Jeezy Reveals He Unknowingly Battled Depression For 8 Years
Warning: The following article contains triggering language related to suicide.
Jeezy admits he unknowingly suffered from depression for years. During a conversation on the Tamron Hall Show, the emcee explained he was exhibiting symptoms of the medical condition. However, he wasn’t aware that his behavior was a clear sign of depression. Jeezy expressed that he was able to become educated on his condition before he suffered any further.
“I learned that vulnerability is power,” he said. “I thought something was wrong with me, thinking I come from poverty, this is just how it is. I didn’t understand trauma and all these different things so when I started to get the words for it, I started to understand and grab tools, I started to become better.”
“I started my journey, and that’s why I’m expressing it and putting it in the book because I didn’t know I was depressed for like eight years of my life straight.”
As he continued, the Atlanta native explained how his upbringing contributed to his depression. Jeezy disclosed that dealing drugs and seeing his friends suffer from drug abuse added to his medical condition. But, it was difficult for the rapper to understand that his lifestyle was bringing forth a possible demise.
“You wake up, and you just want to go back to sleep forever, you know,” he said. “And I was leaning into my vices. And that’s what street life does to you. You know what I’m saying? When you lose 200, 300, 400 people like gone forever, you just, you get numb. And I wasn’t able to get in touch with my emotions and I was wondering why… Thank God for my kids, but there was a time I was just cold. That’s when I was Young Jeezy.”
Jeezy previously opened up about his mental health in August 2023. In an interview with People, the “Put On” entertainer expressed he almost committed suicide while staying at the National Guard’s Youth Challenge program as a young man.
“So it was all this stuff in my head. I just remember standing there and it was for a brief moment, I would say at least about 10 minutes, I actually contemplated jumping in the water,” Jeezy said. “I had never had suicidal thoughts, but I [thought], ‘Well, sh*t, if I just jump in the water, I ain’t gotta deal with this. I ain’t gotta go back home. I gotta do none of these things.'”
Fortunately, an inner voice spoke to the artist and told him, “‘No, bro. You gonna have to man up. You gonna have to go back home. You got to figure this out.'”
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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