Kanye West has disclosed that his earlier diagnosis of bipolar disorder was incorrect, revealing that he has been diagnosed with autism instead.
In a recent interview with Justin Laboy on the podcast “The Download,” West, who prefers to be called Ye, discussed how his wife, Bianca Censori, urged him to seek a new diagnosis.
“I went to this doctor… My wife insisted because she felt my personality didn’t align with bipolar disorder, which she was familiar with. It turns out I actually have autism,” he explained.
Ye reflected on how this new understanding of autism clarifies some of his past behaviors, including his controversial choice to wear a ‘Make America Great Again’ cap and his vocal support for Donald Trump in 2018, saying, “the mob can’t make me not love him.”
“Autism takes you to a Rain Man thing,” West said. “‘I’m going to wear this Trump hat because I like Trump in general.’ And then, when people tell you not to do it, you just fixate on that one point. And that’s my problem.”
He also spoke about his approach to music: “When fans suggest I should do my album a certain way, I often go the opposite direction,” he said, citing his song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” as an example.
Discussing the impacts on his relationships, he brought up his friend and former manager Don C: “It’s been so hard on him because he loves me. It’s difficult for them because this is like a grown man—you can’t take control of his bank account; you can’t control what I’m saying on Twitter.”
West pointed out that autism is not classified as a mental illness, recalling how Kim Kardashian, his wife at the time, expressed the challenges of dealing with his mental health in 2020.
“Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behaviour 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,” he added.
West has openly discussed his struggles with what he believed was bipolar disorder in his music, and even humorously addressed it on his 2018 album “ye,” which includes the phrase: “I hate being Bi-Polar it’s awesome.”
He described his past episodes as overwhelming, “A lot of what triggered my episodes was the feeling of losing control, like when my deal with Adidas fell apart after I made some controversial remarks.”
West also shared that he has stopped taking medication for his mental health since autism does not require medication.
“I stopped the medication once I realized bipolar was not the correct diagnosis. Now, I focus on finding alternatives that do not stifle my creativity, which I value highly.”
He remains vigilant about his mental health, “I try to be aware of it in advance because once a mental health episode starts, it can last for days.”
Recently, West stirred up more controversy at the Grammys, appearing with Censori, who wore a notably revealing sheer minidress.
The choice of attire was criticized by some as overly provocative and by others as potentially manipulative.
West defended it as a mutual decision, commenting on X, “We tailored that invisible dress 6 times and just like magic poof we disappeared”, and cited her “rightful strength”.
