Kim Kardashian has claimed she had a "bit of Stockholm syndrome" when she was married to Kanye West.

During the season seven premiere of The Kardashians on Thursday, the reality TV star opened up about the status of her relationship with the controversial rapper.

"I always felt really bad and always protected and always wanted to help (him)," she said, noting that she felt as if she suffered from Stockholm syndrome-like behaviour amid the union.

Stockholm syndrome refers to when a kidnapped person forms a psychological connection with their captor and starts to sympathise with them.

"It is so f**king sad," Kim continued, recalling how she used to think to herself, "I should've stuck it out" or "I could've helped," but "this was the first time I didn't feel that responsibility personally".

Kim and Kanye were married from 2014 until their divorce was finalised in 2022. The former couple shares daughters North, 12, Chicago, seven, and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, six.

Additionally, the SKIMS entrepreneur went on to shut down the narrative that she has the "luxury of walking away and not dealing (with Kanye) ever again".

"That's not my reality. This person - we have four kids together. It's very confusing, because it'll be all this talk on the Internet of like, 'I'm keeping the kids.' He's never once called and asked (to see them). But then I'll wake up, and it's on Twitter that I'm keeping the kids," the 45-year-old continued in a confessional. "When it's not true and not rational, I just have to... I can't engage all the time. It's a divorce - not a kidnapping."

Elsewhere in the episode, Kim admitted she was feeling "pretty tested" by Kanye again while she was on the set of her upcoming TV show, All's Fair.

"I haven't had (skin condition) psoriasis since I got divorced, and it just started coming back," she revealed. "I mean, I have psoriasis again. I felt more stressed, probably just because I had to super, super protect what I had to protect."