Kanye West Reveals What Caused His Bipolar Disorder, Which Partner Urged Him To Finally Get Help

Kanye West has spent years in the headlines for public outbursts and polarising remarks, with his personal life often pulled into the fallout. His ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, previously spoke about the strain his behaviour placed on their marriage, as West's online attacks repeatedly spilt into public view.

The former couple finalised their divorce in 2022, after reaching a settlement on assets and properties. West has now offered a deeper account of his bipolar disorder, saying he believes it traces back to an accident years ago that left him with an injury to the right lobe of his brain, which he did not address at the time.

West Links Diagnosis to an Old Accident

West has long spoken openly about his mental health, but he is now framing the condition as something he connects to a specific physical injury. He said the accident happened years ago and left damage that went untreated, which he now links to his bipolar disorder.

In an open letter published in The Wall Street Journal, West described a four-month manic episode that took place last year and said it pushed him to a point where he did not want to live. 'In early 2025, I fell into a four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn't want to be here anymore,' he wrote.

He also described how disorienting the episode felt in real time. West said he could not recognise what was happening while he was unwell, and that clarity only arrived later, when the consequences became harder to ignore.

'Some of the People I Love Most, I Treated the Worst'

West said the episode had a direct impact on his closest relationships, leaving lasting damage that he now sees more clearly. He wrote that his behaviour worsened the longer he avoided seeking help, and that his actions hurt the people he cared about.

'Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognisable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self,' he wrote.

That reflection also sits alongside the public tensions that surrounded his split from Kardashian. Before they reached their settlement, West attacked Kardashian and her family on social media and accused her mother, Kris Jenner, of manipulative behaviour.

Kim Kardashian on Co-Parenting After Divorce

Four years after the divorce was finalised, Kardashian suggested the dynamic between them had stabilised, at least in how they approach raising their children. Speaking on Khloe in Wonderland on YouTube, she described a relationship that shifts depending on circumstances, but still sits inside a wider sense of family.

'I'm a really empathetic person. I mean, at the end of the day, we're always family. I always look at it that way, no matter what's going on. There are times when I have to be super protective, and there are times when, at any moment, I would love that relationship. I've always said that,' Kardashian said.

West and Kardashian are blessed with four children together, namely, North West, 12, Saint West, 10, Chicago West, 8, and Psalm West, 6.