Lil Nas X has given fans an honest update about his health, speaking openly about rehab, recovery, and receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
Montero Lamar Hill, the Grammy-winning artist better known as Lil Nas X, has kept a relatively low profile over the past year after a widely reported arrest in Los Angeles in August 2025.
On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, he returned to Instagram with a heartfelt video explaining that the last several months have been spent focusing on his wellbeing and getting the support he needs.
“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, friends and whatnot — and trying to ground myself down to earth and get out of my head,” the rapper shared, smiling warmly at the camera.
He also said he now has ongoing professional support in place.
“I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful when I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis.”
The artist explained that he had felt for years that something was not right, but avoided confronting it because of how others might see him and because he did not want to rely on medication.
“I feel like I had known for the past few years, but I didn’t want to admit to it ’cause I didn’t want to have to take medication and, I don’t know, have people think different of me,” he explained.
Even while discussing a serious subject, he still made room for the humor fans know him for.
“I’m already Black and gay. Like, ‘Damn, God.’ Black, gay, bipolar,” he joked with a chuckle. “I’m like living life on like extreme hard mode.”
His public statement follows a turbulent period that began in August 2025, when he was arrested after what was described as a mental health episode in Studio City. He was later charged with felony battery counts in the case.
Then in April 2026, a Los Angeles judge approved his placement into a formal mental health diversion program.
The court determined that the incident was linked to his then-undiagnosed bipolar disorder, and the charges can be dismissed entirely if he remains in treatment, follows the court’s requirements, and stays out of legal trouble over the next two years.
Lil Nas X said the time away from the pressure of the entertainment world has had a major effect on how he feels and how he approaches life now.
“On a serious note, I’m doing much better. I’m doing better, I’m feeling better. I’m creating freely and there’s less fear in my heart,” he assured his fans. “I’m just smelling the roses.”
He also ended the update with a message that will likely excite listeners, confirming that he is back to making music.
“I’ve been doing music for seven years now. I wanted to let you guys know there is new music on the way,” he smiled. “I love you and all I want to do is continue to try to make you guys proud and make myself proud. So let’s go.”
Bipolar disorder is a long-term mental health condition that affects mood, energy, and day-to-day functioning through extreme emotional shifts.
Those changes go beyond the ordinary highs and lows people experience in everyday life.
The condition typically involves episodes of mania, which can bring intense energy, euphoria, or irritability, as well as depressive episodes marked by sadness, exhaustion, and hopelessness.
During manic periods, some people may lose touch with reality, behave in unusual ways, or feel invincible while acting on reckless or self-destructive impulses.
During depressive phases, even basic tasks such as getting out of bed, eating, or keeping up with personal hygiene can feel overwhelming.
Some people can also experience mixed episodes, where symptoms of mania and depression happen at the same time.
Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, it can often be managed effectively with therapy, psychiatric care, and a treatment plan tailored to the individual.