In January, we learned that Jamie Spears had been hospitalized for more than a month because of a serious issue with his colon. Jamie was, at the time, Britney Spears’ primary conservator and responsible for taking care of Britney on a daily basis. Jamie provided Britney with the structure she needs, and he oversees everything from her medication to her tours and residencies to her finances. He determines which doctors are best for her, he has veto authority on her boyfriends, and he keeps track of who is in her life. Britney does not have many legal rights under the conservatorship – it’s like she’s legally a minor child. This is incidentally why she has no visitation or custodial rights over her sons – any time she has with Jayden and Sean is because Kevin allows her to see them.
When Jamie was in the hospital, Britney announced the cancellation of her then-newly announced Vegas residency. Jamie was still in bad shape, reportedly, and he was in need of full-time care, which Britney is legally and mentally incapable of providing. A month later, her co-conservator Andrew Wallet very suddenly pulled out of the conservatorship too. In the first week of April, an announcement was made: Britney was checking into a mental health facility for a 30-day intensive treatment. Then a week ago, E! News reported that Britney was out in LA, getting her hair done. There were some social media photos of it as evidence. Did she leave the treatment facility? What’s even going on? Well, something seems to be happening. I’ll let Newsweek summarize:
Britney Spears checked herself into a mental health institution on April 3, but some claim that may not be true. A Tuesday episode of Britney’s Gram podcast revealed a concerning voicemail from an unnamed, former member of Spears’ legal team who claimed the pop icon has been held against her will in a facility since early January, and there’s no telling when she’ll be released. The hashtag #FreeBritney soon started trending on Twitter, as thousands of fans began to worry for the star’s safety.
Podcast hosts Barbara Grey and Tess Barker claimed Spears’s conservatorship, money and health, could be reasons why Spears was checked into a facility without her approval. Legally, it’s a possibility that Spears’s father, Jamie Spears, has ordered his daughter to get help even if she wasn’t initially receptive. Spears has been legally confined to a conservatorship since 2008, though she has tried to fight it, and was found mentally unfit to hire a lawyer, according to Britney’s Gram podcast.
The voicemail from the anonymous person claimed Spears was not taking her medication, which caused her father to pull his support from her Domination Las Vegas residency. The show was canceled in the first week of January, Spears announcing she was heartbroken but had to take time for her father’s deteriorating health. Spears seemingly broke another giant rule: she’s not allowed to drive a car under her conservatorship, but was seen driving with boyfriend Sam Asghari. The unnamed caller claimed he had quit Britney’s team two weeks prior, and his identity was said to be confirmed by Grey and Barker.
Another clue that led the podcast hosts to the assumption Spears is being held against her will is the resignation of her former co-conservator Andrew Wallet. The lawyer resigned from his position on Spears’ estate in March after 10 years, asking a court to grant him immediate release in passionate wording. “Substantial detriment, irreparable harm and immediate danger will result to the conservatee and her estate if the relief requested herein in not granted on an ex parte basis,” he stated, as reported by The Blast.
Rumors that Spears is unconsenting to mental health treatment are unconfirmed. Spears and team, Sam Asghari, Jamie Lynn Spears and Kevin Federline did not immediately respond to Newsweek’s request for comment on Spears’ consent of treatment, or her current state.
Lynn Spears has also been “liking” social media messages that are about Britney being kept at a mental health facility against her will. I think the theory is that Jamie Spears is ailing and in very poor health, and he basically sent Britney away, and had her locked up in a mental health facility so he didn’t have to micromanage her while he was struggling physically. I think that’s legitimately possible. I also think it’s legitimately possible that Britney was truly falling apart without her dad there to order her to take her meds and provide the structure and schedule she needs to stay focused and centered. Like, all things could be true: Jamie had selfish and unselfish reasons for “locking her away” and Britney was genuinely struggling. And the nature of the conservatorship does mean that Jamie has the legal right to have her held at a facility. It’s sad but true.
As for the theory that Britney has been trying to free herself from the conservatorship for a while… I feel comfortable accusing Jamie Spears of taking more than his fair share of Britney’s earnings, and for not wanting to open up her finances to Kevin Federline’s audit (mysterious how quickly that went away, huh?). But I think if Jamie truly believed Britney was capable of living without the conservatorship, he would have moved to remove it. Britney has advocates beyond her father, and it says something that after a decade under the conservatorship, no one around Britney wants it removed.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid and WENN.
Do you know anyone that’s seriously mentally ill? I do. A few people. None of them have the amount of money Britney has or the level of support she has. It’s easy to speculate, though. Hopefully, Britney is okay.
I do too and we had to put my grandad under conservatorship and for him to seek medical treatment. For my aunt, her MDs managed to get a court order to force hospitalization before we could get one; it was great because they looked like the bad guys (and it’s easier for all concerned when the sick person doesn’t hate their fam on top of everything else). I’ll probably have to request a conservatorship for my grandma now that her Alzheimer is taking over, but this one will be easier to manage and we won’t face resistance from her.
Conservatorships are terribly difficult to grant, as they should. They’re also terribly difficult for those who become conservator, even more so because you know that the person you’re trying to help will likely hate you for a while, it’s heartbreaking. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with single-payer healthcare, but yes, legal fees and care can be quite expensive. Britney is lucky to have her estate that can provide for her.
If a judge has renewed her conservatorship during 11 years, it’s because she needs it, if she had to be sent to a facility for a bit, it’s also because she needed it. I never believed she checked herself in since she doesn’t have the ability to make such a decision. I hope that she’s ok but nothing we’ve seen in the past 11 years could make me doubt that her conservatorship team doesn’t have her best interest at heart.
I don’t know anyone that mentally ill, but my husband’s ex wife was very unwell and it certainly complicates co-parenting. I occasionally see with his daughter the effects of having a mother who was mentally off and it can be tough. You don’t want to bash the other parent (and we do not), but you also want to re-educate where necessary. My husband had to get a restraining order against her and was working through custody issues when she died by suicide. While it doesn’t seem that Brittany is a danger to her kids AT ALL, I have compassion for K-Fed as he provides stability for his kids and tries to co-parent with Brittany in some form.
How utterly sad.
One stepmom to another, I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. Sending lots of love and your family is so lucky to have someone as kind and thoughtful as you ❤️
I do. My mom is always on the brink of collapse, and she needs regular support from everyone around her. She doesn’t have the money or support that Brit does but she has family who keeps an eye on her every day. She lives independently but we text daily, and my sister and her sister are on emergency dial in case she takes a deep dive. As someone who has dealt with this my whole life, I can see the signs of a breakdown miles before it happens and I’m sure Brit’s family/friends can too. It is hard work but also worth it!
I do as well. It’s very hard to get treatment for someone who doesn’t want it, even for minor children. Without knowing any of the circumstances, I think Britney is very fortunate to have the resources she does.
And kudos to all their friends and family, as far as I know, nobody has talked about Brit and her illness, not any specifics.
I hope she is OK and getting the help and support she needs to be healthy and have a happy life.
As for her dad and the accusations that he has been helping himself to Britney’s money, he has to have a full set of accounts inspected by the court every year of the conservatorship, he has to explain all spending so there are some measures in place to keep an eye on the financial side of things independently.
it could also be a possibility that with his illness and the time that he has to spend healing and focusing on himself that the vultures have once again descended on Camp Spears now that his eye is off the ball.
Thank you so much for this. I’m so tired of explaining that Britney’s dad isn’t some twisted Svengali with his hands in the till. Most people just don’t understand conservaorship.
i wonder what their plan is for britney once when jamie dies – are they hoping bryan or jamie lynn will step up? both have young families of their own right now and jamie lynn is supposedly the one caring for their dad.
Thank you. I comment this every time and people act like Jaime is some super villain. I’ve seen firsthand what goes into a conservatorship and how difficult it is to a) get one b) how difficult it would be to have one continuously granted and c) how accountable you have to be when it comes to finances.
Yes, she has tons of money but it’s not just her accounts that are checked. Jaime’s are too, as far as I remember, to prevent stealing money. Brit is very unwell and has a severe mental illness.. maybe we can all think about the fact that her dad has to do everything in his power to protect her? I feel like a lot of people here haven’t had someone close to them with a severe mental illness. It’s a daily struggle to balance what they want with what’s good for them (for example, brit wants to perform but won’t take her meds. Well, her meds are saving her life so he pulls his support for the show).
Jaime did what a parent that fiercely loves his child would do. We all saw it. She was so unwell. I’ve always been impressed and grateful that when the going got EXCEPTIONALLY tough, the Spears family was unwilling to let Britney become a tragic figure.
Having a parent become seriously ill is hard for any 30 something person, much less someone with a history of mental illness. She may very well be receiving treatment against her will, but can we seriously question whether she needs it? My god, I go from day to day thinking I’ve got things “handled” and often find out wow, I so do not – and I’m not planning a Vegas residency. And another thing – if you think Jaime is controlling and exploiting her, how does having her locked away, not performing, serve that narrative? He’s ailing. She started struggling. He took action to protect her life.
In 2008 we thought she’d be dead in months. She’s alive, often performing, loving her children and her family. Jaime gets a whole book of passes from me.
Also add in the fact that he is NOT the sole conservator. There is also a lawyer or law firm appointed as co-conservator, so yet another layer of protection for Brit’s money. I get sick of explaining this to people who think he’s taking all her money for himself.
I hope she’s ok. Also, she looks beautiful in that second picture.
I really hope Britney is okay. All the speculation can be irresponsible, however, because Britney does have doctors whom have to report to the judge regarding her conservatorship. I also can’t put too much stock on her mother’s social media moves, mainly because she was always more of a best friend than a mother and I have doubts she would even know the extent of what’s happening.
Wonder what the folks that are always bashing Federline are saying now?
Exactly. When it comes to her mental health and physical well-being he has always been extremely supportive of her. All of this started when he came to pick up the boys for his visitation and Britney locked herself and the boys in one of the bedrooms. I can only imagine how terrified and concerned he must have been. She is a wonderful person and the mother of his children and I can’t imagine that he doesn’t want the best outcomes for her.
My thought too.
I mean, in theory her doctors are the ones sending info to a judge regularly to determine if she needs to be in a conservatorship or not but it wouldn’t surprise me if something is going on.
She should’ve retired back in 2008, she has a good discography and has given us a lot of iconic pop culture moments, she deserves to be happy just chilling in her house and going to Starbucks
I thought the same about retirement but wonder whether performing is actually good for her. Exercise can help keep when struggling with just about anything, and the regular exercise and schedule required for performances might be part of what she needs. And maybe she gets a ton out of performing, maybe it gives her real joy. I personally hate seeing her stuck in that over-done, dolled up look, but maybe it’s something that makes her feel good about herself.
Her father commented that he lets her perform as it makes her happy and gives her goals to work to. I know several people who suffer from depression and low level bipolar and they have all said the physical exercise has done so much for their MH, one even said it saved his life. He says that when he feels stressed he makes a point of visiting the gym outside of his normal routine as afterwards he feels soo much better as the stress he felt has gone or died down. There is a science behind it.
I think that Vegas residency was the best way for her to keep performing, because honestly, what else was she going to do. She could be in one place, everyone could keep an eye on her, her schedule is predictable, and she’s dealing with the same people everyday.
Agree, I used to think people were forcing her to perform but now I think it’s the best thing for her. She keeps fit and busy, gets attention and affirmation. She’s a young woman, what else is she going to do?
Just have to second the exercise comments. I don’t go merrily skipping to the elliptical or anything, and I don’t get that endorphin “high” that a lot of people talk about, but the cumulative results are undeniable to me. I’ve lost weight, I stopped needing to take antidepressants, and I’m just more functional as a person.
That being said, regular exercise was not even an option for me until I started taking antidepressants and going to therapy. I just wasn’t capable of finding the motivation or maintaining that kind of routine until after I got professional help.
ETA: I had moderate depression and anxiety, so tapering off medication was possible for me. I don’t mean to make it sound like that’s a good idea for everyone, it definitely isn’t.
She falls apart when she’s not working. You can see it in her social media and appearances. When she’s performing she’s happy, fit and functioning relatively well. When she has down time, that’s when you see start acting like she used to. Putting on that fake British accent, posting odd little skits that make sense to no one but her, talking in a way that’s not far off gibberish etc. And that’s what we see. I imagine it’s considerably worse behind closed doors.
It’s the same with the men she dates. People criticise her father for setting her up with guys, but when he tried to keep her away from men he had to settle a bunch of sexual harassment claims from employees. She needs structure or else she acts out in ways that could destroy her.
She also needs money. She’s going to need to be cared for the rest of her life, and keeping things going like they are after her father dies is going to be very expensive. Royalties alone won’t cut it, not this early in her life. She also needs a big buffer in case she gets access to all her money again, because the last time she was unwell and had access to it she was burning through hundreds of thousands daily and it was all going on cheap junk with no resale value. You have to factor in that she’s capable of throwing away tens of millions in a very small time span, and that that’ll probably happen a few times in her life.
JinnyBye I do agree that she falls apart when she’s not working. We have all seen it. But does it have to be an insanely stressful gigs like Vegas? I feel that what they have chosen for her is a full tilt to the right, as opposed to a happy medium. My cousin is bipolar and left a stressful (and incredibly successful) law career that she ADORED; however she realized that it was part of what was pulling her apart. She now works for legal aide part time and, while being productive and helping out her fellow man, she also has time to see and actually speak to family and go to birthday parties and weddings. In other words, she is grounded. Just because someone has to be busy doesn’t mean they have to be consumed by one task. Just my thoughts. I have a soft spot for Britney and only wish her and her father the best!
Agree. Just because someone wants to be busy doesn’t mean it’s good for them, or healthy. It’s very unhealthy NOT to be able to relax. Attempting for balance is needed. Some need to learn that or re-learn it, or burn out in one way or another or lose out on other good things in life.
Clementine,
I would argue that a residency in Vegas is one of the lowest stress ways to keep performing. There is no travel involved, meaning no time zone changes, no constant atmosphere changes; she has a regular schedule that allows her to perform a full show as well as spend time with her kids in their own home. She gets the security, familiarity, and supports of living where she works, meaning she is always close to her own doctors and family.
Even though I’m not much of a fan of her music, I am rooting for her to have a happy life. She has almost every resource available to her, and it would be nice to see her make it.
CL, I do agree that a Vegas residency isn’t comparable, for example, to going on tour. However, those shows require hours and hours of practice and prep on top of show hours, in addition to meetings, fittings, etc. I would liken it to a Broadway show–you stay in one location, but the commitment and hours are still rigorous. My thoughts are that if she can’t handle her father having colon cancer and is committed because of this, how is she expected to handle a stressful Vegas gig, and to what end? I still feel that the balance is in favor of a tilt towards these shows, and that everything else is an afterthought. I, too, wish her well!
I hope both she and Jamie are doing ok. If she has stopped taking her meds and breaching the terms of her conservatorship (like driving) then it seems that she may have started on a similar downward spiral like before and this is her father attempting to get her help before its too late. I have seen first hand what can happen in situations like this – it can be tragic. Conservatorships are not easy to get and as others have said for hers to have lasted this long means that her condition is not stable enough that she can make decisions on her own, esp around her wealth. Brit is a good soul who is easily manipulated – we all saw that during the early days of her career. She is a vulnerable person.
It takes more than drugs to stabilise someone who has MH problems. They help but its also about making changes to the persons life and environment to help them stay healthy.
If her bipolar is as severe as has been reported then she will always be vulnerable to users and the vultures that swirl around HW. As for her mother liking those tweets, that woman needs to sit down – she was always more interested in Brits money and fame than doing anything about her daughters obvious mental health issues. Looking back (and now knowing what to look for) the signs were always there; the relentless workload, pressure and then the alleged drug use pushing her over the cliff edge.
“It takes more than drugs to stabilise someone who has MH problems. ”
THIS.
Ok, you can’t just send someone away and lock them up for no reason. If Britney does indeed have bipolar, which has been speculated, it is very common to have ups and downs, as it is very difficult to stabilize. It is also common for people to stop taking their meds when they feel better, which can quickly lead to things getting out of balance again.
I hope Britney gets back on track and that her Dad recovers.
I’m pretty sure a doctor(s),possibly a judge had to approve of this.Also on one of the entertainment shows I think it was ET said she left the facility to go get her hair done.
This poor woman. I honestly hope that somebody out there is looking out for her wellbeing and not just for what she’s financially worth. A parent’s death can be hard on even the entirely mentally stable. I can’t imagine how much harder it is for somebody struggling with severe psychological illness.
I don’t think you can send people to mental health treatment without their consent, unless there are actual reasons, and it requires a court order with doctors weighing in. I doubt her dad just sent her away because he’s in bad health.
I hope she’s ok!
In Britney’s case, her consent doesn’t really count because she’s under a conservatorship (because she’s too ill to take decisions for herself). So if her conservators believe she needs to get treatments, she will regardless of what she might say. But indeed, it goes through a rigorous process and there needs to be serious and immediate risks for oneself and others to get hospitalized/medicated against our will, even under a conservatorship. As it should because you’re taking someone’s consenting rights away and that’s huge. But it’s not like in the 1920 where you’d lock someone forever because of mild depression or something, so if she needed it, then she needed.
That being said, I’ve never heard of a mental facility that’ll let you out to get your hair done… So I wouldn’t really trust all those sources, they seem all over the place
Exactly, honestly it does not matter if she is unconsenting to this if her conservator(s) determine she needs the treatment. There is an actual court order–the conservatorship – and it is legally reviewed and can be challenged through a court process.
And it is not surprising she’s in treatment (as someone said it is surprising she is not in treatment settings more often) because clearly she must have a serious mental illness to be under conservatorship for so long.
So she’s possibly been committed. Not exactly surprising. It’s actually surprising to me that she hasn’t been in mental health facilities more often. Whatever people think of her father, she’s done well under his conservatorship. Most people as sick as she is spend their whole lives cycling in and out of psych wards.
I don’t know why Britney’s mental health is so often treated like some conspiracy. I can’t tell if people don’t know what severe mental illness looks like or if they’ve just forgotten the hundreds of highly worrying things she said and did, but it’s weird the way so many people insist on acting like she’s fine. Even when she seems to be in a good place now, it’s still very obvious she’s not well and not capable of fully taking care of herself. At absolute best she comes off like a happy, flaky young teenager.
It’s true. My best friend’s sister is bipolar and even with medication, therapy, and a support system, she often has to be hospitalized in periods of instability. There is no “cure.”
This exactly! I’m so perplexed by all the people who seem to have forgotten how Brittany was. I saw one person post that she shaved her head in solidarity for a sick aunt, and because her extensions were itchy. I don’t get the sudden misunderstanding of how a conservatorship works; or that people with MH issues often cycle through moments of wellness. I’ve seen a person go thru a manic episode and it’s still one of the scariest, most disturbing things I’ve seen. It also seems like people have either never heard of, or forgot that people with MH illnesses often stop taking their meds when they are in the upswing of their illness.
“the conservatorship does mean that Jamie has the legal right to have her held at a facility. It’s sad but true”
That’s not sad, that’s saved her life. I think it’s really terrible to suggest that her dad is having her “locked away” because he doesn’t want to deal with her. Putting such a horrible motivation on him is really questionable. If she’s off her medication and a danger to herself and those around her, it’s his responsibility to make sure she gets medical care.
Agree, what is sad about her getting mental health treatment in this fashion? When someone experiences severe life problems or suicide as a result of mental illness people always ask, why didn’t the people around them DO something? This is doing something and it is an above-board legal process, of course it is not perfect but it comes with checks and balances and accountability on the part of the conservators.
So true. What I also find sad is that there r giving her dad crap for doing something to help his clearly trouble daughter, claiming that he has sectioned her cause he wants a break or all her money. These people should be ashamed of themselves, if he did nothing and she had another public meltdown they would be dragging him for doing nothing. The poor man can’t win. It’s not helped when her mother is fanning this narrative by liking these posts on Instagram. Lynne is still clearly butt hurt at being kept out of the conservatorship. I have no time for that women, who put fame and money before her daughters mental health.
I don’t think people really want to accept that her condition is serious and she’ll never. Be stable enough to manage her own life.
I find it sad only in the sense that I wouldn’t wish that kind of serious mental health issue on anyone. I imagine a lot of people have been dreading the days when Jamie’s health started failing for exactly this reason.
This happened after Kevin came to pick up the kids for his visitation and she locked her self and the kids in one of the bedrooms in her mansion. This was not just for no reason at all.
@monicack, Kevin has proven himself as someone who loves his kids and wants to make sure they grow up with a mom. How terrifying for him!
I guess I feel if Britney really needs it why has she been out performing and being the money maker for other people?
I mean no one wants her to sit around and do nothing but she’s been making a lot of people money for years. I feel like she is being exploited. I don’t know. It’s a tough call. If she does need it, then I think it needs to be a 3rd party.
Yes, at one time I thought she was being exploited too. But remember, she did not have a normal childhood or adolescence and has worked, rehearsed hard her whole life. This is her ‘normal’.
Aw, I’ve always had a soft spot for Brit Brit. Hope she’s okay.
Me too!
She’s a money machine for many. She needs to retire and enjoy the millions she’s made and spend time doing things she really loves. It really seems like they are drugging her up to keep her “submissive” so they can keep making money off of her. It’s so gross. I hope once her eldest turns 18 he can help his mom somehow.
Real question: what makes you say that? Do you believe that Britney Spears is completely competent? Do you feel like there is a far-reaching conspiracy against her?
That’s ridiculous! Have you ever had to seek a court order to force a loved one to get the treatments they need? Have you ever had to go to a relative’s house with cops to force them to go to the hospital? My family had to do that, it was devastating. Even more so because some of our relatives were refusing to see the obvious and were enabling my grandad while calling my mother, my grandma and my aunts terrible things for trying to do the right thing. One of my aunt is bipolar, when she goes off her meds, things can become quite awful. 2 years ago, she was literally homeless for a couple of months and living in motels before her MDs got a court order (we too were trying on our end, it’s extremely difficult to prove that someone needs to be hospitalized against their will). She’s ok for now, but we know that things can change quickly if her meds stopped working for whatever reason. She doesn’t have kids and I know that one day, I’ll have to take care of her when it’ll become too much for my mom.
Britney has been sick for a very long time. We know how things can look like when she’s not under a conservatorship: parts of her meltdown were very public and we haven’t seen (nor should we have had) the worst of it. She’s getting medicated because she’s sick, there are no drugs that makes you submissive for 24/7, 365 days/year but there are drugs that enable you to function. By all accounts, what she really loves is performing and doesn’t seem to do well when she isn’t rehearsing and performing, it’s a routine that suits her. Yes, that brings money to others but I doubt that it’s the main reason why she keeps performing and besides, her money remains her own, there are judges and accountants reviewing her case every year. Also, taking care of a sick person takes a toll on you, no amount of money will change that even though it probably makes it less stressful to have money. There are easier ways to make money than setting up a conservatorship to scam someone.
Hey I definitely think she has a mental illness and should be on meds for it. I just think the people around her are using her illness as an advantage…a way to control her and keep her doing what THEY want her to do. You can tell she lost the love of performing a long time ago. I bet she’d be much happier and stable retiring and doing something else to fulfill her.
ME, I agree with you wholeheartedly! Those who are mentally ill can and should work and be active; however, her line of work is notoriously stressful and cuts personal & family time by drastic measures. It’s a lonely job! And those of us BS fans who have seen the joy and spark leave her eyes know that her heart is not in it anymore. It has not been for a few years now. My guess is there are tons of opportunities she can pursue that would keep her productive and active, with a balance of family & personal time. She doesn’t need to make money, she needs to be productive and make time for herself. Why is there such a need for more money? It only makes sense to assume that she’s a cash cow. And, Beer&Crumpet, I think that the fact that Britney is *not* completely competent has everything to do with the fact that if those surrounding her truly cared they would not be drugging her to the nines, plugging her in, and setting her up for these Vegas gigs. If she cannot handle her father being ill, how is she expected to handle the massive rigor of a Vegas show? M O N E Y!!! That’s how!
My son is 14 and bipolar I, II, mixed episodes, rapid cycling, some ASD, ADD, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, some psychosis (still exploring that potential diagnosis) OCD, Depression
We had to have him committed for a week last Summer, it’s been almost a year and we’re still trying to recover and work our way back.
It isn’t that easy to get someone committed, even with his shrink, us and my son’s agreement they still really screened his need hard. He really did desperately need to be in, so he got in
And it was horrible, it was leaving a child with an adult intelligence but the emotional intelligence of a 3 year old alone in a scary place.
I’m also bipolar and I almost had a breakdown from the stress, I was on so much Ativan I was a zombie just to get through it.
We may have to get a conservativship when he gets older
<3<3<3 That is so hard. This is the reality of living with and supporting those living with mental illness. There is no cure. The best we can do is love them enough to know when extreme measures are necessary. You are a valiant and strong mom!!!
Thank you! That was one of the hardest weeks of my life.
Living with it day to day is a bummer too, but it’s one day at a time.
He’s still unable to go to school, but we have a excellent team at his school district and do a type of home schooling.
We’re all hoping to mainstream him back at some point or at least a hybrid thing where he takes some electives at the high school and does independent study as well.
One silver lining of me having a lot of the same diagnosis’s is I understand what he’s feeling and how he thinks for the most part.
And as he gets more mature I can help him with tips on managing it.
@Carinacat-hugs, prayers and love to you.
Have you heard of N.A.M.I. (National Alliance
for the Mentally Ill)? It’s a group of AMAZING and WONDERFUL people that also are caring for someone in their lives w/ mental illness.
This group saved my life, and probably my husband’s too (kidding/not kidding 😳) In addition to weekly support groups (separate groups for caregivers and relatives) they have courses that have provided comfort, education, enlightenment and empowerment. And it’s ALL FREE! Their # is 1-866-960-6264
(unfortunately for United States only). They also have a “warm line” where you can call to chat, vent, rage, grieve, whatever.
You are not alone 💔💔
Wow thank you so much!
And big hugs to you 💗
I’ll be looking into this group, I’m in the US so that works.
I’ll tell my mom about it too, my youngest sister is bipolar bad as well.
Pretty much the whole family is, but currently my youngest son and youngest sister are the worst
I’ve been thinking of looking into disability for my youngest son, besides the bipolar he has a ASD diagnosis so I know he qualifies.
“Free Britney” – really, queen? She’s seriously ill and has been unable to function without having her life carefully structured by others. No work and she starts slipping. No arranged boyfriend and she starts molesting her estate’s employees. Eleven years under a conservatorship, this speaks volumes. “Freeing” her would destroy her. Britney doesn’t know how to navigate herself, left to her own devices she’d by walking down some highway dressed in tattered stage clothes, talking to herself in weird British accent in no time.
When Mr. Spears is gone and her family is unwilling/unable to become her guardian, then it will fall to third parties who will be monitored by the courts and doctors who will take care of her for the rest of her natural life.
I have a feeling that it will eventually fall to her sons to take care of her and her estate in the years to come. Hopefully when they are old enough to make those choices for her.
She and Amanda Bynes are in the same situation but Britney seems okay with the spotlight as long as she doesn’t interact with media or paparazzi much. She performs on stage and dances and it keeps her busy and occupied. Jamie is gravely ill and can’t manage Britney so she’s probably in a treatment facility so that she doesn’t go off the rails. If you’ve watched any interview of her in the past 10 years, she come across as very childlike and sweet, but doesn’t strike me as someone able to take care of herself. There’s always something that seems to be missing, like she isn’t quite all there. She needs structure and discipline and I doubt her boyfriend is equipped to do that.
Amanda Bynes seems to lose it every time she tries to step back in the public eye. I hate to say it but she should stop trying to go back to acting. She can’t handle the pressure and should maybe try fashion design, I know she went to school to study it.
Does anyone know what is exactly wrong with Britney? I know she took drugs and caused a turn but what exactly?
She’s never said what her actual diagnosis is, but speculation is that she has bipolar disorder. Any drugs she did were likely a way to self-medicate an untreated mental illness. It’s very common.
I’m sincerely hoping that she is getting whatever she needs to be okay
My sister is a violent bi-polar, and she self-medicates with alcohol. Her husband is a complete and total enabler. He never demands that she take her meds, stop drinking or go to inpatient treatment. Their children have all been damaged by their toxic home life, and her youngest has fetal alcohol syndrome. I wish to God that someone other than her husband could get conservatorship over her, and force her to get help. She is my only sister, yet I have had to cut all ties because I was often the target of her hate (she broke my ribs during one of her attacks). I tried to protect her children, but her husband lied to the authorities and said that she was a loving mother. The kids were too frightened to speak up. It kills me that I couldn’t protect them, and that DHS didn’t do more to protect these innocent kids. They are all adults now, and are each troubled in their own way. Britney is fortunate to have a father who can get her help for her illness (even if he has to force her), and an ex who keeps her kids safe.
I have always wondered if Britney would be allowed to just retire if she wanted to. Because I don’t think she likes performing all that much. I think deep down she would just love to live a pretty low key life.
That being said, I think when Jaime was sick she somehow stopped taking her meds. I also think that it can cause distress when you have mental health issues and there is a sudden change in how things are handled for you.
The residency thing is a different thing altogether to my opinion, it was not selling well and they just decided to stop it before it was too late.
Also, Lynne Spears should just shut up. Back when Britney had her breakdown years ago she was definitely not helping, selling her daughter to the press and plotting with K-Fed. The only one who stepped up was the dad.
Her mother wasn’t “plotting with K-Fed”. As the boys’ father, he stepped up to the plate big time. Never a word against their mother, remained tight with both of their maternal grandparents, always said he expected to go back to joint custody as soon as she was well enough (which she never will be). He kept a low profile with the boys, sightings have been rare. He rearranged his own life so she could see them with no problems once she was more stable. He has kept everything very friendly so they are able to both be at events with the kids.
Brit actually had been the one to start her relationship with Kevin- he was one of her backup dancers. I can’t fault him for not knowing what the heck to do with her as she showed more and more signs of mental illness after they married. It’s common for such illnesses to become more and more obvious at precisely that age, and spouses and other family often don’t know what to do. . She was the one with the power, so I’m not sure what he really could have done even if he had a clue. He probably just tried to withdraw from the situation, that’s a common default reaction.
But he did do the right thing when it was most needed, despite all the flack he gets. The guy grew up.
It was really scary when Brit refused to hand over the kids after her time with them. She took the baby with her into the bathroom and refused to come out. I think she must have called Kevin and scared the hell out of him. He apparently was the one who had to call 911. Both she and the boys were at risk because of her state of mind.
The judge said no visitation and gave full custody to Kevin. But Kevin did let the boys visit her as long as 1) a grandparent was always present and 2) she did not drive with the kids. If you remember what she was doing before that breakdown, you will know why. It sounds as though he has the leverage to force the issue of meds and no driving now, since he can tell her no visits otherwise.
What is the deal with the co-conservator’s resignation? Stating harm and danger will come to the conservatee if he is not immediately released from his duties, that seems really strange to me??
I was just thinking, if she’s bipolar, and it looks like it.
It’s VERY much runs in families, there is a high chance one or both of her boys will have it too.
With boys onset is usually at puberty or just before, I hope they are keeping an eagle eye out for it and treat it immediately.
Brittany was later in age because in females the first episode is generally at 18-22 or early 30’s depending on which type you have.
(I have all three :p)
Alot of times mixed episode type can start up in your 30’s and you need different meds. That happened to a friend of mine and my youngest sister when they were mid 30’s ish
So I’m wondering if maybe that’s happened to Brittany, she’s around the right age for that.
If she truly was not taking her medicine, her father did the right thing. Some people with bipolar disorder can be a danger to themselves and their family if they go off their medicine. She still has two minor children. I assume her father knows what Brittany is like off her medicine better than we do.
Not taking meds will get you right back in the hospital and this is how it should be for everyone involved. Only a psychiatrist can get you admitted against your will. She wasn’t in jail so there is no way for this to be court ordered.
My cradle to the grave bestie is still in jail and I finally spoke with the chief investigator to get her in a mental facility, not just drugs. Which is all there is around here. Her schizophrenic break was almost 3 years ago at 33. It has been terrible and daily heartbreak.
Mental illness been running in Spears family for a long time. Britney grandmother comited suiside at the age of 33. She shot herself from a gunshot while standing above her lityle kid’s grave. Britney father was a violent alkoholic beating and screaming at his wife all while children were watching. Princess of pop yet her childchood was pretty much fvcked. Poor Britney.
Let the Golden Goose retire, she has enough money to live a very comfortable life. All the parasites that want to keep her on stage can go find jobs somewhere else Jamie won’t live forever and it doesn’t look like her mother or brother have the acumen or business capabilities to handle it. She could easily live on a fixed income.