Kim Kardashian developed this psychological condition from Kanye West
That Kim and Kanye have been through a lot is no secret. After seven long years, they separated in a dramatic way. What was once a fairy tale marriage turned into a bitter divorce. It seemed like there was no end to all that public fighting, but lately it has been surprisingly quiet. Until today. At the premiere of the latest season of The Kardashians Kim opened up about what her marriage to the star was like. And as you can read from the title, it was a dra-ma.
There was a reason why she put up with Kanye for so long. It wasn't due to love, but because of what she describes as Stockholm syndrome: “It felt like I had a bit of Stockholm syndrome. I always felt very bad and wanted to help and protect him continuously.” Only after filing for divorce did she finally feel no responsibility to help him anymore.
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But what is Stockholm syndrome?
You might not immediately think of this condition when you think of a relationship, but it can happen. Now, Kim is not officially diagnosed, so whether you should take it very seriously is the question, but there is certainly a kernel of truth in it. Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where a victim develops sympathy for their perpetrator. It can even happen that they start to develop friendly or romantic feelings. This often occurs in situations such as hostage-taking, kidnapping, or prolonged abuse. The perpetrator comes to be seen in a better light. So much so that the victim begins to defend their actions and does not want to accept help from others.
Of course, it’s not that Kanye held Kim hostage for seven years, but according to Kim herself, the dynamic with him felt a bit like she had the syndrome. This was because she was constantly caught in an inner conflict: should she help him, or choose herself? Kim actually understood him: he was a man struggling with his mental health and the criticism of the whole world. She found that sad. In the end, she lost herself so much in supporting him that she didn’t see how bad it was going.
What went wrong between them?
In 2014, they were the it-couple. Kim and Kanye were madly in love, and everyone wanted to be like them. Their wedding was the most talked-about topic of that year: whether you’re talking about the 200 guests flown in by private jets to the Palace of Versailles for the rehearsal dinner, or Andrea Bocelli’s performance – everyone wanted to know everything. But behind the scenes, things quickly began to unravel. While Kim was doing her best to be a mother, Kanye increasingly portrayed himself as a controversial figure. His public outbursts and unpredictable behavior (like that time he wanted to become president) weighed heavily on their relationship. At one point, she was taking care of him more than being a balanced partner. In 2021, it was over: Kim decided to file for divorce. She felt herself becoming invisible, and that could no longer continue. Despite all the love, she had to choose her own happiness and the safety of her children.
After their breakup, Kanye (or ‘Ye’) drifted further away. He made anti-Semitic remarks and it seemed like he was in a psychosis every day. And that’s not surprising, as the rapper has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After a while, he stopped taking his medication, which might explain why he has changed so much. In his new documentary, he even told Kris Jenner that he would rather die than go back on the medication. Wow.
How are things between the two now?
Not good. “It’s so fucking sad,” Kim said at the premiere. And the idea that she has walked away from all the problems is, according to her, simply not true: “That’s not my reality. We have four children together. It’s very confusing, because then you read on the internet that I’m keeping the kids away. But he hasn’t called once to see them. But yeah, then I wake up and read on Twitter that ‘I’m keeping the kids from him’. That’s not true and not rational. I can’t keep reacting to him all the time. It’s a divorce, not a kidnapping.”
So, well… Does this behavior sound familiar? Then it might be time to see those red flags and run hard in the other direction. You don’t want a Kanye catastrophe, do you? No, just protect yourself and learn from Kim Kardashian.
