Kanye West is sharing some news about his health.
In a conversation with Justin Laboy on the “The Download” podcast, West, who has changed his name to Ye, said he was previously misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“I went to this doctor … because my wife took me to him because she said, ‘There’s something about your personality that doesn’t feel like bipolar, I’ve seen bipolar before.’ And I realized that I actually have autism,” West said.
West said the diagnosis has helped him understand himself better.
“Autism makes you do the ‘Rain Man’ thing,” West said. “‘When people tell you not to do it, you come to that thing. That’s my problem.'”
“When fans tell me to do my album a certain way, I do it the opposite way,” he added.
West was referring to his song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and the people closest to him.
“It’s really hard for them, because it’s like being an adult — you can’t control their bank account, you can’t control what I say on Twitter,” West said.
West has previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has described his experience with involuntary psychiatric detention. In a 2019 interview with David Letterman, he said he chose to talk about his diagnosis and how he managed it to end the “strong stigma” surrounding mental health.
“People are allowed to say whatever they want about it and make changes in any way they want,” West said at the time.
“Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects the way people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave,” the National Institute of Mental Health says. Autism is not considered a mental health disorder and can be diagnosed at any age.
“I haven’t been on medication since I found out bipolar wasn’t the right diagnosis,” West said on “The Download” podcast this week. “It’s about finding things that don’t block creativity, and that’s clearly what I’m bringing to the world. As long as you all have creativity, it’s worth moving forward.”