Brandi Passante has always come across as the tough one on Storage Wars—quick with a one-liner, unimpressed by nonsense, and rarely afraid of a bidding war. But away from the locker doors, she’s spoken (directly or through interviews) about a mix of very real health concerns and the kind of long-term stress that can grind anyone down: anxiety from sudden fame, therapy after frightening experiences, a COVID-19 illness, and an autoimmune thyroid condition that she says affects her voice.
At the same time, it’s important to separate what’s confirmed from what the internet guesses. There are lots of rumors floating around about “addiction” or other private struggles—but Brandi hasn’t publicly confirmed a substance-use disorder, and reputable reporting doesn’t establish one. What is documented is stress, anxiety, and the fallout from major personal and legal upheaval.
The physical health issue she’s publicly acknowledged: Hashimoto’s disease
The clearest “named” health condition Brandi has been linked to publicly is Hashimoto’s disease—an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid. In a response shared publicly on social media, Brandi answered a fan question about her raspy voice by saying she has Hashimoto’s and that it can make her throat and voice sound rough at times.
Hashimoto’s can cause a wide range of symptoms that vary by person. Some people deal with fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, dry skin, weight shifts, sensitivity to cold, muscle aches, and other issues tied to low thyroid hormone levels. It can also involve an enlarged thyroid, which may contribute to a hoarse or raspy voice for some individuals. That doesn’t mean every raspy-voice moment is automatically Hashimoto’s—but it does line up with the way thyroid problems can show up, especially when stress and exhaustion are in the mix.
Mental health: anxiety, fear, and therapy after fame turned “too real”
Brandi has been described repeatedly as someone who didn’t experience reality-TV fame as a fun little upgrade—she experienced it as something that made everyday life feel unsafe and overwhelming. In interviews and reporting over the years, she’s been characterized as shy and anxious in public settings, including discomfort doing simple errands because of fears about being approached.
In another account, she spoke about receiving scary letters early on, said she moved into a gated community, and admitted she needed therapy and didn’t like leaving the house for a while. That’s not gossip—it’s a clear window into the mental load that can come with being recognizable in public, especially when the attention isn’t friendly.
The legal trauma that she said made her “ill and anxious”
One of the most invasive chapters tied to her name happened off-camera: a lawsuit involving a porn clip posted online that she said was fake and wrongly connected to her. Coverage around the case said she won the lawsuit and was awarded a relatively small amount in damages.
What matters from a health angle is what later summaries have highlighted: she claimed the situation made her ill, anxious, and unable to sleep—classic stress-response symptoms when someone feels publicly targeted and powerless. Even without diagnosing anything, the pattern is easy to recognize: public humiliation, fear, and constant online chatter can create real physical consequences.
COVID-19 and the “life keeps happening” stress
Brandi also discussed getting COVID-19 in 2020. In an interview from that period, she said she tested positive, quarantined for around 12 days, dealt with strong headaches, and temporarily lost taste (and in some retellings, smell). Those are common symptoms people have reported with COVID.
That same time frame was also marked by heavy personal grief. One widely circulated summary noted that her father died in 2020, adding another layer of emotional strain during an already exhausting period.
Life after leaving Storage Wars… and the truth: she didn’t exactly “vanish”
Fans often say Brandi “left” Storage Wars, but the more accurate version is that she stepped away at points and later returned. In the mid-2010s, she was involved in a spinoff project and later continued appearing in the franchise.
Her personal life also shifted in a major way. Brandi and Jarrod Schulz eventually split, and the breakup became public through later coverage tied to the show and the cast’s real-life developments. In 2021, there was also public reporting that Jarrod faced a misdemeanor domestic violence battery charge connected to an alleged incident involving Brandi. Regardless of how anyone feels about reality TV, that kind of real-life conflict is the opposite of “TV drama”—it’s the kind that can impact safety, stress levels, and mental health.
What Brandi is doing now (as of 2025–2026)
She’s still connected to Storage Wars. Brandi has continued to be associated with the show in recent seasons, including newer season lineups promoted by the network.
She launched a podcast. Brandi introduced a show titled The Real Reality with Brandi Passante, framed as a weekly interview-style podcast where she talks with guests about fame, real life, and what comes next. For someone who has lived the “public version” of herself for years, podcasting offers something reality TV rarely does: more control over the story, the tone, and the boundaries.
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