LHHATL’s Momma Dee Opens Up About Being Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder — And Not Taking Medication For It

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Momma Dee may be a well-known TV personality thanks to her years on Love and Hip Hop Atlanta, but she’s not really crazy about the people who see her and choose to approach her in public because of what they’ve seen of her on television.

“Sometimes I’m not my best when I go through the airport. I’ve had people touch me,” the 55-year-old shared on Brunch with Tiffany, hosted by Tiffany “New York” Pollard. “If you address me verbally, I’ll acknowledge you, but don’t run up to me at the bank b—h because I’m trying to deposit something.”

“I have been in the grocery store with shades on. Shades don’t do us no good because they still know who’s behind those shades,” she added. “I have a mindset when I go in the grocery store, you know? So I know what I came in there to get. You messing with me is going to take me off my game, so I’ll refuse.”

During this conversation about trying not to loose her cool with people who run up on her, Momma Dee revealed that she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which makes things complicated.

“I had one lady walk off, ‘She think she all that.’ Girl! B—h. B—h! See, I’m bipolar and I make it known. I was diagnosed in 1998 and I don’t take no medication, but don’t f–k with me, though. Because I don’t go around f–king with nobody. I wish everybody good tidings and everything.”

Interesting enough, people were claiming that Momma Dee was bipolar for years. Those comments usually came after she might find herself at odds with “peasants” in her “palace” on the show, but in most cases, such claims were assumed to simply be shade.

For instance, back in 2012, Love and Hip Hop Atlanta co-star Erica Dixon, whom Momma Dee bumped heads with early on in the series, claimed she was bipolar and was her best when on medication for it.

“I love her, I just don’t like anything about her,” Dixon said at the time. “She’s a great grandmother to Imani when she’s on her medication. She really is on medication for like schizophrenia, suicidal attempts, bipolar… It’s a couple of things.”

And a few years back in 2016, her husband, Ernest Bryant, whom she has a rollercoaster of a relationship with, claimed the same while explaining some of her more peculiar behavior during a short-lived feud with Rasheeda Frost’s mom, Shirleen Harvell. Momma Dee, at the time, didn’t deny it, taking to Twitter to say, “What I want the world 2 understand is that I do struggle with Bi Polar & an occasional cocktail but let’s talk bout my husband shall we? He smokes 5 cigarettes in a matter of 20 minutes, he has never been to the doctor for a physical except for the one they give you in jail. And he doesn’t believe in paying bills.. He works 2 jobs that I pulled to give him & when we fight he threatens 2 move 2 his mommas house!!”

Her behavior is certainly colorful (and hilarious), but now we have a little more perspective as to why. All that being said, don’t change, Momma Dee!