Theo Von Responds After Joe Rogan Raises Suicide Fears

Theo Von is pushing back — hard. After Joe Rogan used a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience to air serious concerns about Von’s mental health, including a reference to comments about suicide, the comedian took to social media to set the record straight.

“This is mostly cap. Sad to see this kinda stuff,” Von wrote in response. “I’m doing great. Im a human being which is a rocky ride. But I’m doing fine thanks.”

The response came after Rogan, one of Von’s closest friends in the comedy and podcast world, spoke candidly about fears for his friend during a conversation with a guest who was considering going off antidepressants.

“Theo Von’s going through the exact same thing, and last time I was on the podcast, he was explaining it to me. It freaks me out,” Rogan said.

What Rogan Said — and What Triggered It

The bulk of Rogan’s concern centered on a Netflix taping that apparently went sideways. According to Rogan, Von was recording what was meant to become a Netflix comedy special, but the performance didn’t land — and the special was ultimately shelved.

“He had a Netflix taping, and it didn’t go well. It was like they actually never… they shelved it. They never used it,” Rogan said. “And you know, there was all these stories from people that were there saying he bombed. I think he just had a kind of a breakdown.”

What shook Rogan most was a moment during that show where, as the audience tried to reassure Von, he responded: “Thank you. Look, I’m just, I’m trying not to take my own life.”

“You hear stuff like that and you just go like, ‘Oh, Jesus Christ,’” Rogan said. “I’ve known too many people that I didn’t think were going to kill themselves and then did. And then he goes down these spirals where he starts talking about world events and freaking out. I’m like, ‘Oh, Jesus Christ. Like, I got to help this dude.’”

Von actually addressed that Netflix incident himself on his own podcast at the time, explaining that he had stopped taking his medication before filming because he wanted to “have more feelings during the show” — a decision he said left him feeling “mildly manic.” He was clear then that he wasn’t actually suicidal.

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The SSRI Debate Running Through All of This

The conversation doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Rogan has been openly skeptical of Von’s antidepressant use for a while now, and that skepticism has been getting louder.

Back in April, when Von appeared on JRE and said “Satan is amongst us,” Rogan responded: “We got to get you off those antidepressants, son. You’re losing your f***ing marbles.” In his most recent episode, Rogan went further, challenging the foundational premise behind prescribing SSRIs at all.

“Here’s the thing about that chemical imbalance thing: that’s not real,” Rogan claimed, adding that SSRIs simply “numb people” and pointing to people he’s known who died by suicide while on the medication.

It’s worth being clear about where the science actually lands. FDA guidance does note an increased risk of suicidal thoughts in children and adolescents early in treatment — roughly 4 percent on antidepressants versus 2 percent on placebo — and recommends close monitoring. But SSRIs are also among the most studied medications in existence, with a major 2018 meta-analysis in The Lancet finding them more effective than placebo for treating major depressive disorder in adults. Healthcare professionals have consistently warned that high-profile dismissals of antidepressants can push vulnerable people toward dangerous choices without clinical guidance.

Rogan’s comments are landing in a broader cultural moment where skepticism toward psychiatric medication has been growing, particularly in right-wing and wellness spaces. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed initiatives aimed at reducing SSRI prescriptions, and a viral TikTok from Ella Emhoff questioning long-term SSRI research circulated widely — though Emhoff later clarified she was “very pro-SSRIs” and said they had “saved her life.”

Von has been open about his history with depression and long-term antidepressant use. After the April episode where Rogan pushed him to quit his meds, Von posted on X about his friend: “he just wants me to be healthy and feel cared abt.”

That grace is still there, even now. Von isn’t attacking Rogan — he’s just saying the picture being painted isn’t accurate. And for fans who’ve watched these two grow together through years of podcasts and late-night conversations about life, comedy, and everything in between, that measured response probably says more than any breakdown ever could.