By Cara Anderson
IG: @carajojo
It’s hard not to consider how much money someone has when contemplating the validity of their problems. It’s hard to be empathetic to people that seem to have everything but don’t give back to communities in need. I have been a fan of Kanye West, and I’m not surprised by the recent backlash he is facing, but I do think we must be reminded that at the end of the day, he is a human.
Kanye West was checked into a hospital on November 21st, 2016, canceling the rest of the dates of his Saint Pablo tour. It’s speculation that he checked into the hospital because of a mental break, and it seems realistic. People all over social media have been cracking jokes at Kanye, or accusing him of crafting this publicity stunt.
Isn’t it insensitive to assume that Kanye West is a publicity stunt? It’s not hard to understand that this man might have some serious grief, trauma, depression, and emotional burdens. Sure, he’s rich, but money doesn’t solve everything. It sure as shit doesn’t buy happiness, as much as we might like to fantasize about how the money would solve everything.
Last month, men broke into the villa that Kanye’s wife, Kim Kardashian, was staying at in Paris. They tied her up, held her at gunpoint, and robbed her for millions of dollars worth of jewelry. Can you imagine the guilt, fear, and anger that you would harbor if this happened to your partner? Honestly, I can’t fathom that degree of fear.
If you’re a fan of his music, you know that Kanye loves his mom and fell into a dark place after she passed away on November 20, 2007. Do you think it’s a coincidence that Kanye was checked into the hospital one month after his wife was robbed and one day after the anniversary of his mother’s death?
Remember “Through the Wire,” Kanye’s first hit single? This song was recorded two weeks after he had his jaw wired shut due to a near-fatal car accident. These are a few isolated incidences, but in short: this man has faced and overcome a lot of pain.
Kanye doesn’t need anyone to make excuses for his hypocrisy and controversial behavior, so why am I writing about Kanye West? He did say that he hadn’t voted in our presidential election, but that if he had, he would’ve voted for Trump. This is the same man that said George Bush “doesn’t care about black people” on live television during a Hurricane Katrina relief broadcasting. I wonder if he thinks that Trump cares about black people, or maybe Kanye’s so rich that he doesn’t care about marginalized people anymore. Okay, I have a lot to say about Kanye, but my point today is about mental health.
It’s so incredibly important to acknowledge the actuality of mental health issues. It’s so critical to not minimize someone’s experience and to put doubt in their mental health issues.
Mental health issues can be consuming, debilitating, and crippling. Anxiety, depression, and alcoholism are some of the most shared and detrimental disorders in our society. Mental breaks are typically caused by severe stress and or mental health issues. Mental breaks can cause the sufferer to be incapable of fulfilling their daily tasks. For someone like Kanye West, who is always being scrutinized for his work as well as his “private” life, it would be exceptionally easy to have a mental break. I bet I would have to check into a hospital after one day of living Kanye’s life; receiving all of the attention and criticism both in public and on social media.
Sure, Kanye West may be inconsiderate, outlandish, garish, and selfish, but he has undoubtedly worked to be where he is, and I don’t think it’s right for anyone to claim that he’s faking a mental break. In fact, no matter what level of celebrity a person has, I think it’s pathetically small to criticize them for having a breakdown, or to make a joke out of their problem.
Sometimes I feel like it’s corny to urge others to be more empathetic and less judgemental. I’m not perfect, but I want to be a more supportive friend, and I want to help my loved ones seek out proper resources if they are suffering. I think that a large part of disbelieving and discrediting people who have mental health issues stems from a misunderstanding of mental health issues. The discomfort of seeing a therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist holds many people back from seeking help. Point blank, mental health disorders are REAL, and treatment does work.
It’s not a permanent alternative to counseling, but if you are suffering and need to speak with someone, you can always text “GO” to 741741, the Crisis Text Line.
