Image: Instagram
Social Media users have hit back at media personality K Naomi after her tweet showing a lack of understanding for mental illnesses, particularly bipolar disorder, went viral.
In a tweet which has since been deleted, Naomi tweeted that she hated people who were suffering from bipolar causing a social media backlash on Wednesday.
See Tweets below
The model and tv personality had previously shared with her fans that she also had suffered from depression after her relationship with musician Shimza went sour last year.
Following the backlash from social media users the Tv personality apologised to her supporters, saying she was truly sorry for using a wrong wording in what she was trying to convey.
Apologies to everyone about my previous post. My intention wasn’t to offend anyone...
I should have used different wording.
I was just trying to say that I’m tired of people who always switch up. It’s either we vibe or we don’t...
Apologies 🙏🏽
— K Naomi👑 (@KNaomi_N) June 19, 2019
But Twitter users have expressed their disgust at Naomi’s tweet as many people were calling for the star to check herself and described her as being insensitive.
😭 Are people online absolving K Naomi, a grown ass woman, from her inappropriate and ableist tweets?? pic.twitter.com/iQ0EmDIzeG
— ChakraZulu (@ALLDHATU) June 19, 2019
K Naomi please respect our girlfriends, phela thina we dating people with bipolar and we understand them. Ska tlo re tena tuu pic.twitter.com/oEmM8y9PeQ
— Lefa "Crouch" Nthala (@Lefa320) June 19, 2019
K Naomi and all those people who liked her tweet have absolutely no clue what bipolar is. Ignorance is bliss. Manic depression is not a choice. pic.twitter.com/slTznfsQKc
— Kheswa Lamla (@KheswaLamla) June 19, 2019
The point isn't that K Naomi hates the mentally ill, it's that Bipolar means one thing, and using it to describe someone "Inconsistent" undermines real people with Bipolar. Same way a lot of you like saying you're "depressed" when you're mildly sad. There's so many other words. pic.twitter.com/Q88Gdk5Mcu
— big head (@SlooPhaho) June 19, 2019
Isn't K Naomi the hun who popped off after being nyiswaaa'd by Shimza? pic.twitter.com/vMcY0pNDXt
— Ma Anand Sheela (@Mfumo_B) June 19, 2019
Well, we have gone about and searched for answers to what it is like to be suffering from bipolar.
What is Bipolar?
Bipolar disorder is a physical illness marked by extreme changes in mood, energy and behaviour. That’s why doctors classify it as a mood disorder.
According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, Bipolar is a mental illness involving episodes of serious mania and depression.
The person’s mood usually swings from overly “high” and irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between.
The mental illness usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It is often not recognised as an illness, and people who have it may suffer needlessly for years or even decades.
What are the causes of Bipolar?
The exact causes of the mental illness are not known, but it is believed that it’s a combination of biochemical, genetic and psychological factors.
Research has shown that the disorder is associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain which can be corrected with the appropriate medication.
Where can one find help?
If you suspect that you, a family member or a friend are suffering from any manic depression, you should consult mental health professionals. The mental health professionals can be contacted directly or through a family member, physicians or your health maintenance organisation, or your community mental health centre.
