Jeannie Mai’s separated spouse, Jeezy, opened up about his mental health journey , revealing that he grappled with depression for eight years without realizing it.
Jeezy is reflecting on a difficult chapter of his life.
The rapper—who filed for divorce from Jeannie Mai last month—recently gave insight into his mental health journey, saying he struggled for depression for nearly a decade before learning more about the condition.
“I learned that vulnerability is power,” the 46-year-old shared on Tamron Hall in an Oct. 16 clip. “I thought something was wrong with me, thinking I come from poverty, this is just how it is.”
Jeezy mentioned that his upbringing in Georgia, where there was limited access to mental health resources, motivated him to share his experiences in his new memoir, “Adversity for Sale.”
He explained, “I didn’t have the words to describe trauma and various psychological challenges. But when I started to gain a better understanding of these issues and acquired the tools to cope with them, I began to see improvement in my life. That’s why I’ve embarked on this journey, and I’ve included it in my book. I want to make people aware that I didn’t even realize I was dealing with depression for a straight eight years of my life.”
The artist known for “Put On” went on to elaborate on how depression had taken a toll on his life. He revealed that he often had thoughts of wanting to “sleep forever” and found himself “leaning into my vices” as a way of coping.
Jeezy continued, “That’s the impact of street life. It desensitizes you.” He explained that he was particularly affected by the pervasive violence in his community. “When you lose 200, 300, 400 people, and they’re just gone forever, you become numb. I found it increasingly difficult to connect with my emotions, and I was left wondering why.” mental health journey
The musician emphasized that his children, including his 20-month-old daughter Monaco Mai Jenkins with Jeannie, played a crucial role in helping him reconnect with his emotions. He expressed gratitude for his kids, acknowledging that there was a period in his life when he felt emotionally detached, which he associated with his earlier persona as “Young Jeezy.”