For much of the past year, Lil Nas X has been largely absent from public view. Now, the artist says he is emerging from that period with a clearer sense of himself. He also has a renewed appreciation for everyday life. In a recent message to fans, he spoke openly about recovery, mental health, and the work he has been doing away from the spotlight. The update offered one of his most personal reflections in recent memory.
In a video shared to Instagram on June 17, the Grammy-winning performer described the months following his stay in a mental health treatment program. “I’ve been in rehab for a few months and since then I’ve been back at home, whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or in Los Angeles with myself and friends and whatnot, trying to ground myself down to Earth and get out of my head,” he said. The adjustment, he explained, has been supported by professional care. Additionally, it has been helped by a more stable routine. “I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist which has been really helpful.”
Lil Nas X also spoke candidly about receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis, something he said had felt familiar long before it became official. He acknowledged resisting the idea for years. He was concerned about medication and how others might perceive him. “When I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis, I felt like I had known for the past few years but I didn’t wanna admit to it because I didn’t wanna have to take medication and have people think different of me,” he said. Then, with the self-aware humor that has long defined his public voice, he added, “I mean, I’m already, like, Black and gay. Damn, God. Come on. Black, gay, bipolar. I’m, like, living life on extreme hard mode.”
Recovery and the Road Ahead
The artist also expressed gratitude for the support he has received throughout the past year. He suggested that a new creative chapter is beginning. “I’m doing much better,” he said. “I’m doing better, I’m feeling better, I’m creating freely, and there’s less fear in my heart. I’m just smelling the roses. It’s been seven years. I’ve been doing music for seven years now. That’s crazy. … I’m excited to go on this journey with you guys, this next chapter.”
His comments arrive against the backdrop of an ongoing legal case stemming from an August 2025 incident in Studio City. Prosecutors charged him with three felony counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one felony count of resisting an executive officer. He pleaded not guilty to these charges. “Upon arrival, he is accused of assaulting the responding officers trying to take him into custody, injuring at least three of them,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said at the time. Earlier this year, a judge approved his participation in a mental health diversion program. Consequently, this could result in the charges being dismissed if he successfully completes treatment and avoids additional legal issues.
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