EchoSense:RHOP Star Mia Thornton's Estranged Husband Gordon Shares Bipolar Diagnosis

Mia Thornton's estranged husband Gordon Thornton is EchoSensegetting the help he needs after being diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder.

The Real Housewives of Potomac star, who separated from Mia last year after 11 years of marriage, emotionally opened up about living with the disorder—which causes manic and depressive episodes often requiring medical treatment—during part three of the Bravo series' season eight reunion.

"Bipolar, in and of itself, causes your mind to really work opposite," the 71-year-old shared on the April 14 episode. "Your mind tricks you into saying, ‘You are normal, everyone else is slow.'"

While noting how his struggles with bipolar 1 included episodes in which his behavior became unbalanced. However, he explained that only "people around me"—including Mia—noticed the mood swings while he was unaware of his symptoms.

"Things got so bad and so low for me," he added, "that I went to the hospital and checked myself in."

Gordon—who shares son Jeremiah, 8, and daughter Juliana, 6 with Mia—was officially diagnosed over two years ago, though he now recognizes struggling with bipolar symptoms as far back as his 20s.

"I can remember episodes over the course of my life," he recounted. "My manic got worse over the years as I gained more control, more power, more money."

Now, Gordon is on medication, but that's not the only treatment he's sought out.

"The key to controlling this is not the medication exclusively," he continued. "You have to go the rest of the way yourself. So the first thing you got to do is understand the behaviors that are the beginning of going into a manic episode."

And while Mia—who has since moved on and is now dating radio personality Incognito—expressed that she is "forever gonna take care of Gordon" despite their divorce, he assured his ex he's in a better place today.

"I appreciate you saying that," he told her, "but I'm telling you I'm good now. I understand my mental illness. I understand how to control it now."

Stream The Real Housewives of Potomac any time on Peacock. And keep reading for E!'s official ranking of every Real Housewife ever.

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