Beliefnet's Ellen Leventry wrote an excellent article about the latest Britney story--her hospitalization last Thursday. To get to her original article click here.
Below are some excerpts:
What Halliburton of the spirit will win the bidding for the reconstruction of Britney Spears? The pop star was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital last night for an evaluation after a bizarre standoff in which she refused to turn over her children to her ex-husband’s bodyguards, per their custody agreement; but, she can't stay there forever. Could it be Scientology? EST? Joel Osteen? The Dalai Lama? Buddha? Yoga? Oprah? How about a good old, run-of-the-mill therapist?While various reports state that Britney was “under the influence” during the altercation, TMZ.com’s “well-placed sources” report that “what happened last night is not rooted in drugs, and that of late, her mental state has deteriorated to the point that what happened at her home was not unexpected” and that she is on a "5150 hold," meaning "there's evidence she's a danger to herself or others.” In fact, the same sources have been telling TMZ.com for months that Brit-Brit’s erratic behavior is not due to a drug or alcohol problem, but her increasingly deteriorating mental health.
Unfortunately for Ms. Spears, having a drug and alcohol problem is far more acceptable in this country than having a mental health crisis. According to the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, nearly two-thirds of all people with a diagnosable mental disorder do not seek treatment due to the stigma surrounding mental health issues. And that doesn’t even take into consideration those who cannot afford treatment due to lack of health insurance.
If it’s so difficult for the typical American to seek out mental health help, imagine being a celebrity with the self- and media-imposed sense of perfection and/or narcissism keeping you from admitting any weakness or illness. Remember in 2000 when Mariah Carey checked herself in to Connecticut’s Silver Hill Hospital for “exhaustion” and became the punch line du jour for the late night comics? Meanwhile, a European acquaintance of mine was recently given three weeks of paid vacation for suffering from job related stress and had no problems telling everyone exactly that.
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It's realy unfortunate the position that Britney is in right now, no one seams to quite care about her pain or her indepth provblem.
She apears to be tuned out from reality with no life line just a bottonless pitt waiting.
she needs so much love and tenderness right now to lead her out of he darkness.
being alone emotionally is like not existing. I can relate to her pain.
I pray she will find her way again.
I suspect everyone who suffers from mental illness can relate to her pain (if not that of every *other* sufferer). It strikes me as being unjust that people relate more readily to Speers than to others who suffer equally or more, simply because of her star status. The national pastime of star worship thrives, no matter what. The woman's behaviour has been abominable for months whether its root cause has been addiction, mental illness, or simply asserting her perceived "rights." One can't go around flashing one's underwear (or lack, thereof), shaving one's head, driving under the influence, refusing to be responsible for one's children, etc., etc., only to be continually patted on the head. She *should* be held accountable for harmful behaviours, whether ill or not, rather than to be excused carte blanche, because of being rich and famous. As I stated in another thread, she may actually (unwittingly) serve to make mental illness popular, at this rate.
Sorry, my post, above.
With all that money and power the best way for her to get the attention is to help the world. Starving children, disease cures , help humanity. Make a difference and she will never be forgotten.This would in itself be a healer from heaven.
With all this publicity no wonder Britney has gone off the deep end. Life in the public eye alone causes many problems for stars. Then to have your whole personal and private life plastered all over the media is devistating. I truly have compassion for her. To lose your kids is the cruelest form of punishment one could receive. I think instead of taking away her kids they need to get her the help she needs and restore her family into a healthy, balanced family. About her soon to be Ex....I don't think I can go there.
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