He unpacks the trauma, triggers, and internal battles he faced—some well-known from headlines or lyrics, but never explained until now. He also shares how his obsession with money led him astray, why he made certain decisions, and what was really going on behind the scenes—including the story behind his iconic ice cream cone tattoo and his wife’s experience watching him overdose.
The memoir also includes interviews with mental health professionals to offer context and education for readers unfamiliar with the reality of these conditions.
What are schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?
Schizophrenia—affecting about 2.4 million U.S. adults—is a serious mental illness that distorts how a person perceives reality, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms often include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, making daily life extremely challenging.
Bipolar disorder, per the National Institute of Mental Health, is a brain condition marked by extreme shifts in mood and energy—from manic highs to depressive lows. There are four primary types, each involving different cycles of mania and depression.
Gucci said during The Breakfast Club interview that, during his episodes, he wouldn’t even realize how he was acting. He described the experience as being in a “psychosis” or a “warped world,” often hearing voices and feeling like people were out to get him.
Keyshia Ka’oir has developed a “system” to help Gucci Mane with his mental health challenges.
Keyshia said that when these episodes occurred, she had to switch into “mother mode” to ensure her husband received the care he needed. “It’s a scary moment,” she admitted, but she never wavered in her support. To help manage his episodes, Keyshia developed a system at home that includes limiting Gucci’s access to the internet and social media.
“I have a system,” said Keyshia, 40. “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.”
Keyshia Ka’oir continued, “I control that. You’re not going on Instagram, you’re not going on Twitter, it’s deleted. I control everything at home. 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 said that therapy and medication have helped him manage his conditions. He also identified stress, drug use, and alcohol as key triggers and has made changes to avoid them.
Now in a much better place, he says he hasn’t experienced any further episodes and credits his recovery to the work he put in, along with help from his incredible wife.
“You got to do the work yourself if you want to really get better,” Gucci told The Breakfast Club. “People can want it for you, but you still got to want it more than they do,” the rapper added.
RELATED CONTENT: ‘Brrr’ Season: Gucci Mane And Keyshia Ka’oir Flex With Their Little Ones In Stunt-Worthy Chinchilla Coats
