Kai Cenat said what he said!

The young streaming mogul spoke up about struggling with his mental health, and some folks criticized him, claiming he was being disingenuous and isn’t struggling considering his net worth. Cenat took to X and doubled down on his mental health statements, saying he’d rather speak honestly than hide his vulnerability. 

"I was honestly going to save what I gotta say for when I’m ready to come back, but right now something is telling me to speak up. I’m not sad, I’m not depressed, but I need to bring awareness to mental health after some of the feedback I’ve been seeing," the 24-year-old posted.

The Twitch star (one of the platform’s biggest creators) posted an emotional video earlier this month, explaining he’d stepped away from streaming due to burnout, self-doubt, and anxiety. Responses to the clip were split across social media platforms. Some fellow creators and fans defended Cenat’s choice to be transparent, while others mocked him or questioned him online.

He continued in the series of tweets, “I know I’ll get clowned more for this.” He wasn’t wrong; those negative reactions caused Cenat to double down. He continued, “I got to see a glimpse of why people don’t speak up about this more often.”  

He went on, "I can't imagine the things that people are going through on a deeper level so for those people let me speak up a little LOUDER idc if people look at me as a joke.”

A reaction clip from another streamer circulated widely and drew criticism for appearing insensitive to the creator’s mental health, especially considering the two have an existing relationship.

Cenat shared that due to his around-the-clock streaming schedule, he was beginning to lose touch with reality and needed to take a step back to be with his loved ones, whom he admittedly didn’t get to spend as much time with as he needs.

He hoped his message would help people. He said, “I just felt like I would be able to talk to you guys on a more personal level about dealing with self doubt and living in fear. I think a person like me speaking about this would encourage other people to step up too.”