Gordon Thornton Opens Up About Bipolar Diagnosis at ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ Reunion

During the third part of the “Real Housewives of Potomac” Season 8 reunion, Gordon Thornton, Mia Thornton’s estranged husband, shared a poignant update about his personal life.

In a conversation with host and executive producer Andy Cohen, Gordon revealed that he was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. This condition, defined by the Mayo Clinic as causing “extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression),” has been a part of his life for many years.

“Bipolar, in and of itself, causes your mind to really work opposite,” the 71-year-old explained during Sunday’s episode. “Your mind tricks you into saying ‘You are normal, everyone else is slow.'”

He shared that he was formally diagnosed two and a half years ago but recognizes symptoms dating back to his early 20s. “I can remember episodes over the course of my life,” he said. “My manic got worse over the years as I gained more control, more power, more money.”

Gordon emphasized that while medication helps manage his symptoms, it isn’t the sole solution. “The key to controlling this is not the medication exclusively,” he shared. “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.”

He acknowledged that he cannot always detect these signs himself. “I cannot [see it]. People around me can,” he noted, recalling that his estranged wife Mia had identified his episodes several times before they separated, but he “didn’t listen.”

Mia Thornton and Gordon first met in 2003 at a charity event in a strip club and later collaborated with him on a board for a nonprofit aiming to raise funds for Haiti. The two married in March 2012 and have two children together, along with children from previous relationships and several grandchildren.

The couple separated in June 2023, and their split was publicly confirmed by PEOPLE in September. “My family is my number one priority, and I am committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure we are okay,” Mia told PEOPLE, requesting privacy during this period.

Mia has since reignited a relationship with her former partner, radio personality Incognito, also known as INC. At the reunion, Gordon mentioned that he and Incognito maintain a cordial relationship.

Despite their separation, the couple has not finalized their divorce. “I have signed an affidavit. I can’t get a divorce until June of this year at the earliest, and that’s because we are up for sale for our businesses and they don’t want me to divorce him until that’s done,” Mia revealed at the reunion.

Currently, Mia resides in a penthouse apartment in Washington, D.C., while Gordon lives in an apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina. Plans are underway for Gordon to move across the street from Mia, she mentioned.