Answer Addiction

Tag: mental health

  • Can Hot Baths Help Ease Depression Symptoms?

    Can Hot Baths Help Ease Depression Symptoms?

    A recent study examined the effects that a regular hot bath had on people with depression.

    Can a bath a day keep the blues away? Researchers seem to think so.

    A new study published in New Scientist indicates that by taking regular afternoon baths, people with depression may experience a “moderate but persistent lift in mood.”

    During the study, researchers from the University of Freiburg in Germany took 45 individuals with depression and had one group soak in hot water (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to 30 minutes, then wrap in a blanket and hot water bottles for an additional 20 minutes, while another group took 40 to 45 minutes of exercise twice per week.

    Then, after eight weeks, the individuals taking the afternoon baths scored six points lower on a widely used depression scale, while those exercising scored about three points lower. 

    The theory is that warm baths strengthen and synchronize a person’s circadian rhythm by increasing the core body temperature. A circadian rhythm is “the daily fluctuations in behavior and biochemistry that affect every one of our organs, including the brain,” the Guardian notes.

    For most people, core body temperature increases during the day and decreases at night, which helps the body to fall asleep. But in those with depression, the circadian rhythm is frequently “flatter, disrupted or delayed by several hours.” So, by affecting the core body temperature, baths may help those with depression to fall asleep more easily.

    In addition to affecting the circadian rhythm, hot baths could lead to the firing of more neurons that distribute serotonin.

    According to the Guardian, depression is likely related to low levels of serotonin in the brain, and research involving rats has found that neurons that release serotonin are connected to mood-regulating parts of the brain, which fire when body temperature increases.

    When it comes to taking a good bath, the Guardian recommends picking a time without disruptions, possibly using an essential oil, making bathwater slightly warmer than body temperature, and taking into account the temperature of the room.

    However, such hot baths could cause issues for some people. According to Bustle, some study participants struggled to get hot enough water at home, since 104 degrees is fairly high, and had to go to a spa instead.

    People with health issues should be sure to check with their doctors before taking such hot baths, as they may be dangerous in some circumstances.

    Of course, hot baths may not be the answer for everyone. But, as Bustle notes, they may be a good go-to while waiting the four-to-six weeks it can take for antidepressants to start working.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Bingeing on Horror No Longer Works, What Do I Do?

    Bingeing on Horror No Longer Works, What Do I Do?

    This insatiable hunger to feel scared has almost completely jaded me, and now I have no idea what to do with this realization.

    As a kid, I was scared of literally everything; as a teenager I was perpetually living in all forms of fear — of the real world and the imagined — as a result of undiagnosed (and then later, diagnosed but still active) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after surviving 9/11.

    About two years ago, I started dipping my toes into the murky, red-running waters of scary movies, and then I became straight up obsessed. It was my go-to genre, and I couldn’t get enough; it became my favorite escape as a sober alcoholic, this new world that could pull me out of job stress or just take me away for a while.

    And when I started to “tolerate” these movies, but still enjoy many of them, I decided to test my boundaries and go on a scary “haunted hay ride” (made for adults). I was grossly disappointed. I wasn’t even jumping when everyone else was. It was just a ride through occasional sketchy looking scenes and people in costume assaulting our tractor. I’m from New York City, guys. That’s pretty much how it is to drive in rush hour traffic.

    My worst fear, now, is that over the past year I have become such a horror fan that I actually have become almost entirely desensitized to anything that is supposed to elicit that kind of fear. It’s to the point where not only am I now virtually un-scare-able, but even the jump scares in movies — scenes which are literally designed to assault your senses and that cause everyone else to flinch or scream — don’t even cause me to blink an eye. Or I’ll go see a horror movie with a friend and try to have fun, but…meh. It’s not like I set out to be a stick in the mud, I go in with high hopes. I’m always trying to recapture that initial rush of fear.

    It almost feels as though I have binged on horror so much that it’s stopped “working” and half the time it’s no longer fun, the same exact way it was with alcohol. I still want to use it as an escape, but I just end up disappointed.

    This insatiable hunger to feel scared has almost completely jaded me, and now I have no idea what to do with this realization.

    To back up a bit, it is common for people with a history of trauma to turn to horror in order to drum up that adrenaline rush. It’s kind of like a coping mechanism used in the face of life stressors, or just in general: seek out events or experiences that evoke similar feelings to the original trauma. Often, survivors will engage in this behavior if the trauma hasn’t been worked through all the way. There’s this interesting place where the movie or the scenario is different enough, separate enough, to feel like you’re an objective viewer or participant, yet similar enough to conjure up the feelings you need to work through in some way, to trigger the catharsis that you crave. You feel brave, like you’ve faced or conquered the demons.

    After years of therapy, I was able to work though my trauma and come out as far on the other side as is possible for someone with a condition that can always be woken up by the “right” trigger at the “right” time. It’s the same with my sobriety — with 7 years under my belt at 29 years old, my life and my brain and my body just work differently now because of all the work I put in.

    Which brings us back to this: Have I started bingeing so much on horror that it no longer provides a “fix?” And even beyond that, I’ve stopped enjoying it altogether, and sometimes even get angry at Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb reviews for “lying” to me. I knew I had crossed an arbitrary threshold I had set for “stronger” material when I sought out stuff I said I’d never watch, or would never watch again. I started with the movie that ruined my entire youth, The Exorcist. It was boring. I slept like a baby. Something was not right.

    So here I am, as another Halloween approaches, watching these meta-movies about really bad things happening on Halloween but nobody realizes they’re happening because it’s Halloween. I’m taking friends’ Netflix recommendations for movies I’ve avoided because I know they’re crap, on the off-chance they might not be and that I was too quick to judge (novelty seeking anyone?). It’s the worst. The smell of my own desperation is strong enough to make me gag.

    I then wondered if it was possible that I’d already watched all of the “good ones,” leaving me scraping the bottom of the barrel for the undiscovered. But I don’t think so. Based on IMDb ratings, a lot of them should have held up — including a few new ones in theaters. Then there’s also the issue that I have simply run out of movies. Literally, run out. I’ve seen everything on every “list” of what’s currently out, streaming, rent-able, and every other option: the indies, the lesser-knowns, the big blockbusters of the past, oh, 40 years.

    I just can’t get the same thrill from horror that I did last year. I don’t want to keep pushing to find more extreme movies — I don’t want to actually be disturbed by some underground violent, cruel nonsense. Gore porn is not my thing.

    So, what’s a girl to do?

    For now, I think the only thing left to do is the same thing we all do when we realize we’re feeling a little restless, or bored, or like we need a hit of something to make us feel different. And there’s no universal formula for that; for an alcoholic, it’s whatever we’ve learned works to help us feel settled and peaceful.

    As for finding more ways to get Halloween thrills, chills, and just plain have fun with these movies again—the jury is still out, but there are two things I know.

    One, when I have the thought “I bet if I was high, this would scare me way more” it means I need to take a step back and evaluate what’s going on with me. Why do I feel so disappointed at not getting my “fix” that I even begin to go down that road? Honestly, my life is pretty great right now, and it’s a lot more stress-free than it used to be. I need to tell myself: girlfriend, enjoy your reality, please. You worked hard to get here.

    Two, I need to look at the forest and not the trees—I have conquered horror. And if I’m being honest, every movie or show I’ve watched recently hasn’t been a total stinker. It’s kind of a victory, I suppose, that I actually smile really wide when the rare good scare hits me, even if I don’t jump or scream, and that I feel happy when an entire movie comes together for me, which it still sometimes does. I have to realize that’s kind of a good thing–I went from being scared of everything to understanding that the real world is a lot scarier than the movies—and that is a mixed bag of tricks and treats that I’ll just have to be satisfied with this year.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Michael Phelps Speaks Out About Battling Depression, Anxiety

    Michael Phelps Speaks Out About Battling Depression, Anxiety

    “I was so down on myself. I didn’t have any self-love and, quite honestly, I just didn’t want to be alive.” 

    Michael Phelps has won 28 Olympic medals, but despite his incredible history as a swimmer he’s also had serious bouts with depression, anxiety and alcoholism.

    Since getting help, Phelps has been very open with the public about what he went through, but he recently admitted on Today that he’s “struggling weekly” with his mental health.

    “From time to time, I’ll have bad days where I do go into a depression state,” Phelps said. “Being an athlete, you’re supposed to be strong and be able to push through anything. My struggles carried on through my career and I hid them well. There are so many people who struggle from very similar things that I go through and still go through… At times, it was a little scary and challenging to go through, but I found a way to get through it and I’m addressing these issues that I have.”

    Phelps has certainly come a long way since he hit his personal bottom in October 2014. Phelps said he was so engulfed in despair, he couldn’t leave the house for five days and felt suicidal.

    He admitted that he had “at least half a dozen depression spells” before this one. He recalled, “I was so down on myself. I didn’t have any self-love and quite honestly, I just didn’t want to be alive. It was a really, really, really crazy time for me and I didn’t want to see anybody. I saw myself as letting so many people down—and myself in particular. That’s hard to carry.”

    Finally something in Phelps clicked, and he “realized that I can ask for help and it’s going to be okay. For me, that’s what changed my life. I never asked for help really ever in my career. That was the first time that I really did that. I was basically on my knees, crying for help.”

    Since that dark time, Phelps has been very involved in getting help for others. He’s on the board of TalkSpace, a teletherapy company, and he was also interviewed for a documentary, Angst, where he discussed his anxiety.

    “I’m lucky to be able to sit down with a therapist and chat and talk and open up,” Phelps says. “It’s challenging for people to do… It’s something that continues to teach me more and more about myself.” 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Anxiety The Sixth Stage Of Grief?

    Is Anxiety The Sixth Stage Of Grief?

    One therapist provides compelling examples of the relationship between loss and anxiety. 

    Is anxiety the sixth stage of grief? Therapist and author Claire Bidwell Smith thinks so, and she shares why in a recent column in the Washington Post. 

    Bidwell Smith writes that a few years ago, she began seeing an increased number of patients reporting anxiety after the loss of a loved one. Some of the patients had dealt with anxiety before, but she says for the majority it was a new issue. 

    “Grief and anxiety are inextricably linked,” Bidwell Smith explains. “We experience anxiety after a loss because losing someone we love thrusts us into a vulnerable place. It changes our day-to-day lives. It forces us to confront our mortality, and facing these fundamental human truths about life’s unpredictability causes fear and anxiety to surface in profound ways.”

    When Bidwell Smith began experiencing the increase in patients dealing with anxiety and grief, she began to research. Though she says there was little information about the connection between the two, she was able to use her own experiences with anxiety and grief after losing her mother at age 18. 

    She says she soon came to realize that much of the anxiety in such situations stemmed from not having processed the loss thoroughly due to expectations from society to move on from a loss. 

    “Unfortunately, this is a common experience for many people who lose a loved one,” she writes. “Our culture is not very adept at making space for grief. That was true over 20 years ago when I was going through it, and is still largely true today.”

    Bidwell Smith references one case in particular where a patient in his 40s had lost his father and had come to see her about six months later, as he’d been dealing with panic attacks and bursts of anger. 

    Bidwell Smith worked with the patient to confront his loss, after which he began to feel relief from the anxiety and anger. Additionally, she says it is important to address how loss makes us “confront our mortality.”

    “When we lose someone significant, we are starkly reminded of how precarious life is, how the unexpected lurks at every turn and how wide-ranging the actual impact of loss can be,” she writes.

    According to Bidwell Smith, treating anxiety brought on by grief is doable through cognitive behavioral therapy, deep grief processing and meditation techniques. But it’s also important that the societal narrative around grief begins to change. 

    “Working through these components is vital to healing ­grief-related anxiety,” Bidwell Smith writes. “As a culture, we tend to push away our thoughts, fears and questions about death. Given how reluctant our society is to deeply explore this topic, it’s no wonder that we falter individually when faced with it. After all, at the root of most anxiety is fear. And what are most people afraid of more than death?”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Does Tech Addiction Play A Role In Workplace Mental Health Issues?

    Does Tech Addiction Play A Role In Workplace Mental Health Issues?

    Mental health in the workplace is an evolving issue that needs to be addressed.

    While technology is largely helpful in today’s professional world, it can also be somewhat hindering for mental health, according to Mike Serbinis, the founder and CEO of Canada-based employee benefits platform League. 

    “If people feel like they always have to be on, it’s stressful and hard to relax and get the downtime and rest your brain needs,” Serbinis tells Forbes.

    Mental health in the workplace is an evolving issue that needs to be addressed. In fact, mental illness is now the greatest cause of disability in the world, according to the World Health Organization. 

    It’s an issue close to home for Serbinis too; 44% of employees in his country of Canada have faced a mental health issue in their place of work. 

    “We see it among our data [at League] too,” Serbinis tells Forbes. “Between one-third to one-half of all employees using us are checking in or accessing a service that has to do with helping them manage stress, anxiety, depression, and so on.”

    In the United States, similar statistics demonstrate that one in five U.S. adults are living with mental health issues of some sort, though the number is likely higher due to lack of reporting. 

    According to Serbinis, it’s important to distinguish between the types of mental health issues. He says two of the biggest are depression and anxiety. “There’s a range of different conditions and illnesses,” Serbinis tells Forbes. “People speaking about mental health as one sort of general category almost doesn’t do it justice.”

    When it comes to struggling with mental health in the workplace, Serbinis says “tech addiction” likely plays a large role.

    “What’s happening is that people are getting conditioned to see those signals or numbers and feel like they have to go back and check constantly,” Serbinis says. “And that triggers this fight or flight response. Which jacks up adrenaline, which jacks blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular issues, which leads to anxiety… it’s a whole cascade of events that really emanates from this constant interruption.”

    One solution is to expand employee benefits to cover mental health, Serbinis says. 

    Forbes says that in addition to covering mental health services, some companies are also taking time for mental health “office hours,” during which a therapist may visit a workplace. Or, as an alternative, companies are covering subscriptions for online tools such as Talkspace. 

    Another recommendation is to not encourage employees to constantly check work-related notifications during non-working hours. “We suggest that people to turn off their notifications at home, and dedicate time for messaging and emails at work that’s separate from your other tasks,” Serbinis tells Forbes.

    When it comes down to it, Serbinis says, workplaces need to change their approach to mental health. 

    “The current way of doing things is not sustainable,” he said. “Employers need to see employee health and wellness as a core part of their strategy to build a top company.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can Social Media Predict Depression?

    Can Social Media Predict Depression?

    A new study examined whether social media data could be used to find markers for depression.

    Social media could be an accurate predictor of depression, new research has found.

    According to Medical News Today, researchers utilized an algorithm to examine data from social media that could pick out “linguistic cues that might predict depression.” 

    “We’re increasingly understanding that what people do online is a form of behavior we can read with machine learning algorithms, the same way we can read any other kind of data in the world,” lead author Johannes Eichstaedt, founding research scientist at the World Well-Being Project (WWBP) in Philadelphia, told Wired. 

    Eichstaedt’s team, co-led by H. Andrew Schwartz, a principal investigator of the WWBP, studied data from nearly 1,200 social media users who agreed to grant access to both their posts and their electronic medical records (EMR). Of those who participated, only 114 had dealt with depression in the past. 

    “For each of these 114 patients, we identified 5 random control patients without a diagnosis of depression in the EMR, examining only the Facebook data they created before the corresponding depressed patient’s first date of a recorded diagnosis of depression,” study authors wrote. “This allowed us to compare depressed and control patients’ data across the same time span and to model the prevalence of depression in the larger population.”

    Researchers were then able to determine whether what they refer to as “depression-associated language markers” depicted “emotional and cognitive cues.” These included sadness, loneliness, hostility, rumination and increased self-reference. 

    The linguistic markers, according to researchers, could predict depression fairly accurately as soon as three months before the individual received a diagnosis.

    Still, Eichstaedt says, there is a different method before turning to social media as a reliable tool to diagnose depression. “It would be irresponsible to take this tool and use it to say: You’re depressed, you’re not depressed,” he told Wired. 

    Eichstaedt also stated that the social media algorithm is comparable to a DNA analysis. 

    “Social media data contain markers akin to the genome,” Eichstaedt said, according to Medical News Today. “With surprisingly similar methods to those used in genomics, we can comb social media data to find these markers. Depression appears to be something quite detectable in this way; it really changes people’s use of social media in a way that something like skin disease or diabetes doesn’t.”

    Eichstaedt says he is hopeful one day that this type of information could prove helpful in making diagnoses and treatments. 

    “The hope is that one day, these screening systems can be integrated into systems of care,” he said. “This tool raises yellow flags; eventually the hope is that you could directly funnel people it identifies into scalable treatment modalities.”

    The report was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Parents Can Support Teens’ Mental Health

    How Parents Can Support Teens’ Mental Health

    Parents play a key role in connecting teens with mental health treatment and helping them learn to live with their diagnosis.

    The parents of teenagers used to fret about whether their kids were sleeping too much or “just saying no” to drugs, but today’s parents are more in tune with the mental health needs of their children, recognizing that many mental illnesses start during adolescence. 

    More than 17 million American teenagers have a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder, according to USA Today, and many times parents are key in connecting these individuals with treatment and helping them learn to live with their diagnosis.

    With suicide being the second-leading cause of death among people ages 10-34 in the U.S., talking about mental health with young people could very well save a life. 

    Still, many parents aren’t sure what the warning signs of mental illness are, especially since teenagers are general apt to be moody and withdrawn. Parents should look for sudden changes in behavior—a quick drop in school performance, a change in sleeping or eating habits, or physical pains such as stomach issues. All of these can be signs of mental illness in teens. 

    Myths and stigma about mental illness can hinder access to treatment, so it’s important to remember that mental illnesses are biological conditions, not caused by bad parenting, personal weakness or character flaws. Just like physical illnesses require expert care, so do mental illnesses.

    It’s important that parents consult with professionals such as counselors and primary care physicians to get teens the help they need. Most mental illnesses that emerge during the teenage years will become lifelong conditions. Although this is scary, connecting with the best treatment as soon as possible will help teens learn to cope with their illnesses. 

    Even when parents are able to identify that their child has a mental or emotional issue confronting them, it can be hard to talk about. However, talking is key. Ask your child how he or she is doing. If they’re not receptive to conversation, just try again later rather than pushing the issue. 

    If you suspect that something is wrong but your child insists that he or she is fine, turn to other adults in their life, like coaches, teachers or school counselors. Ask if they’ve noticed changes or behaviors that they find concerning.

    Although a medical professional may not be able to give you information about your teenager due to patient confidentiality, they are always able to listen to your concerns. 

    Finally, connecting with teenagers is important for controlling and preventing mental illness. Take walks together outside or play sports. Eat dinner together. These activities allow you to connect with your teen without the pressure of a sit-down conversation. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Lack Of Mental Health Resources A Global Issue

    Lack Of Mental Health Resources A Global Issue

    “All countries can be thought of as developing countries in the context of mental health,” says a new global mental health report.

    A lack of resources for those dealing with mental health issues is a major problem around the world, a new report has found. 

    The report by the Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health, which took three years to compile, was released last week at a London summit. 

    The report, which is 45 pages long, details the state of mental health treatment around the world. According to the authors—28 mental health researchers, clinicians and advocates from five continents—there are “pitifully small” levels of financial support from governments and assistance groups when it comes to mental health research and care. 

    Low-income communities, according to NPR, are being hit particularly hard. The report states that in developing countries, only one in 27 people with depression receive the necessary treatment. And in countries with more money, the care isn’t necessarily better. In fact, the report states that “all countries can be thought of as developing countries in the context of mental health.”

    The financial aspect, according to the report, is the main problem. The Lancet Commission states that funding availability is “alarmingly low” when compared to what was spent on other diseases in 2013 in comparison to mental illness.

    For example, for every year of healthy life lost to mental illness, the report found that global health donors had provided $0.85. But for HIV/AIDS, they had provided $144 for every year, and $48 for TB and malaria.

    According to psychiatrist Julian Eaton, part of the reason for the lack of funding has to do with cultural differences. 

    “In the academic world there has been an ongoing sometimes quite angry debate about whether it’s appropriate to export Western ideas about mental ill health to other countries,” Eaton told NPR.

    The stigma surrounding mental health issues also plays a role. Janice Cooper, who runs the Carter Center’s mental health center in Liberia, tells NPR that stigma is a problem in developing and developed countries. 

    “There’s ignorance, there’s the perception of contagion, there’s the notion that in some quarters this is not important,” she said. 

    According to NPR, the Commission recruited 15 youth leaders from around the world to spread messages about mental health on social media and get younger generations discussing it.

    Twenty-five-year-old Grace Gatera of Rwanda is one of the 15. She says the conflict in the country resulted in PTSD for her, as well as two suicide attempts. She tells NPR that the government doesn’t make mental health a priority. 

    “It’ll be like let’s deal with this crisis and deal with the crisis that comes after that and maybe when we get time we’ll talk about mental health,” she said. 

    Eaton says that despite the report’s findings, she and other commissioners were excited to receive the support for the summit from some international and British government organizations in addition to some private ones. They were also encouraged when royals Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, attended the summit. 

    “But people are yet to sign the checks,” Eaton said.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How "This Is Us" Encourages Men To Speak About Mental Health

    How "This Is Us" Encourages Men To Speak About Mental Health

    The critically-acclaimed series showcased a candid conversation about mental health in a recent episode.

    Warning: This article may contain spoilers.

    The NBC drama series This Is Us doesn’t shy from addressing tough issues like the stress of in-vitro fertilization and the trauma of war. In the most recent episode, the show depicts two men talking about mental health. This simple exchange, broadcast on a major TV network, is more impactful than we know.

    A conversation between brothers-in-law Randall (played by Sterling K. Brown) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) turns to their personal demons.

    “I can’t picture you with anxiety. You know, the way you present,” says Toby. “That’s what we do, right? Men,” Randall replies.

    Toby, who we know has struggled with depression in the past, said that without his medication for his condition, “life gets pretty scary.” Randall is surprised to learn that his brother is medicating for depression. “Never would have known.”

    Toby’s depression diagnosis surfaced after separating with his first wife. And as he and wife Kate Pearson (played by Chrissy Metz) struggle to conceive, he is informed by a doctor that his depression medication may be affecting his sperm.

    As for Randall, his anxiety surfaced near the end of Season 1, when he had a panic attack, and it was addressed further, rather accurately, in Season 2. We learn that he has dealt with anxiety since he was a child and suffers panic attacks from time to time.

    Writer and co-executive producer KJ Steinberg, described the making of the normally taboo conversation between Randall and Toby. “[It’s] actually a really sensitive conversation,” he said. “The fear is to treat it too glibly. You never want anything to appear too simple. But you also are writing for characters who share an intimacy and a need to connect with one another.”

    Overall, the show is not afraid to depict the vulnerabilities of the men on the show. We learn that Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) had a drinking problem, as did his father. “We’re a family of addicts. Our father was an addict. We don’t talk about his drinking problem,” said Jack’s son Kevin (Justin Hartley), who faced his own addiction to opioid painkillers.

    Public health campaigns like Heads Together in the UK encourage people to speak up, not hide away, mental health issues they may be struggling with—particularly men. Retired Olympic medalist Michael Phelps is also on a mission to shed the stigma of mental health issues. He has publicly discussed his own struggles with depression and alcohol on many occasions.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Kanye West Says He Was Misdiagnosed With Bipolar Disorder

    Kanye West Says He Was Misdiagnosed With Bipolar Disorder

    The rapper discussed the misdiagnosis during his highly publicized sit-down with President Donald Trump.

    In a recent conversation with President Trump, rapper Kanye West expressed that he believes his diagnosis of bipolar disorder was a mistake and he was actually suffering from sleep deprivation.

    According to The News-Herald, West met with President Trump on Thursday, October 11 and discussed the importance of communication when it comes to mental health. 

    “What I think is we don’t need sentences, we need pardons,” he told the president, according to The News-Herald. “We need to talk to people. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I was connected with a neuropsychologist that works with the athletes in the NBA and NFL. He looked at my brain. I wasn’t actually bipolar, I had sleep deprivation which can cause dementia 10 to 20 years from now when I wouldn’t even remember my son’s name.”

    In a previous interview, West discussed his diagnosis and said he was happy to know he had bipolar disorder. 

    “I think it’s important for us to have open conversations about mental health – especially with me being black,” West said. “Because we never had therapists in the black community. We never approached taking a medication. I think it’s good that when I had my first complete blackout at age five, my mom didn’t fully medicate me. Because I might have never been ‘Ye. And there’s times where at least I’m happy that I know [I’m bipolar.] Like, even like for this interview, I knew I wanted to stay in a calm state.”

    West has also worked his mental health diagnosis into his songs. In a song called “Yikes” on his album Ye, West sings, “ain’t no disability, I’m a superhero.” 

    According to Time, West also told radio personality Big Boy that he is grateful to have the resources he does.

    “I’m so blessed and so privileged because think about people that have issues that are not Kanye West, that can’t go and make that [music] and make you feel like it’s all good,” he stated. “I’d never been diagnosed and I was like 39 years old… That’s why I said on the album, ‘It’s not a disability, it’s a super power.’”

    In addition to his bipolar disorder, the rapper has also struggled with substance use disorder. On an episode of TMZ Live, West discussed his battle with pain pills after having liposuction. 

    “I was drugged the f— out,” he stated. “I was drugged out. I was on opioids. Two days after I got off opioids, I’m in the hospital. Two days before going to the hospital, I was on opioids. I was addicted to opioids. I had plastic surgery because I was trying to look good for y’all.”

    In another interview, this one with radio personality Charlamagne tha God, West explained that he uses anyone he speaks to as his therapist. 

    “I use the world as my therapist. Anyone I talk to is my therapist,” he said. “I will pull them into the conversation of what I’m feeling at that point and get their perspective… I like just talking to acquaintances, friends, family, and I keep them on the phone for 45 minutes at a time, talking through things. It’s kind of narcissistic.”

    View the original article at thefix.com