In an extended statement on Wednesday, Kim Kardashian shared a statement in response to the news coverage surrounding recent comments made by husband Kanye West.
"As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder," Kim said. "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."
Kardashian said she was moved to make a public statement at this time due to the continued "stigma and misconceptions" that surround discussions of mental health, whether those discussions are centered on West or are more generalized. She also said that those who "understand mental illness" know that a family "is powerless unless the member is a minor," adding that people who lack awareness and/or are "far removed" from such experiences can tend to view this facet of mental health from a "judgmental" perspective.
"We as a society talk about giving grace to the 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," Kardashian added. "I kindly ask that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this." She also thanked those who have expressed concern for her husband's well-being in recent days.
Read Kim's full statement, originally shared via her Instagram Story, below:
As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder. 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.
Kardashian's statement was preceded by comments from West in recent days that have inspired both public condemnation and expressions of concern from fans and other artists. Recklessly, West's comments were also widely amplified across the news cycle, often without appropriate context and/or from a perspective that could arguably be described as merely gawking at an artist's personal turmoil as if it were crafted to be consumed as further entertainment.
Bipolar disorder, even among nominally more open mental health discussions in 2020, remains the subject of mischaracterizations. Additionally, it’s still not uncommon to see people using the disorder as an offensive colloquialism. Do better.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, and/or if this recent news cycle has become triggering, help is available.
For info on the myths and facts about bipolar disorder, of which there is more than one type despite many using the term as a catch-all, click here.
