Kaia Gerber made a rare remark about brother Presley Gerber‘s battle with addiction.
“When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” the Shards actress, 24, said of her sibling’s struggles in an interview with Vogue published on Tuesday, August 11. “I think that’s also why I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help. Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needing.”
Presley, 27, and Kaia grew up in the limelight with supermodel mom Cindy Crawford and dad Rande Gerber. The siblings spent their childhood in Malibu.
“Unfortunately all the things that people assume are true. I was in the ocean every day. My brother would go surfing and then walk up to school in his wetsuit with his surfboard, barefoot. You’re with the same kids from preschool to when you graduate,” she said of her and Presley’s upbringing. “There were no Ubers there, so your parents were driving you to parties and then picking you up. There was only so much trouble you could get into.”
Kaia added that she was proud of Presley being candid about his struggles and treatment with his mental health videos on social media.
“My parents for most of our lives were very, very private and didn’t share anything — and now we have this absolute teacher, my brother, who says, ‘I’m gonna be very human for everyone.’ There’s only so much you can hide from the world,” she reflected. “And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you’re ashamed of them.”
Last year, Presley opened up about the medication he takes for his mental health, which included one milligram of Buprenorphine two times a day. (Buprenorphine is meant to treat opioid use disorder and pain, per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.)
“The benzos have been fluctuating up and down depending on what’s been going on in my life,” he said in the clip, adding that “unfortunately he’s had a lot of loss in many different forms recently.”
Presley explained that he is on “four classes of medications” which includes a blood pressure, opioid, benzos and antidepressant.
“The thing that scares me are the things you need to take,” he said. “So once you start taking them, you don’t take them, something not good happens.”
While Presley is glad to have the assistance of medication, he also takes additional steps to prioritize his wellbeing.
“I’m just trying to workout, sauna, take baths,” he shared. “I’ve grown up in Hollywood, and there’s a lot of people around that I love to death, but right now, I try not to be around them.”
Presley added that he also cut out drinking and has been sober since July 2025. He concluded his video sharing his hopes that his struggles have inspired others to take care of themselves.
“I am hoping this reaches people in many ways,” he admitted. “So you feel like you’re not alone, because that is how I feel most of the time. I have a feeling if I say all of this, a lot of people will at least know that there’s someone else going through it.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
