Shotzi Opens Up About Struggling With Social Media Hate, Mental Health During WWE Run

Former WWE star Shotzi Blackheart recently spoke about how online hate deeply affected her mental health during her time with the company. In an interview on the "Rulebreakers" podcast hosted by Saraya (formerly known as Paige), Blackheart shared that criticism from social media once became overwhelming.

"I deal with criticism very hard and I'm super sensitive," she admitted. "I'm a Pisces — everything affects me so much and I get really emotional." She went on to mention a list of ranked wrestlers who receive the most hate online. "I end up being number three on there. It ended up being Charlotte [Flair] who was second ... but it was all women in the top five, which I thought was messed up. I hated that list, I hate that it even existed."

Blackheart said the constant negativity pushed her into a dark place for a while.

"It took me a while to start being like, you know what, f*** them. They don't f*****' know me. They don't know what I've been through. My peers respect me and that's all I care about," she explained. "I went into a deep depression dealing with online hate and all that stuff. But now I'm in a really good headspace about it and I'm really good at navigating through it."

Her comments highlight how harsh social media can be for public figures — especially women in wrestling. She said learning to block out negativity and focus on support from friends and colleagues helped her recover. Today, she's reflecting on her last days in WWE, where she felt she was 'drowning,' while preparing for her future in independent wrestling.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Rulebreakers" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.