Britney Spears is an icon. The first “sex symbol” I was properly introduced to at the ripe old age of prepubescent adolescence. She was censored and protested before that became main stream. Not for her words necessary, but for what she represented: a young, promiscuous sex goddess.
I’ve followed her closer than my perceived subtype might be expected, but I definitely don’t know everything upfront about Britney’s story. Including dates and the order of which events unfolded.
Did she shave her head before or after smashing the paparazzi car with the golf club?
I withdraw my previous question. It was an umbrella.
My inner arm-chair physiatrist has theorized this for quite some time: Britney Spears has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and for personal reasons (that we can all understand) she wants to keep that information private.
Side note - None of this should be a HIPPA violation as conclusions discussed were found citing public forums.
Since my initial diagnosis back in 2013, before I believed it myself, I began to look for examples in the zeitgeist of those accused of the same crazy* behavior. Since then Britney has been at the top of said list and she’s the first I am willing to put in print.
Instead of starting with Google, I began my research asking “The Source” itself on the subject. My new friend and confidant, the Chat GPT bot (AKA Skynet).
Here is a subset of a conversation we had.
MM: Tell me about Britney Spears.
GPT: Britney Spears is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. She was born on December 2, 1981, in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana. She began her career as a child actor and performed in various stage productions and television shows before signing with Jive Records in 1997.
(Condensed bot response to first and last paragraph.)
Spears has faced some personal struggles throughout her career, including publicized issues with her mental health and her conservatorship, which has been a topic of much controversy in recent years. However, she has remained a prominent figure in popular culture and continues to release new music and perform for her fans.
“…including publicized issues with her mental health and her conservatorship…”
Interesting. So what is publicly known?
MM: Tell me about Britney Spears's publicized issues with her mental health and her conservatorship.
GPT: Britney Spears has faced publicized issues with her mental health over the years. In 2007, she went through a series of personal struggles, including a divorce, custody battle for her children, and erratic behavior that led to her being placed on a psychiatric hold twice. This resulted in her father, Jamie Spears, petitioning for a temporary conservatorship, which was later made permanent.
Under the conservatorship, Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet had control over Britney's personal life and finances, including her career decisions, medical treatment, and daily activities. While the conservatorship was initially put in place to protect Britney's well-being, it has become a topic of much controversy in recent years.
In 2019, Britney's longtime manager, Larry Rudolph, revealed that Britney was taking an indefinite hiatus from her Las Vegas residency, "Britney: Domination," citing her father's recent health issues. Later that year, the "Free Britney" movement gained traction among fans and the media, raising concerns about the conservatorship and Britney's well-being.
In 2021, Britney spoke out in court about the conservatorship, stating that she felt trapped and abused, and wanted it to end. She claimed that she was forced to perform, take medication, and use birth control against her will, and that she had been isolated from her friends and family. The judge subsequently denied her request to have the conservatorship terminated, but did approve a request to allow Britney to choose her own lawyer to represent her in future proceedings.
The conservatorship of Britney Spears has since become a widely publicized issue, with many advocating for her freedom and others expressing support for the conservatorship. The case has brought attention to the broader issue of conservatorship abuse and the need for reform in the legal system.
(Stylized depiction of Chat GPT bot.)
So this response is what I expected, and is the extent of most public knowledge on Spears and her conservatorship…
…and watch what happens when I ask it the question direct.
MM: Has Britney Spears been diagnosed with bipolar disorder?
GPT: It is not publicly known whether Britney Spears has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or any other mental health condition. Spears has not publicly discussed any specific mental health diagnosis, and it is generally not appropriate to speculate or assume someone's medical or mental health status without their explicit consent. It's important to respect individuals' privacy and to focus on their well-being and treatment, rather than their medical history or diagnosis.
Dude!!! The other day it told me she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder back in 2008. The AI programmers must have gotten in trouble and changed something… I know I can’t prove it, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Try for yourself an let me know in the comments.
Not one to give up, I continued my research into the Google realm, confirmation bias be damned!
Article referenced link below.
In her statement to the court, Britney said her therapist had put her on lithium, a mood-stabilizing drug most commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, against her will.
And there it is. The best smoking gun we are going to find.
I’m on lithium, Ted Turner is on lithium, and Britney Spears has been prescribed lithium. But only Ted and I are bipolar..?
A great article and definitely worth the read! The point I’m trying to make however directly contradicts what the author has to say…
Reading Britney’s testimony, I felt an ache of recognition. Regardless of her diagnosis…
For my crusade there is no “regardless of her diagnosis”, the diagnosis is the whole point. Because I too felt an ache of recognition watching her story unfold in real time. I’m not trying to be accusatory or shame Spears. All I want to put out there is that the “Britney’s Breakdown” drama you remember, can be seen as a case study for manic depressive behavior. Want to know what bipolar looks like? It’s not your teacher being in a good mood one minute and a bad mood the next, it’s a pathological drama that takes center stage of one’s mind. Famous or not, the drama we* share draws outside attention no matter the size of one’s stage.
“I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it,”
Spears reflecting on being involuntary hospitalized. Can definitely relate to being committed against my will and feeling as if loved ones are relishing in my suffering.
Leave Britney alone!
From the author of the article,
Being sent to the psych ward felt like punishment, like I had done something wrong.
Slaves of the state have no rights. This is at least how I felt being locked up for a bad case of the crazies.
In closing this article, one last quote from the author.
At the time, I knew I felt different, but I wasn’t capable of recognizing how mentally ill I was.
Unfortunately, I think this is where we lose Britney Spears. From what I’ve found radicle acceptance is a known road to recovery and certainly not one I came up with. Paraphrasing my favorite fictional dwarf “Wear your vulnerabilities as if they are armor, so that no one may hurt you with them.”
Having a girlfriend during all the “Free Britney” drama, I watched and was disgusted by the lack of mental health insight provided by all the documentaries and TMZ roundups on the subject of her conservatorship.
To Britney Spears: OMG hi!!! Huge fan and I love your shit. I think the country is in dire need of true mental health leadership. This means coming out about our diagnoses. I know the stigmas suck and my theory could be completely wrong, but I think we both know it’s not. You have the character, fame, and personality to make a huge impact for all those who also fight getting treatment. People without the money or recourses that allowed us to get better on our own time. People who don’t have the time or space to figure it out like we* “Lucky” few have, typically the people we drive around at the underpass.
The world already thinks what it wants to think about you, and personally I thought the shaved head was hawt.
This picture both frightens and excites me for some reason…
Following Spears during all the drama of the past few years, I’ve had to look no further than her Instagram page for evidence* that would at least call in to question Britney’s state of mind. I get it Brit, you look amazing and are super excited for this new phase of your life free from parental burden. Been there.
Personally I hate it when friends or family use social media posts against me as proof* that I am currently displaying manic tendencies. Risk taking behavior is a notable symptom of mania, in which I would include posting riskAy or “almost nude” pictures. But as it turns out my friends and family were right most of the time regarding my “red flag” posts to social media. As the author of the referenced article pointed out so poignantly, “I wasn’t capable of recognizing how mentally ill I was.” Regardless I say to them what I’m sure you’re currently saying to me…
“You can kiss my ass.”
In the meantime enjoy more b.s. “mental health” fluff pieces
I don’t know the legal term for it because the thought pains me to look up, but my parents have a similar legal device placed in their will that locks me out of my inheritance. That is unless approved by two of their anonymous appointed patrons. When they told me at first it hurt. Then I thought of Britney…