Kim Kardashian Addresses Kanye West’s Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis

Kim Kardashian West has spoken out after husband Kanye West posted a series of alarming tweets this week, including since-deleted claims about himself and his family.

On Monday night, he tweeted that Kim and her mom Kris Jenner had tried to “lock him up,” and on Tuesday night, he claimed that he had been considering divorcing his wife.

Kim addressed the news in a lengthy note posted to her Instagram Story on Wednesday morning, asking fans for “compassion” as she publicly addressed her husband’s diagnosis for the first time.

“As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder,” she began. “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.”

“Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor,” she said. “People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.”

“I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at time can cause strong opinions and emotions,” she continued. “He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, 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 sometimes do not align with his intentions.”