Kanye West has been candid about his mental health struggles and how his bipolar type-1 diagnosis has affected him.
West, who goes by the name Ye, revealed in 2018 that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he dropped his album Ye. On the record, West recounted his battle with his mental health and included the statement, “I hate being Bi-Polar, it’s awesome,” on the cover art.
Later that year, West revealed he stopped taking his medication, claiming it stifled his creativity.
“I cannot be on meds and make watch the throne level or dark fantasy level music,” he tweeted at the time referring to his previous critically acclaimed albums.
Following his declaration, West made headlines for candidly sharing politically-laced and antisemitic rants on social media. In January 2026, West wrote an open letter published in the Wall Street Journal apologizing for his actions and opening up about struggling with his mental health.
“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life,” West wrote. “As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here anymore.”
Keep scrolling for everything to know about West’s bipolar type-1 diagnosis:
What Is Bipolar Type-1?
Bipolar type-1 disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, per the Mayo Clinic. The condition is also referred to as manic depression. Bipolar type-1 is one the many forms of the disorder. For those diagnosed with type-1, it means that the person has endured at least one manic episode that may come before or after hypomanic or major depressive episodes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What Are Symptoms of Bipolar Type-1?
Those who struggle with bipolar type-1 suffer from episodes of mood swings stemming from depression or mania, per the Mayo Clinic. Episodes can occur rarely or multiple times a year and can potentially last several days. There are occasions when a person with bipolar disorder can have long periods of emotional stability.
Some symptoms include being much more active, energetic or agitated than usual, feeling a distorted sense of well-being or overly self-confident, needing much less sleep than usual, being unusually talkative, talking fast, having racing thoughts, being easily distracted and making poor decisions.
Is There a Cure for Bipolar Type-1?
There is no cure for bipolar type-1 disorder. The condition can be treated with medication and therapy. Making lifestyle changes and having a support system can also help combat the illness.
When Was Kanye West Diagnosed as Bipolar?
Kanye West was diagnosed with bipolar type-1 disorder in 2016 after being hospitalized following the abrupt cancellation of one of his concerts. The rapper went public with his diagnosis two years later.
What Has Kanye West Said About His Condition?
After revealing his diagnosis, Kanye West candidly spoke out about his struggles.
“It’s like having a sprained ankle. With us, once our brain gets on the point of spraining, people do everything to make it worse,” West said in a May 2019 interview on David Letterman‘s Netflix series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.
The musician continued to publicly struggle with his mental health as he posted controversial opinions on social media. In January 2026, West shared that his online posts were due to his “constant mental illness” struggles.
“When you go into a manic episode, you are ill at that point,” he wrote in a letter published via the Wall Street Journal. “When you are not in an episode, you are completely ‘normal’. And that’s when the wreckage from the illness hits the hardest.”
West credited wife Bianca Censori for being by his side and encouraging him to seek help amid the dark time.
“Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial. When you’re manic, you don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting,” he continued. “You feel like you’re seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely.”
