We all have vulnerable moments. Self-isolation, depressive episodes, and anxiety are just a modicum of the myriad of ways emotional vulnerability can manifest itself in people all around the world. Although mental health is less tangible than physical health, it is equally, if not more important, to understand how it affects both the introspective and extrospective aspects of thinking. Despite this, misconception and stigma still shroud the subject of mental health.
Anyone can be impacted by mental health conditions, similar to the way that physical health affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, ages, genders, and ethnicities. That being said, what happens when the people whose lives are broadcasted, reported, and stripped down every single day suffer from a mental health condition? Does having a celebrity status grant them clemency from the stigma, or does it simply give them a platform from which they are ridiculed and laughed at?
Kanye West has received over 20 GRAMMY awards throughout the course of his rapping career. Kanye West also has bipolar disorder, a condition known to cause extreme mood swings, including emotional highs and lows. Bipolar encapsulates all of the symptoms of depressive disorders and expands by including mania and aspects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In the past, West has actively shared that his bipolar disorder has been a struggle since the age of five, when he had his first full blackout. Blackouts often occur after a person experiences a full-blown manic or psychotic episode and has an altered memory of the event, or no memory at all, in the aftermath.
On July 20, West made statements regarding Harriet Tubman, abortion, and gun violence at his South Carolina “campaign rally” for president. Fans expressed outrage and shock at West’s comment that Harriet Tubman, an American abolitionist, "never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people.”
At first, there was ambivalent speculation as to whether West’s controversial comments and bid for president are part of a scheme to gain attention for the July 24 release of his new album. But as West’s public comments begin to spread into his personal life, including calling his mother-in-law “Kris Jong-Un” and tweeting about divorcing wife Kim Kardashian, the fact that his family is actively attempting to place him into psychiatric treatment brings to light the stark reality of being a celebrity with a mental condition. Despite West’s repeated mention of his condition in the past, many responded to his situation with online ridicule, mockery, and savagery.
When an average person suffers from a mental health episode, it is obviously a very difficult time for both the person experiencing it and those in their close circle. Being a celebrity only makes it that much harder to escape public judgement and opinion.
Following the public’s reaction to West’s behavior, Halsey, a celebrity who has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, tweeted the following: “No jokes right now. I have dedicated my career to offering education and insight about bipolar disorder and I’m so disturbed by what I’m seeing. Personal opinions about someone aside, a manic episode isn’t a joke. If you can’t offer understanding or sympathy, offer your silence.”
Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that celebrities are only human, like us. But if Kanye’s ordeal has taught us anything, it should be that anyone can be susceptible to struggles with their mental health. It is not your role, whether as a fan or a friend, to criticize someone who is going through a mental health crisis. A very basic concept of being a good person is to support those who need your help, or at least sympathize instead of judging them.
So, the next time you feel tempted to pass judgement on someone who is struggling from a mental health condition, think to yourself instead- how can I help this person?
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