Whenever I write about Kanye West’s MAGA-ness or his unhinged political thoughts, I tend to use the photos of Kanye in the Oval Office from October 2018. Kanye was clearly and visibly off his medication during that trip to Washington, and he ranted and raved to Donald Trump for what felt like an eternity, all with about 20 journalists, photographers and videographers to document the episode. Shortly after that, Kim Kardashian basically forced Kanye to go away for about a month or so, and I tend to believe it was some kind of intervention to get him to go back on his medication. Kanye is an unreliable narrator of his own mental illness, but he’s spoken before about how he’s bipolar, how he sometimes goes off his medication, how his medication “stifles his creativity.”
I’m bringing up the 2018 Oval Office visit because it seemed like he was a very ill man and few people actually acknowledged that what we were seeing was just plain old mental illness and not some next-level political stunt. So it is this month, with Kanye “announcing his presidential candidacy” and giving an absolutely stupid and bonkers interview to Forbes. Now “sources” are telling TMZ that Kanye is unmedicated and in the throes of another bipolar/manic episode:
Kanye West is in the throes of a serious bipolar episode, our Kanye sources say, and those around him are concerned it has impacted his decision-making and some of the things he’s said in the last week … sources close to Kanye tell TMZ. Our Kanye sources tell us, he suffers a serious bout with his bipolar disorder, usually once a year … and our sources say Kanye’s in the midst of one now.
As you know, Ye announced he’s running for president via Twitter over the weekend, and also did a rambling interview with Forbes … which drew harsh criticism, confusion and concern.
Our sources say his family and those close to him are worried, but they believe things will stabilize as they have in the past. The problem here, we’re told — Kanye’s proclamations are causing problems. Of course, Kanye’s apparent bipolar episode hasn’t kept him from garnering presidential campaign support from the likes of Elon Musk … who hung with the rapper just days prior to his announcement.
Others are much more skeptical, and that skepticism likely grew in the wake of Kanye’s wide-interview with Forbes … in which he dumped Trump, slammed Biden, revealed he’s running as part of a new party called the “Birthday Party,” claimed he had COVID-19, pushed an anti-vaxx narrative and talked a lot about God. What the interview didn’t touch on, weirdly, was Kanye’s mental health.
While TMZ avoided this, I’m sure there will be comments along the lines of “why doesn’t Kim do something.” It’s not Kim’s responsibility, Kanye is her husband not her child. She has four children and Kanye doesn’t take his mental health seriously enough to take his medication for himself, for his wife or for his kids. This is why Kim has been so quiet in the past week about Kanye – she’s dealing with him 24/7, and she probably knows better than most how unreachable he is during a manic episode. This is why that Forbes interview was so exploitative, and why journalists shouldn’t act as mere stenographers.
PS… In the Forbes piece, Kanye called Planned Parenthood “the Devil’s work” and the director of Black Leadership and Engagement at Planned Parenthood issued a statement about Kanye’s utter horses-t – go here to read. This is one of the reasons why I’m so mad about all of this – Kanye’s manic episodes don’t exist in a vacuum, and his rantings hurt real people and real issues.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I don’t know what to say about this. I’m not a mental health expert ,and I can’t stand either him or his wife, so I’m not a good judge of this mess either. I do wish they’d both go away though.
I agree 100%. Also, Kim hasn’t been quiet about him in the past week. She retweeted his tweet saying he was running for president. That is support.
Kim did the very bare social media “support” possible. I don’t think she, or anyone else, takes this presidential run seriously.
@Birth IDC EXACTLY! How can you stand by when the father of you children is having an episode and go “YES! SUPPORT MY HUSBAND! America!”
I would imagine the KKardashianKlan has to be weighing the risk this man is bringing to their brand at this point.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was either a trip to rehab (or soul searching or whatever these rich people do), an official separation statement made, a divorce, or they renew their vows.
Either way, it’s all a show and there are children being raised by a person who will not take care of their own mental heath.
It’s tough to deal with bi-polar individuals- the meds level their moods out, but they can’t help but remember the beginning of the manic phase- the excitement of new ideas, the sex- and then they go off the meds thinking this time it will be different. Unfortunately, it is not.
You get sex in a manic episode? I feel cheated
@Kkat. Yes, you get sex if you want. You can get lots of whatever you want or at least you can try. And you WILL try everything that comes to mind. But you can also get beaten up by your random sex partner in a sleazy motel in a faraway town, not knowing who that person is and how you got there. You can get STD’s, you can get your husband driven to the point where he says, enough, I want a divorce. And you can get suicidal thoughts (and act on them) when you come crashing down and realise what you’ve done. That’s because, at least according to my experience, during a manic episode you do what you want without feeling any kind of remorse or responsibility. So, don’t feel cheated. You’re probably on the winning side here.
Does this man truly have any supportive people around him? He’s surrounded by Karjenners for God’s sake. They only care about publicity and he gives them plenty of that. People with mental illnesses need help. They can’t do it alone. His wife SHOULD be getting him help, not retweeting his utter bullsh*t.
Yeah, I agree with you. The comment in the article that it’s not Kim’s responsibility struck me the wrong way. She married him, had kids with him, if she doesn’t want to deal with her husband, then she should divorce him. Otherwise take care of him.
He’s a grown ass a man. Women are not (or shouldn’t have to be) the caretakers of everyone in their lives.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to force another adult to take better care of themselves when they don’t want to. You could try to take legal measures, but it’s incredibly difficult to gain legal control over another adult.
@Abby, although you are right, being bipolar can be difficult to deal with. I know quite a few people who have the disorder and when they go off the rails they need help. Look at Britney Spears, she has a conservatorship and Kim may want to look into what it would take to do the same for Kanye, if at all even possible. Even though I like Britney a hell-ova-lot more than Kanye, it’s difficult to watch him do these stunts. I feel for their kids in this. God only knows what they’ve seen. I really hope Kim shields them as much as possible, but I doubt it.
Listen, dealing with someone whilst they are in the throes of a manic episode is hell! It is like banging your head against a brick wall – sometimes you can’t do anything unless you resort to force and there are strict laws about this, for a good reason. My mom is bi-polar with schizoid symptoms as well and I just don’t have the words to truly convey how it is being stuck as a family during such an episode. My dad is a wonderfully steadfast man and even he couldn’t get her to take her medication, stop her from spending money like crazy or stop her from leaving the house during at a time where she was incredibly confused and incoherent (he did alert the police who tracked her for 12 hours before they found her sleeping in a train).
We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. We don’t know what Kim does or doesn’t do – but if Kanye is off his meds and is having a major manic episode then he’s not listening to anybody and they cannot force him to take his medication unless he is a danger to himself or to others. So please, stop blaming Kim because few people actually know the reality of dealing with someone having a full-blown manic episode. It is exhausting – and scary and traumatic for children who need support as well.
ArtHistorian, Yes. My heart goes out to you. My son struggles with mental health issues and once had a manic episode. It was extremely minor compared to what others I know have gone through, yet it was the most harrowing time of my life. Add a gigantic public platform to the mix like Kanye has and I can’t even imagine how much harder it would be.
Help him how? She can’t force him to take his meds.
Nobody knows what goes on behind the closed doors of that marriage, and despite their very public personae, nobody knows those two people.
Abused or traumatized women are far more likely to go along to get along. You and I have no notion of a clue how and why she posted support.
Sure, maybe she’s a vapid moron who just tweeted it because she’s an idiot who wanted to stand by her man.
Or maybe…there’s much more going on there.
Abby, I agree that way too often women are expected to be the caretakers, it’s taken for granted, and that sets us back big time. But I agree that in this case, she should step up. Not because she is a woman, but because she is his spouse, partner. If you give the vow to be with someone through thin and thick, in illness and health – this is it.
Kim can’t do anything about him and his mental illness, thats on him.
But what she CAN do is protect her children if he refuses to get help or take his meds, Divorce him to get that instability out of the childrens lives.
I’m saying this as someone who is Bipolar I and II, and Mixed episode rapid cycle.
They have a bunch of kids, Assuming they are his, the odds are huge a few of the kids will also be bipolar. He is setting a horrifying example for kids who may one day have to deal with this themselves.
Kkat
What you say is so true. I have worked with many patients who struggle with rapid cycle and mixed episodes and it is a testimony to them and their family that I thank god I am not facing at times such are their struggles.
I hate the constant – it is the Kardashian or Jenner’s fault story.
It is hard to support some clients even when on their meds and that is with all the training in the world
Living with someone who will not medicate can be frightening and very wearing. I’m not sure it is a good example for smaller kids as sometimes things become very overwhelming fast.
I have no desire to see this family break up but I hate the Thoth of all the gleeful cackling when it does. This will be causing KkW immense pain and depending on the cycle I am highly worried for KW
You seem to ALWAYS give Kim the benefit of the doubt and it’s insanely mind boggling. Did you forget how she co-signed his stupidness on Twitter with her dumb American flag tweet? Kim is complicit in everything this fool does.
Right??? Kim retweeted his announcement seemingly endorsing it. Why do you ALWAYS defend her/give her the benefit the doubt/separate her from anything negative? It‘s…odd.
Because I hate when people blame women for men’s bullshit. It’s that simple.
Yes, it’s usually true that the wife or girlfriend of a man gets unfairly dragged into their BS. But Kim is NOT ONE OF THOSE WOMEN. She actively encourages and participates in Kanye’s crap. She and her family are some of the worst people around. 🤯
I agree that women should not be blamed for what men do. Kim is not responsible for Kanye. However, the truth is that she is responsible for continuing to bring children into this unstable situation. She is responsible for that.
Kanye himself is responsible for everything he does. That is also true.
I don’t think she should be blamed for his behavior, but on the other hand, as his wife and his family, I hope she is working to get him the help he obviously needs. In her position, I think I’d be trying to block the media from having access to him. He’s unwell, and places like Forbes are taking advantage of that.
And you are absolutely right to do so. Kanye is an adult. Only he is responsible here. Not Kim and not anyone else.
John Legend was tweeting about endorsements in prosecutor elections yesterday but the number of people responding to ask him what he was going to do about Kanye was gross.
She responded with an american flag tweet, thats active support
There is a difference between blame and being complicit. With your logic, you must love Ivanka and Melania then.
+1000000. Damn right Kaiser. Women should not have to be the default caretakers of everyone in their lives, despite what some people seem to believe
I have to agree with Kaiser here. Much like an addict that relapses, people with mental illness that do not/will not take care of themselves are not the fault of the other people in their lives. If someone wants to drink/do drugs, no amount of pleading or threatening the addict will stop them – much the same here. If (and I say “if” here) Kanye is not taking his medication and seeing the professionals he needs to see, Kim cannot control him. If anything, trying to control the person often makes the situation worse.
Is there nobody who can get help for him? I don’t think it’s a question of his wife being “responsible” for him, but she *is* his wife and best placed to set things in motion? I don’t know how it works in America, though.
About ten months ago, I received a very worrying text from my nephew. I knew he didn’t send it to his mum, my sister, but that he’d sent it to other family members, as is his habit. I tried for two hours to call him, but couldn’t get a reply. My younger sister and his brother did the same. Eventually, I called his local.police station, and asked them to do a mental health check, sending them a copy of the text and other info. He lives quite some dusts,ce from me, and I don’t drive, nor do I know the actual street address. The police were there in 5 minutes, though, but there was no answer at his door. They eventually found him, not far from home, supervising a landscaping lob. They chatted to him for a while, trying to ascertain his mental state, but they were filling time, waiting for an ambulance to arrive, together with a psychiatrist from the nearby hospital. (That was a lucky break, the psychiatrist hearing the call come through. They usually don’t go out with an ambulance.) The doctor decided he needed to go to hospital. He had no choice, and the police went sling too. He was assessed and observed for 48 hours, and had a diagnosis and the proper meds sorted out. We were once very close, but he hasn’t spoken to me since that day. I worry about him, but at least I know he is now “on the books”, and can more easily call on the professionals.
I don’t know what the answer to West’s situation is, but surely the people around him can’t be simply ignoring the fact that’s he’s mentally unwell? Or maybe they can, if it suits them.
Agreed! I’ve worked with *many* college students who have bi-polar disorder, and in no cases ever do we suggest the family is responsible for monitoring their behavior (but of course it’s great if they have a loving supportive family). It’s generally a condition that presents in early adulthood, there’s zero commonalities between people with BPD other than having it, and other than physically restraining someone (usually an adult), there’s no way to make them take their medication. That said, I’ve also seen *many* students with BPD graduate and go on to happy, successful lives with a well managed condition. It doesn’t have to be the end of someone’s productive life, but in most cases I’ve worked with students who wanted more out of life than what this diagnosis threatened. I don’t have a clue what the answer is for someone like Kanye who is also a narcissist with a huge platform.
She retweeted and supported his insane gross tweet. Ummm no she doesn’t get a pass. Wish they all would go away. I don’t see a lot of difference between trump and Kanye’s behavior. And we certainly never give trump any benefit of the doubt. Also what he said about planned parenthood literally fills me with rage.
Thank you, Kaiser! This issue comes up again and again. If anyone on here thinks Kim should be held responsible for Kanye, he or she has probably not lived
with someone who has addiction or mental illness.
Imagine not endorsing your manic husband
Imagine what that might be like to live with for a moment
I guess she is hoping he will be persuaded to go back on his meds hoping it will get better hoping it will stop
They are still people. A family dealing with a mental health crisis and money or fame does not take that burden away
I have a bipolar husband, and I have to say that somehow to get them back on track is to appear to agree with their insanity. If you disagree or don’t support them, they go completely off the rails. It’s not a perfect solution, but it sometimes works the best. You can always state your honest opinion later when they’re back on their meds and they seem to understand, as long as their not a danger to others.
Donn, I was just coming her to say the same thing as I have a family member with Bipolar. It’s not caving and it’s not weak for Kim to do something simple to calm the tide.
I’m sure Kim, like any woman, is doing the best she can in a very difficult situation and we can’t and don’t walk in her shoes.
Yes I totally agree. My son is bipolar. You have to walk a fine line when they are manic. He’s not violent or a danger to anyone but he gets unhinged. It breaks my heart bc he doesn’t feel like himself when he’s on the meds. I can’t imagine wanting to break out and be yourself but can’t bc the medicine is squashing it. I have to appear as if I agree with him so I can coax him back on his meds or to see his doctor.
I don’t care about Kim, will never be her fan. But ELon Musk? What Is his reason for endorsing Kanye? Kanye who was actually not ever a candidate. This is the most important part of the story for me
I’m not sure if you follow Elon Musk but he also does not seem to be the most mentally stable…
Elon Musk likes the spotlight and he likes trolling. That’s why. It means nothing to him to exploit someone’s mental illness.
Ok so he has no shame and no regard for his reputation. I guess he has unique products for sale that no one competes with so he doesn’t have to pretend to be likeable
I have bipolar, and I am disappointed at this article. Many people run for president, including people who do so for bad reasons. Running for president is not a sign of bipolar, and it is hugely stigmatizing to attribute KW’s actions to his disorder. He is a person who made a decision. Moreover, saying that he is inconsistent in describing his disorder is inappropriate. How he feels about his disorder is how he feels, you don’t get to police that. Do better, Celebitchy. Just because TMZ writes a nasty article about someone’s mental health doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.
He decided to run for president with zero prep, no experience, no platform, no campaign organization and too late in the day to get on most states’ tickets.
Its not a rational, well-thought out decision. He’s not rational.
Edit: …. and reading this back I realize most of this this could also be describing Trump. What a coincidence, eh?
Exactly! Which is why he responded to trumps presidency IMO he saw himself in trump. Both narcissists
Yeah, this is really important to remember. Kanye is not behaving this way because he has BPD. He’s behaving this way because this is who he is, but the manic episodes intensify who he already is.
I’ve had bipolar disorder since I was a teenager & it was still called manic depression. To me, this is a classic episode. Of course anyone can run for president & for their own reasons, but he’s showing similar patterns to what he did/said before he was hospitalized, by his own admission, particularly the conspiracy theories & most of his interview with Forbes. I absolutely agree that we shouldn’t stigmatize people with mental illness, but pointing out what could well be a pattern that is a warning sign isn’t that, in my opinion, & for me is a real way to recognize when I am at risk of having a serious episode. Similarly, when someone is in the midst of a serious episode, they’re often not the best judge of their illness, especially if they haven’t learned how to understand & manage it. This, of course, is what can make getting treatment so tricky.
I’m not trying to be dismissive of your experience or opinion. In my opinion, he seems like someone who is absolutely in the midst of an episode & who doesn’t really know how to manage his illness.
It’s wasn’t just his statement about running for president. He went off of planned parenthood, saying it was run by white supremacists who were trying to do the Devil’s work and the Covid vaccine was the mark of the beast. He said his new party would be called the “birthday party” and some other nonsense as well. He was obviously not well, and given his admitted diagnosis of BPD, was most likely in a manic episode. Of interest, there have been report of friction between Kim and Kanye not long before this recent episode, so it may have been brewing for some time.
CG, you are describing Ye as a victim for some reason. The real victims are the people around him who have to suffer b/c he is too selfish to take his medication. That’s also a decision.
My MIL has serious mental health issues. I have noticed how serious it is recently because my FIL had surgery and my MIL really can’t take care of herself. So we’ve been stepping in to look after her, she’s in her mid 60’s. I can only speak to what I have seen with our family situation. MIL can’t take care of herself. She cannot be her own advocate, she is very ill. If we didn’t take her to her doctors or make her take her medication, she will not take it and get progressively worse. She isn’t bipolar, but what I have seen, I’m frightened. In our case if we don’t really watch her, then I fear it could be dangerous for her. But again, every situation is different.
So Kris Jenner called up TMZ to start the damage control.
Of course she did. She practically works for TMZ.
I agree, you always let Kim off the hook. Yes he’s a full grown man, yes she has children (and nannies who tend to them), but in the wake of the current political climate and in being aware of her family’s platform, Kim’s silence is a statement.
Yup, just like Trump and Melania.
There’s a difference between moving into an active political role that supports your husband (Melania, Ivanka) and not visibly disagreeing with a man in the midst of a manic episode.
People will look for ANY REASON to paint Kim as a monster, including holding her responsible for someone else’s mental health. Thank you for more fair and nuanced coverage of an often divisive figure.
I agree. I bet Kris is scheming right now, this is not part of the plot.
Everyone should completely ignore him, let his Twitter feed hear crickets, and inundate him with beige straightjacket deliveries.
This happens every few months,he lays low then boom goes on some twitter rants,explosive interviews,announces some absurd ideas and then the ‘off his meds’ sources(PMK)go to TMZ and then they cart him off to some Karjenner bunker until he lets loose again.
I notice he seems to always have these “crazy rants” when he has something to promote.
Oh PLEASE.
Kim doesn’t say anything because it suits her and the entire family of grifters to let him loose like this because at the end of the day, the publicity suits their needs and the press is all they care about. Can we stop with this narrative of her being a long suffering wife standing by her husband?
You said it all grabbyhands. So true!
As others have mentioned, people having a manic episode are almost completely impossible to argue with. Even disagreeing on seemingly unimportant things can set it off again. It is safer to go along as much as possible. We also don’t know what she is doing in her private life.
This is not on Kim. This is on Kanye not taking his meds.
I have several bipolar friends, and when it gets really bad they have all kinds of delusions of grandeur. (Remember “Yeezus” from before?)
If they go back on meds they become less aggro, less angsty, and just not *pushed* like that by their brain chemistry. Then you hope it will stay that way, and if they take their meds, they can and do. Otherwise it all starts again.
I’ve been given advice from a MH professional who said it is best to be as agreeable as possible so they do not become even more agitated.
Kanye needs medication. I’m sure he has no desire whatsoever to take it. Kim cannot make him do it. That’s not how mania works.
And in other breaking news, the Titanic sank.
Forbes should be ashamed for that article. The interviewer – the chief content officer – knew exactly what was going on and asked questions about Wakanda to get the quotes he was looking for to blow up for the story. That article knowingly and gleefully exploited a man with well documented mental health issues. They literally couldn’t wait to put the story out
I agree. This feels like exploitation.
I agree Tiff and thanks for writing this!
@ Tiff – Excellent point.
Exactly. I just said above that they were taking advantage of his current state (should have scrolled down further) and I find it reprehensible.
I feel like this is similar to when Britney had her low point in public – when people need medical help, the media needs to leave them alone. I genuinely can’t stand Kanye, but I feel for anyone who is being used like that when struggling.
He brings this on himself by refusing to treat his illness.
Remember Charlie Sheen and the Tiger Blood thing? He was allowed to go on TOUR and the tour promoted his insanity. Super OTT exploitative.
Some found it funny but all I could see was how much he needed help, and how poorly he was treated by those around him. It was appalling, and frankly, very sad.
It’s all so complicated. My brother was married to someone who was bipolar and refused to take meds (unless it was court ordered). It’s hard on the family and has traumatized her children and our family year after year. I hope that is it not happening in his house and they have the resources to separate him from his family when he is unstable.
He is a public figure and when he’s having these episodes and spouts bullsh*t, it has real consequences so it’s hard not to be frustrated that he continues to not medicate. While mental illness is not someone’s fault, it is their responsibility.
It’s more frustrating, though, that media outlets continue to give him a platform, bipolar or not, when he says unhinged stuff like this.
Has anyone ever experienced or witnessed the opposite,my uncle (mid fourties) seems to be calm and some what together when he is off his meds,its when he takes his medication that he is all over the place,completely restless and has all these strange behaviours,though his wife has never fully pin pointed his condition so i dont know if it is infact bipolar,she just says he has mental stress.
Therapist here, it sounds like your uncle does not have bipolar disorder, or there is a lack of a proper diagnosis. the most commonly used medications for bipolar disorder are anti-seizure medications like lamictal or depakote which are used as mood stabilizers and have lower side effect profiles (unless you’re trying to get pregnant in which case pose a huge risk for birth defects). Lithium can be super effective and the person should be closely monitored for lithium toxicity which can cause concerning behavior and kidney damage but would quickly be discovered if they are being followed properly. This would likely be the first course of action, with other medication being added if needed (atypical antipsychotics are often indicated, like Risperdal or Seroquel, and can be very, very difficult for some folks to tolerate). So if it is true your uncle struggles with bipolar disorder and has a paradoxical effect when off his medication…that doesn’t make sense, unless he was on catastrophically wrong medications such as being put on a straight up anti depressant like Lexapro or Prozac, which can trigger manic episodes but a good physician would never do if there was a BP diagnosis unless there was a ton of monitoring and it was somehow clinically indicated. Of course, all that said, anything is possible, but I would have to wonder, if he’s calm and functioning off medication, he doesn’t need medication, and might just be struggling with some good old fashioned situational depression, or adjustment disorder, something that might well be addressed with therapy alone. Best of luck to you!
Thank you soo much for all this info. I always did wonder why on earth is he on the medication,i also figured maybe there are some things my aunt wont disclose which is her choice,i will forward this info to her if it is at all helpful Thanks A lot !
I have pretty bad depression with anxiety, and I take two antidepressants every day – and will have to for the rest of my life – because I have a young child too, who I want to model good coping skills for (side eye to Kanye…) There are times when I miss a day of meds (I’m traveling and forgot to pack the right amount, or got out of my routine and miss my daily dose, etc.) and am a bit of a mess. My brain is scattered, I am dizzy, unable to concentrate on forming clear thoughts, get anxious and grouchy because of the chaos in my head. I usually pretty immediately take my medicine as soon as possible, and in a few hours, the symptoms resolve, but I think many meds probably cause some uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms depending on how long it takes for them to leave your system. It’s also why with a lot of psych meds, you discontinue them over time with a careful and gradual wean, to avoid or minimize the symptoms that you describe above.
KW is a tough call. He’s bipolar (diagnosed) AND a malignant narcissist. This isn’t a referendum on Kanye is a dick because he’s bipolar. It’s the combo of the two and that makes him a dick. My bestie is bipolar and the signs are unmistakeable. But my experience of her and others I’ve worked with is they hate the meds as it dulls brilliance and creativity. Again, stories from BP friends. Clearly he’s a money machine (who knows why) so everyone’s letting him run to make the money. He needs guidance and a firm hand to force him to do what’s right for him, but when off meds makes the bucks, that’s what happens.
As a spouse of someone with Bipolar Disorder, I have to say that I do think it’s my responsibility to both support him in his ongoing maintenance of his condition and intervene when he is experiencing extreme behavior. He can’t always do it himself. Whether I like it or not, I am part of the support system that keeps him functioning, and possibly even alive. Just like I would intervene if he was so depressed that he could harm himself, I would intervene if he is manic.
If I love him and want him to be safe and a good dad to our kids, that’s part of the package. It helps to view it as a medical support role.
But it can sometimes be hard to recognize manic behavior until it gets SUPER out of control. As a partner, it can be hard to know where to step in, without stifling all of your partner’s healthy ups and downs that the rest of us are free to experience. He should still be free to make mistakes like the rest of us.
That said, if Kanye’s behavior has dangerous implications I would hope Kim would step in. Only Kim has the ability to do so, and I would argue also the clear responsibility. Still, it’s really hard to actually do it.
Agree with what you said. My daughter is Bipolar, has been hospitalized a few times for. She learned she has to take her meds (did stop twice which was two hospitalizations), can tell when something is off with them now. Even though she is 28 and an adult, when she is off her meds, she is not thinking clear, someone else needs to step in. They need someone close to them to be there for them…Kim is it for Kanye and like it or not, she is responsible for him, same as if the situation were reverse he would have to be there for her to help. He is beyond helping himself now. This is not blaming a woman for a man’s bs, this is blaming a wife for not taking care of her husband.
Having a mental illness does not make you a Republican or an asshole. If you’re ALREADY an asshole your behavior might be accentuated.
I really dislike how every tabloid-baity thing Kanye does gets attributed to him *maybe* having an illness or disorder (we don’t actually know, I actually don’t understand his obscure references). People with mental illness or bipolar disorder aren’t assholes because of their illness.
I disagree. Mental illness can cause people to think and do things they wouldn’t do it their brain was working properly. It can make you believe in things that aren’t real, hear voices, hallucinations, etc. I don’t think it’s a stretch to think Kanye’s Trump love was due to his mental illness.
Exactly. Whatever he has, trump has the same issues and no one gives trump a pass. Extreme narcissistic behavior isn’t always mental illness.
Like when Kayne announced he was running for President, did anyone think he was ON his meds????? Come on! I wish Kayne would somehow just go away and get some serious help for his Bipolar Disorder once and for all. Listen, I have mental health issues as well. Have since I was 22/23 years old, but I put on my big girl pants, spent years in psychotherapy, tried different medications to see what worked for me – and I fucking listened to my doctors and didn’t pretend I have all the answers!! Mental disorders like bipolar/depression are a chemical imbalance in your brain; I know, I have bipolar II which doesn’t have the manic episodes like Kayne has, but I suffer from deep, severe episodes of depression. I have had many of these over the years. And I also have to agree with some other people here – I realize Kim is not responsible for him. He is a grown man and he is the one who must take charge and accountability of his mental health. HOWEVER, she could attempt to stop his ass from doing these publicity stunts when she is aware he is probably not mentally well. I feel that Kim/the Kardashians are simply enablers to him and are not supporting a true recovery for him. Just my opinion.
AND, if he does put his name on the ballot, I only fear that might take away votes from Biden and help Trump get re-elected and then GOD HELP US ALL! We cannot take four more years of the psychopath in the office right now!!
I understand and completely agree with not blaming Kardashian for West’s own narcissism and bs. I do not understand the idea that she has no responsibilities here. She does. She is in a serious relationship with someone who is unwell. Not just unwell, but if TMZ is to be believed, he’s in the middle of an acute mental health crisis and can’t or won’t help himself. I’m more than willing to believe that there’s plenty going on out of the public eye and that Kardashian knows more and is doing more than I can see here but I don’t think it’s wholly fair to leave her out of this instance entirely.
This is pure craziness. Can you imagine, a man who has never even voted is running for president. If this comes to pass it will be the final proof that the US has become a deeply, unserious country run by fools.
BTW, I wonder if his kids are vaccinated. Hopefully, Kim makes the health decisions for the kids.
Final proof? We already have such fools running the country. Being older and white doesn’t make someone more credible.
If you dont have a loved one with bipolar you have no idea that you cant simply “make them take their medications”. Bipolar individuals know their disease and the meds are far from being the cure we would like them to be. There has been virtually no progress in the past 30 years in the development of better drugs for BP and the result is often a choice between kidney failure, chronic arthritis, weight gain and feeling pretty sh***y versus having an episode and rolling the dice that you get through it with maybe hospitalization and not jail or worse. People think “just take the meds” is the answer but its not. Again, they know their disease and they do make choices about how they feel on and off meds and the risks to their long term health.
I don’t see the rationale for being “upset” w Forbes over this article. He happily agreed to this nonsensical article about him. Kanye accepted to do the interview. Is it exploitive of a man w mental health issues (idk) this just seems like who Kanye is at this point, medicated or not. He talks in circles, tries desperately to disassociate himself w other black people and preaches about god. He just seems like a lost little yuppie more than mentally unwell. And I think comparing him to other people w BPD is diminishing to the people w BPD who are actively seeking change only to be reduced to Kanye’s antics being widely described as just bpd. I have friends who are bipolar who don’t act or say things like this on their worst days (but theyre also taking their medication routinely and actively seek out therapy or other coping mechanisms they know will help).
OF COURSE Kanye is in the midst of a manic episode — saying he was running as the candidate of “The Birthday Party” should have convinced anyone who doubted that.
And there may not be too much that anyone around him can do, since he’s an adult and presumably isn’t judged to be an immediate danger to himself or anyone else. Unless he wants to get the help he obviously he needs, he won’t. In the meantime, his ramblings about vaccines being “the mark of the Beast,” etc., are having real-world effects on some people.
My ex & father of my kids is BP2 and when he went off his meds our life spiralled out of control, resulting in the end of our marriage. I am/was not responsible for his health or managing his meds.
KW is ill, and the media outlets that take advantage of that are vultures, but I feel for KK (ugh I said it) because having little kids and a sick husband, no matter what your privilege, sucks. It sucks to watch someone you created a family with struggle, and ultimately the kids need to come first.
He’s clearly manic, is known to have a mental illness and he’s being exploited by people the media. It was so irresponsible of Forbes run that interview. He needs someone to step in and he needs to step away from the public eye for a bit.
I understand Kim maybe was in a spot and she did the bare minimum to appease him. I worked in a psych ward for a while and it was always a fine line in not wanting to feed into the delusions and not wanting to upset the patient by standing your ground. I get it. But that’s a short term solution. He needs people around him that will work with long term solutions, and the KarJenners don’t seem to be handling this will well. He’s not Kim’s responsibility, but those kids are and I guarantee they are being affected by his behavior. Especially with the antivax stuff.
I can’t even take any of this BS seriously. Kanye is a joke, and Kim is now the one who is komplicit.
This may be an unpopular opinion but to some extent it IS on Kim. Not that he’s bipolar, not every single thing he does or believes, not that women are entirely responsible for every f*cked up thing their husbands do. But yes, when she profits off their branding as a couple and they are married and shares 4 young children with him, his mental health does become part of her responsibility. She has a role to play in his care, medication, and how he conducts himself publicly during manic times.
She’s his wife. Through sickness and in health, she does shoulder some of that responsibility and if she doesn’t want to, she should leave him. Kim is not some poor woman who is slandered in the press because of her husbands actions. She routinely profits and takes advantage of his mental state.
The Kim-Kanye dynamics is very similar to the georgina chapman – harvey weinstein dynamics in the sense that KIm benefited a lot when she became involved and got married to Kanye. She was a c-list, reality show star that nobody took seriously then marrying kanye got her on the cover of vogue. She is not only complicit but she is clearly taking advantage of, and is currently exploiting a mentally unwell man. Remember when Kanye’s friends took him to the hospital and Kim went to twitter to deny that there was anything wrong with her husband’s mental health? Or when kanye started his pro-trump messages and kim again went on twitter to defend her husband saying, “To the media trying to demonize my husband let me just say this, your commentary on Kanye being erratic and his tweets being disturbing is actually scary”. She said that kanye was just being himself and does not have mental health problems.
This is so not a case of blaming women for men’s bullshit. Do we need for kanye to do something worse? Sick people need help. When a friend got breast cancer – we took responsibility for her and helped out financially & provided emotional support. Another friend had a mental breakdown. We brought her to the hospital. The more difficult part of this is, my friend and her own family refused to believe that there was anything wrong with her. So we backed off on insisting she take her medication and bringing her to her doctor regularly. Until such time that her family called us to help bring her to the hospital because she was no longer sleeping, taking a bath and was just staring into nothing for days. Her family took responsibility to do something, her mother specifically because she was an unmarried 34-yr old. We (2 other friends and I) were only too happy to take responsibility and help her & her family out. Just like with my friend who had cancer, we helped pay for some medication and doctor’s fees. What is Kim’s excuse? Kanye has been exhibiting mental instability since 2018. Kim is not responsible for Kanye’s unhinged rants but she is responsible for continuously being complicit in his spouting of these harmful words because the bottomline for her and her family is the publicity kanye generates. Nothing more, nothing less.
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for such a well written comment.
Thank you! You said so much better than I tried to do!!!
So well-written! Agreed.
It does no one any service—not his very young, very impressionable children, and definitely not Kayne West—to indulge untreated mental illness for entertainment purposes. It would be in Kayne’s best interest if the media stopped interviewing him. Stopped reporting on his every tweet and outburst. That’s what would happen if we were actually compassionate about mental illness, and understood it in no way discriminates. Instead, we get this grossness where everyone pretends that, because Kayne is wealthy, it’s OK to exploit him. To pretend his illness is some kind of “mad genius,” because too many people depend on his staying less than sane to make their living.
He’s not eccentric. He’s not self-promoting. He’s extremely unwell. If a person with leprosy was live-streaming various limbs falling off and then saying they’d sell them on eBay would we be expanding their platform by pointing, laughing and taking bets on which finger would fall off first, or would it get shut down and help sent? This is no different. We are watching a husband, father and son’s mind deteriorate for sport.
He’s manic: and so?
It doesn’t excuse his behavior. Every time Kanye messed up badly or threatens to harm his brand Kim leaks these stories of how he is off his medication and is in an episode. Sure, Jan.
We don’t see Britney popping off on MAGA rants when she’s in need of a medication adjustment. Even Azealia Banks has calmed down with the MAGA nonsense and she has confessed the drug cocktails for bipolar are hard to get right. Pete Davidson didn’t campaign for Trump during his last public episode. For some reason with Kanye, white people excuse his horrible politics and choices to cozy up to Trump as a result of mania or being off medication. As someone who has manic depression, I find this deeply, deeply offensive. I also question whether in fact he even has a mental illness because of the degree to which white media outlets like TMZ and the Kardashians use it to explain his anti-blackness.
Kanye’s obsession with whiteness is separate from his mental illness.
I agree with you 100% As I’m bipolar a friend recently asked my thoughts on all the “free Britney” stuff going around the internet. This morning I texted her that while Britney is ill, Kanye is both bipolar AND an a$$hat. He’s making us look bad.
With respect to ensuring someone takes their meds, unless you actually/physically check that a person swallowed the pills it’s impossible to force someone who doesn’t want to take them.
Kardashians and dominant media are using “crazy” to explain away bad behavior. It is a bad look on all of us who manage mental illnesses and perpetuates stigma and ignorance about mental health.
On your second point: oh yes! Re: Sure, Jan what I meant is that I am skeptical that 1) Kanye has ever been on medication for an extended period of time and 2) that the reason for his latest round of PR attention is because he’s off his meds.
I feel bad for his children. That family dynamic is just not a healthy one, especially adding in their mother’s fame-wh*ring, narcissistic family. Pimp Mama Kris set a precedent with her own children that they are not to be viewed as people but as commodities. What happens once they’re in school (assuming they’re not home schooled) and their dad goes off on something like this again? I really, really feel bad for those kids.
A lot of us are saying “it isn’t the Wife’s job to make him…” and you’re right. It isn’t the wife’s job. It’s something you should do if you love and care for someone. If I was having an episode and I was diagnosed with anything, while my (imaginary) husband stands idly by, who is going to help me? This is not something I want in a partner, “sucks to be you, ‘in sickness and health’ but not like this!”.
My ex’s mother battled her bipolar disorder her whole life and she succumbed to her mental illness a few years ago. Everyone just stood by and let her slowly (then literally) end her own life. It just messed my ex up so bad, in ways even he doesn’t understand.
I could never let that happen to someone I love. I know you have to draw a line, but if I had small children and a unmedicated husband, I would not allow my children to be around that life until the issue is resolved.
These people are all monsters enabling each other’s chaotic ego.
Kris Kardashian is VERY close to Harvey Levin of TMZ, so I always think it is interesting to see how things about her family and kanye are “leaked” to TMZ, cause it’s allll written by her. They must be worried and do not want to claim “responsibility” for him when they are letting the world know he is in a bad place and not taking his meds.
I have Bipolar II and I take my meds and am not an asshole. He needs supportive people around him not vultures egging him on.
I’m on Lamictal and have never felt stifled creatively, manic or not. I do have empathy for his kids. My father is bi polar and has never taken meds and I spent the majority of my childhood watching him suffer and I was traumatized by it. He’s manic right now and it’s awful to witness. Get your head right Kanye, if not for yourself, but for your kids.
Kim needs to get him into inpatient treatment asap, imo. A famous World of Warcraft player named Reckful was bipolar and just committed suicide a few days ago during a manic episode. It’s nothing to play around with, and Kim and Kanye can definitely afford the psychiatrist and inpatient bill.