Big E's Mental Health Journey Revealed
Former WWE Champion Big E to Detail Mental Health Journey in 2027 Autobiography
Key Points
Big E said he wants readers to find meaning in the book after sharing his life in pieces for years—writing on Instagram: “If you’ve ever faced setbacks… I hope you’ll find something meaningful in these pages,” and noting that for the first time he is “telling all of it.”
In promotional materials for the memoir, Big E frames his early mental-health crisis with a stark self-assessment, saying that at age 20 “didn’t expect to make it to twenty-five,” and expected to spend “the rest of his life on antidepressants and antipsychotics, in and out of psych wards.”
The book’s Amazon listing (as reported by AOL) describes it as a 320-page autobiography published by BenBella Books, scheduled for release on February 2, 2027.
The memoir’s backstory traces symptoms far earlier than his WWE rise, saying depressive thoughts began as early as age nine, tied to a “strict upbringing” in Florida, frequent school changes, body image issues, and difficulty fitting in.
Beyond his New Day run, Big E’s autobiography coverage is expected to include his championship path through NXT—he “was NXT Champion” before later winning the Intercontinental Championship and the WWE Championship, according to PWInsider reporting summarized by WrestlingNoticias.
Former WWE Champion Big E is writing a 320-page memoir about his lifelong battles with depression and psychosis, set for release on February 2, 2027. The book, titled *How I Got Over: Healing from Depression and Psychosis to Find Joy In and Out of the Ring*, will be published by BenBella Books, according to WrestlingInc and PWMania.
Big E — real name Ettore Ewen — said he is "telling all of it" for the first time. "If you've ever faced setbacks, I hope you'll find something meaningful in these pages," he wrote on Instagram. The book comes after a broken neck in 2022 ended his in-ring career.
Depressive Thoughts That Began at Age Nine
Big E's mental health struggles started long before his WWE career. Promotional materials say he first experienced depressive thoughts at age nine, tied to a strict upbringing in Florida, frequent school changes, and body image issues, according to eWrestling.
By age 20, things had gotten much worse. He "didn't expect to make it to twenty-five" and thought he would spend the rest of his life "on antidepressants and antipsychotics, in and out of psych wards." The memoir will detail his hospitalization and electroconvulsive therapy — a treatment that uses electrical currents to ease severe mental illness — according to ITRWrestling.
From NXT Title to WWE Champion to Broken Neck
The book will also cover Big E's full rise in WWE. He became the second-ever NXT Champion before later winning the Intercontinental Championship twice. He then captured the WWE Championship in September 2021, cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on Bobby Lashley, according to WhatCulture.
That career came to a sudden stop on March 11, 2022, when a belly-to-belly suplex on Friday Night SmackDown broke his neck at the C1 and C6 vertebrae. He has not been cleared to return to the ring since. Big E now works for WWE as a panelist and analyst, ITRWrestling reported.
TEDx Talk Previews the Book's Core Message
Big E has already started sharing the memoir's themes publicly. He gave a TEDx talk titled "How I Got Over" in Davenport, Iowa, covering depression, psychosis, medication, and mindfulness. The talk served as an early preview of the book's central argument: that healing is possible even after severe mental illness.
The memoir runs 320 pages and is listed on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, according to eWrestling. The nearly three-year gap between announcement and release — far longer than the typical 12-to-18 months for celebrity memoirs — signals a deeply researched project rather than a quick cash-in on his wrestling fame.
Why This Book Stands Apart in Wrestling History
Most wrestling autobiographies focus on road stories and locker room politics. Big E's use of the word "psychosis" in the title — a clinical term that carries heavy stigma — sets this apart, according to WrestlingInc. He joins a small group of wrestlers, including Mauro Ranallo, who have spoken openly about severe mental health conditions.
Big E said the book will connect every phase of his life in one place. "For the first time, I'm telling all of it," he said. With over 1 million Instagram followers and 1.5 million on X, he has a massive platform to bring that message directly to fans when the book drops in February 2027.
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