Kim Kardashian's extraordinary statement on Kanye West's mental health
Kim Kardashian has broken her silence and issued a public statement discussing her husband, Kanye West’s, mental health, in the wake of hurtful comments he’s made about her and their family over the last three days.
After the rapper’s latest Twitter tirade — in which he claimed he’s been trying to divorce her and called her a white supremacist — Kim took to Instagram to speak of her “brilliant and complicated” husband’s struggle with bipolar disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2016.
Kim revealed that she’s currently “powerless” in helping him during his reported ‘bipolar episode’, until he himself wants to be helped, and calls for “compassion and empathy” as they try to “get through this”.
“As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder,” wrote the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, who married Kanye in 2014.
“Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand. I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.”
She continued, “Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behaviour know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor. People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engaged in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.”
Kim went on to say that she understands “Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions.”
She called him “a brilliant but complicated person” who “on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man,” also “experienced the painful loss of his mother” Donda West in 2007, “and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder. Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his attentions.”
She said of the 21-time Grammy winner: “Living with bi-polar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some. This at part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his big dreams have come true.”
“We as a society talk about giving grace to this issue of mental health as a whole, however we should also give it to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it the most. I kindly ask that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this. Thank you for those who have expressed concern for Kanye’s well being and for your understanding,” she concluded.
The Kardashian family were said to be “shocked beyond words” after Kanye West's first-ever presidential rally where he claimed he and Kim came close to aborting their daughter, North West.
The 43-year-old broke down in tears as he explained he “almost killed [his] daughter”, and since then has taken to Twitter numerous times to uploading a series of explosive tweets about his family.
In a series of now-deleted tweets Kanye claimed Kim and mother-in-law Kris Jenner were trying to have him ‘locked up’.
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Sources have said Kim - who has kids North, now seven, Saint, four, Chicago, two, and 14-month-old Psalm with Kanye - is "deeply upset" with the hitmaker, as her whole family believe he has overstepped a boundary in making their private life public.
“Everyone is extremely worried about him and his mental state,” one family friend previously told Yahoo Entertainment. “Kim has been trying to help him, but he doesn’t think he needs help. Especially not any kind of medical intervention.”
Additional reporting Suzy Byrne.
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