The Bangkok-born model, who paraded naked around Times Square on June 30 yelling about Donald Trump and Kanye West, has resurfaced to tell his story in a gripping first-person account of his battle with Bipolar disorder.
Krit McClean, a 21-year-old model and student, spoke about the manic episode he was suffering from when he made his surprising naked display in New York City, ending with him jumping off a ticket-purchasing booth and breaking his arm.
Those that suffer from Bipolar disorder have episodes of depression and mania. The latter may include racing thoughts, inability to sleep or eat, delusion, hallucinations and paranoia.
McClean noted that, on the morning of the episode, he had already been walking around the city barefoot, his feet were covered in blisters and he was gripped by unexplainable fear.
He was in a paranoid state, he told the New York Post, and believed that evil people wanted to get him. He said that he thought advertisements were sending him secret messages.
One billboard said “Express Yourself,” so he decided to do just that by removing his clothes. He was drawn to the top of the famous TKTS booth, with its giant, glowing red sign.
He said that he began eating garbage that he found up there, including used gum, change and cigarette butts.
He saw police coming for him and thought they seemed evil. He began to sing and dance, repeating Kanye West lyrics that he believed would protect him. In his manic state, he believed West to be a God-like figure.
As the police closed in on him, he jumped from the booth, falling almost 20 feet. He said that, in his mental state, he didn’t feel pain but pretended to be dead in hopes of being left alone.
When police took hold of him, he yelled West’s nickname, “Yeezy,” before being shot with a tranquilizer.
He woke up in the famous New York City psychiatric ward in Bellevue Hospital. He reported that his feet and right hand were handcuffed to his bed while his broken left arm was immobile in a cast.
He reported that his manic episode had started a week before but had not been violent. He became obsessed with the color yellow, painting everything in his apartment and his clothes in that color. He also began following yellow taxis around the city.
He stopped eating and keeping in contact with people. His best friend and family grew very worried by his behavior. He stopped using his phone because he thought he was being tracked.
After he woke up in the hospital, his family told him that he had their support but that he had been released from his modeling contract. Columbia University, where he is a student, has not yet decided if he can return to school. He also faces legal charges.
He said that he is going public with his story so that he can help others that also suffer from mental illness and the way society judges them.
