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Her statement comes after West claimed he's been trying to divorce her.
Kim Kardashian has broken her silence regarding her husband Kanye West's recent behavior and alarming tweets amid a reported "manic episode."
In her statement, which she shared on social media, she opened up about his bipolar diagnosis and what it means for him and the family -- before asking for compassion from the media and his fans and thanking them for their support.
Below is her statement in full:
As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar 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.
Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior 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 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 times can cause strong opinions and emotions. He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures 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 some times do not align with his intentions.
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. That is 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 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. 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.
With Love and Gratitude,
Kim Kardashian West
Her statement comes after some increasingly alarming behavior from West, which began with him announcing his bid for president and comments he made about Kim during one of his campaign rallies.
Appearing in South Carolina over the weekend, West claimed Kardashian was considering getting an abortion when pregnant with North.
He followed that up with a series of tweets in which he claimed she was trying to get a doctor to Montana to "lock me up," called his mother-in-law Kris Jong-Un, and said he has been trying to divorce Kardashian for some time now.
