YouTube skater and content creator Joa "Gifted Hater" Field has opened up about struggling with depression lately, giving his audience a more personal look at what he has been dealing with outside of his usual skateboarding content.
Gifted Hater has built a large following through his videos and livestreams, where he regularly discusses skateboarding, skaters and different issues within the scene. His content is often highly critical, which has made him a divisive figure among viewers.
Recently, Gifted Hater spoke about his mental health and said he has been feeling depressed lately. His comments offered a glimpse into a difficult period that he has been experiencing personally.
The discussion comes at a time when Gifted Hater has also faced attention over his online content and the way he talks about other people in skateboarding. His livestreams and videos have generated strong reactions from both supporters and critics.
Gifted Hater has also previously talked about drinking, and his recent appearances have led to more discussion among viewers about his relationship with alcohol.
READ MORE: Robert Brink Says Gifted Hater’s Alcoholism, Misogyny and Racism Are Fueling His Depression
His comments about depression eventually drew a response from skateboarding journalist Robert Brink, who wrote a lengthy post addressing Gifted Hater and his recent statements.
Brink questioned whether some of Gifted Hater's behavior could be connected to how he has been feeling. In his post, Brink accused Gifted Hater of alcoholism, misogyny and racism and argued that these issues could be contributing to his depression.
Those accusations are Brink's claims and should not be taken as established facts.
Brink also criticized Gifted Hater's content and accused him of encouraging viewers to harass people who become subjects of discussion during his streams.
The post became particularly critical when Brink addressed Gifted Hater's drinking. Brink claimed that Gifted Hater had previously said he had stopped drinking, but later appeared to be drinking vodka during a livestream.
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Brink also questioned why people close to Gifted Hater, including Jerry Hsu and Ryan Lay, continue to associate with him. He argued that their association with the YouTuber allows what he considers harmful behavior to continue.
Brink further accused Gifted Hater of promoting racist and misogynistic views to his audience. Again, these are allegations made by Brink and are not presented here as independently established facts.
The skateboarding journalist also said he has saved an archive of Gifted Hater's online content, including material that he claims was later removed. Brink said he believes some of the material is recent and that clips from the archive are being collected.
Toward the end of his post, Brink urged Gifted Hater to get offline and seek help. He said he believes the YouTuber is struggling and needs help with what he is going through.
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Gifted Hater's comments about depression and Brink's response offer two very different perspectives. Gifted Hater has spoken publicly about his own mental health, while Brink has used the discussion to criticize what he sees as harmful behavior surrounding the YouTuber's content and lifestyle.
There is no basis in these comments alone to establish what caused Gifted Hater's depression. Any connection between his mental health and the issues raised by Brink remains Brink's opinion and should be understood in that context.
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Right now, the discussion has brought renewed attention to Gifted Hater's personal comments, his online content and the criticism surrounding his presence within skateboarding.