December 30, 2025
Kai Cenat Says Streaming Hiatus Was To Prioritize Mental Health: ‘I Was Losing Touch Of Reality’
Cenat gets real about his mental health and break from streaming.
Popular Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is opening up further about his mental health journey, explaining his decision to take a break from streaming and addressing critics of his transparency.
After sharing a video on X for his 24th birthday on Dec. 16 about his struggles with mental health, describing it as “out of self-doubt and fright of pursuing goals that I really want to achieve”, Cenat followed up on Dec. 23 with a series of tweets responding to critics of his candid admission.
“A few days ago I decided to open up a little bit about what I’ve been thinking and it’s been so much love but when I seen the some of the negative feedback I received, I got to see a glimpse of why people don’t speak up about this more often,” Cenat tweeted.
The award-winning Twitch star explained his desire to use his platform to raise awareness on mental health and get “on a more personal level” with his fans and followers “about dealing with self doubt and living in fear,” he wrote.
“I think a person like me speaking about this would encourage other people to step up too so now let me explain how it all started,” he added.
Cenat explained that nonstop streaming to his more than 1 million subscribers was taking a toll on him and distancing him from his loved ones.
“As I was very consistent in streaming there were certain times I realized that I was losing touch of reality, I needed to take a step back and fully reset I started to realize I wasn’t even spending time with close friends and family behind the scenes as much as I wanted to,” the streamer wrote.
He went on to address those who are criticizing and mocking his decision to open up about his mental health
“I cant 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,” he added.
His tweets followed a video message in which he first shared his struggles with mental health and his ambitions to grow further as a content creator.
“And the reason I’ve really been in my head is because I just wanted to do more,” Cenat said in his video message. “I’ve gained to realize that I’m a true creator and I’m very passionate about creating. And I have other goals and things that I just want to achieve and do more of.”
A Harlem, New York, native, Kai Cenat is known for his high-energy, comedic content on Twitch and YouTube. He rose to fame through live streams, pranks, reaction videos, and vlogs, frequently interacting with fans in real time. His work has earned him nominations and recognition in creator and streamer awards, solidifying his influence in digital entertainment.
Cenat’s prominence among Gen Z and younger audiences gives his current focus on mental health added impact, using his platform to raise awareness about an important issue for his peers.
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