Sympathy... for Britney effin' Spears

[Gullible Jones]

Are you sure it isn't closer to "psychiatric illness lies at the heart of any instance of pathological narcissism"?

[Gullible Jones]

Ghetto edit: Sorry if I sound presumptuous, but the statement that pathological narcissism is the root of most or all psychiatric illnesses strikes me as a) an attempt to blame the patient for their illness, b) at odds with everything I've ever heard from psychiatrists, and c) at odds with my own experience. Granted, I'm a layperson and largely ignorant of the subject at hand... Still, it sounds to me like the psychiatric equivalent of saying that the large intestine is the origin of all disease.

[Superman]

Ghetto edit: Sorry if I sound presumptuous, but the statement that pathological narcissism is the root of most or all psychiatric illnesses strikes me as a) an attempt to blame the patient for their illness, b) at odds with everything I've ever heard from psychiatrists, and c) at odds with my own experience. Granted, I'm a layperson and largely ignorant of the subject at hand... Still, it sounds to me like the psychiatric equivalent of saying that the large intestine is the origin of all disease.

I didn't at all mean to say that anyone blames a person for having a mental illness, nor did I try to compare anyone who has been diagnosed with one to someone like Brittany Spears. What I meant to say was that one almost universal aspect of mental illness is a disorganized or maladapted ability to carry out healthy relationships with other people. Whether someone is depressed, overly anxious, addicted to alcohol, etc., an inherent egocentricity almost always characterizes quite a bit of the individual's illness. This doesn't have to do with Narcissistic Personality Disorder or sociopathy, and I'm certainly not stating that the individual chose to have mental issues... it could be more akin to an overly inflated survival mechanism.

[The Spartan]

But at this point, if she has this kind of money coming still, then what she needs is for someone who gives a shit about her to institutionalize her and let that money pay for quality care. It's sad to consider that of all the people in her life-- her own family, her manager, "friends", etc, they do nothing and keep her around for the rediculing media attention and the check. Mentally ill, and the people closest to her use her as an ATM machine. That's just a lonely way to die.

According to the radio this morning, that's exactly what her mother did during the night. From what they said, she can be court ordered to remain for psychological observation for up to 14 days. Not sure about after that, whether they automatically release her or whether a doctor can have that extended.

[Superman]

According to the radio this morning, that's exactly what her mother did during the night. From what they said, she can be court ordered to remain for psychological observation for up to 14 days. Not sure about after that, whether they automatically release her or whether a doctor can have that extended.

If she doesn't want to stay in a hospital, it will be tricky for them to keep her for even the initial 14 days. When a patient is involuntarily admitted into a psychiatric hospital, there is an initial 72 hour observation period. During this time, the psychiatrist will seek a court hearing if he or she determines that she needs to stay for the 14 days.

If Brittany Spears is in a reasonably normal mental state, and doesn't want treatment, she'll have an army of lawyers ready to tell her how to get out of a psych hold. She can actually refuse treatment (legally) by voicing a concern for her safety, her lawyers will probably cite a popular legality which has successfully been employed to get people out of hospitals in the past (Welfare and Institutions Code, section 7104), and take the legal stance that her civil liberties have been taken away (which is true after all).

Hopefully this will be a case where the media has actually served a greater good. Most of her odd behavior has been pretty well documented lately, so that could serve as a record upon which a judge might make a stronger ruling. It might make it harder for her to leave the hospital (if she needs to stay in, of course), but nowadays people rarely find themselves involuntarily committed for very long.

[The Spartan]

So, in the end, this is likely going to have little to no effect on her mental stability and we'll probably get to continue with the three ring circus?

At this point, my optimism, for want of a better word, that she'll recover and not kill herself is severely lacking.

[Superman]

So, in the end, this is likely going to have little to no effect on her mental stability and we'll probably get to continue with the three ring circus?

At this point, my optimism, for want of a better word, that she'll recover and not kill herself is severely lacking.

The issue of psychiatric hospitalization is probably the single most controversial issue in modern medicine. From a legal standpoint, a homeless patient with schizophrenia, for example, who needs intensive treatment and care cannot usually be required to stay in a hospital because he has the same rights as anyone else. Even if the person becomes an obvious danger to himself or other people, he still has a basic right to refuse treatment (for the most part) and will probably become an issue for the police to deal with at some other time. By the way, next time you see homeless people all over the streets of Los Angeles or San Francisco, you can thank President Reagan for deinstitutionalizing our system.

[Sidewinder]

A speaker on local radio show mentioned the possibility Britney Spears suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder. I did some searching on Yahoo! and found these.

Britney Spears Lapses Into a British Accent
By Ken Lee

Originally posted Saturday January 19, 2008 07:00 AM EST

Britney Spears has a new accessory to go with her pink wig: a British accent.

In the last several weeks, Spears, 26, has been videotaped numerous times trading her Louisiana twang for U.K. inflections.

"She had the English accent thing going the whole time" while shopping at Kitson last Thursday, according to a source. "It didn't stop."

Even when angry, the accent appears. On an L.A. shopping trip to Macy's on Jan. 13, she screamed at the paparazzi, "Get out of my G------ face!" – in a British accent.

So is it all in fun or has she flipped her pink wig?

"When someone has dissociative identity disorder" – formerly known as multiple personality disorder – "each identity is split off from the other," says L.A. psychologist Renee A. Cohen, who is not treating Spears. "Each identity would have its own name, memories, behavioral traits and emotional characteristics."

Cohen says the critical question is: "When Britney uses the British accent, or appears to take on another identity, does she know she's Britney Spears?"

"Otherwise, she could simply be behaving this way for attention, for sympathy, or any other reason," adds Cohen. "It's foolish to attempt to diagnose her without a formal evaluation."

One possible influence could be Spears's maternal grandmother, Lilian Bridges, who was originally from England.

Also, Spears's new beau, photographer Adnan Ghalib, grew up in Birmingham, England.

According to paparazzi who trail the singer around the clock, one thing is for sure: the pink wig means something's changing.

"When she puts on the pink wig, you just know something crazy is about to happen," said one paparazzo.

Does Britney Suffer From Multiple Personality Disorder?
Just when you think you have heard and seen it all on the subject of Britney Spears, new information has surfaced that might shed some light on why the former pop princess has been exhibiting unusual behavior every time she is out in public.

According to reports, sources claim the singer has multiple personalities, which may explain why Spears has been speaking with a British accent.

Dr. Jenn Berman, a Beverly Hills-based marriage and family therapist (who does not treat Spears) and author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy Confident Kids, explains to Star what it means when someone has multiple personality disorder.

BASED ON BRITNEY'S BIZARRE BEHAVIOR AND REPORTS THAT SHE SPEAKS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VOICES IS IT POSSIBLE THE SINGER COULD BE SUFFERING FROM A MULTIPE PERSONALITY DISORDER?
"I can't say for sure because we don't know if Britney is taking drugs or using alcohol and if she were we could not make a proper diagnosis. When someone uses these substances the effects cause people to do things they normally might not do, including speaking in different voices since the mind is inhiberated."

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER?
"Having two or more personalities or identities. At least two of these identities can take total control of the person's behavior."

HOW LONG CAN AN EPISODE LIKE THIS LAST?
"It can vary. Some last a couple minutes and some can last up to a few weeks. When someone has an episode they do not have the ability to remember information and they tend to forget what they are talking about."

CAN MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER BE TREATED?
"If a person has multiple personality disorder they need to see a psychiatrist and be prescribed medication. Both of these treatments can greatly diminish the symptoms of multiple personality disorder. Stress levels also play a role on how often a person experiences an episode. If someone is under a tremendous amount of stress it's likely the person will have more episodes. In terms of how much medication one should take or if they should seek treatment at a facility or as an outpatient, that will vary depending on their level of functioning."

WHAT MIGHT TRIGGER MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER?
"There is no specific answer. Some people are born with it and sometimes is it a result of some sort of trauma."

CAN POSTPARTUM DESPRESSION TRIGGER SOMEONE TO HAVE MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER?
"If someone had postpartum psychosis it could trigger a multiple personality disorder."

CAN SOMEONE FAKE HAVING A MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER?
"Yes. They can fake it by acting like they have different personalities, or acting as if they don't remember things, or they might do something completely bizarre. There is no way to know if someone is faking because if someone is putting on a show we need to see first hand what is going on behind closed doors. Something like this is easy to fake. Take Britney for example. If the cameras are on Britney she may choose to act one way as a means to keep getting attention and more publicity for herself. Although we don't view the publicity as good for her image, some people believe any publicity is good publicity."

IS HAVING MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER SELF-DESTRUCTIVE?
"Yes. Having multiple personality disorder can be harmful if untreated. If Britney is faking, it can be harmful to her reputation and in helping her with court case too."


January 18, 2008

Britney's Multiple Personality Disorder
Posted Jan 17th 2008 6:37PM by TMZ Staff

Sources are now painting a very disturbing picture of Britney Spears, or whoever she happens to be at any given moment.

We're told the whole British accent thing -- well, it's more than an accent. Britney has multiple personalities, including, as people in her life call it, "the British girl." We're told when Spears loses the British personality, she has absolutely no idea what she did during the time she assumed that personality.

Sources say Brit has a number of other identities, where she becomes "the weepy girl, the diva, the incoherent girl," and on and on.

Sources say Britney had become the British girl the day she didn't show for her deposition and has no recollection of it.

My sister commented that rumors of Mrs. Spears having multiple personality disorder was bullshit, something made up so Mrs. Spears had something to blame her problems on when she files a medical claim. Comments from people with knowledge of mental health diagnoses and treatments?

[Broomstick]

My sister commented that rumors of Mrs. Spears having multiple personality disorder was bullshit, something made up so Mrs. Spears had something to blame her problems on when she files a medical claim. Comments from people with knowledge of mental health diagnoses and treatments?

Multiple personality disorder is extremely, extremely rare. It can NOT be diagnosed without a very thorough work up by a professional psychiatrist. This armchair speculation is bullshit, and serves no good purpose.

When I worked at a clinic we actually had a client with multiple personality disorder, the real deal. It was NOT simply talking in a different voice. This woman changed so completely we thought she was an entirely different person - maybe a cousin. The point is, the woman changed so that we couldn't recognize her, she was registered as three different people. Even some of her medical vitals signs changed when she changed personalities.

So, um, Brittany is still recognized as Brittany, just Brittany talking funny...? Nope, I don't think so.

The best thing for Brittany right now is for people to leave her the fuck alone

[Superman]

It's actually called Dissociative Identity Disorder, and there's no work up for it. It's purely a clinical diagnosis that has mostly been used by psychologists; in fact, most psychiatrists have been quick to point out that it's probably a matter of a patient being highly suggestible to a therapist.

[Broomstick]

I might buy that - but the patient we had was doing this thing BEFORE we got her to the head doctor.

It's probably WAY overdiagnosed, but there have been some quite convincing instances where something way whacky is going on. And by "work up" I didn't mean some elaborate medical testing but rather that a professional actually examine the patient, something damn few people on the Brittany Watch seem to actually be doing.

Anyhow, I was pleased to hear that they are keeping the papparazzi at a distance from this woman. I swear, the media vultures want to see her dead in some embarrassing and tawdry manner. The woman needs help. I don't know if that help should be medication, a swift kick in the ass, or both, but I hope she gets whatever it is that she needs.

[Napoleon the Clown]

My sister commented that rumors of Mrs. Spears having multiple personality disorder was bullshit, something made up so Mrs. Spears had something to blame her problems on when she files a medical claim. Comments from people with knowledge of mental health diagnoses and treatments?

Your sister is quite probably correct. As Broomstick has actually stated, DID is incredibly rare. And Ms. Spears is a bit old for it to suddenly "develop". The human mind is very resistant to major rewires after a certain point. Twenty-six years old? Yeah, she's almost definitely to the point where she's very unlikely to develop problems not attributed to a stress-induced breakdown. That's not to say that she can't have more going on than a (usually treatable) nervous breakdown. She may have been, and quite probably was, on the far end of in normal control of her faculties. Something could have just nudged her enough to put her over the edge.


Nobody deserves the hell that is mental illness, and if she is indeed mentally ill, I can sure as hell pity her for that while still acknowledging she was an irresponsible bitch.

[FSTargetDrone]

IAnyhow, I was pleased to hear that they are keeping the papparazzi at a distance from this woman. I swear, the media vultures want to see her dead in some embarrassing and tawdry manner.

Just wait, if the worst should happen. It would make the coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death look tame in comparison. Smith wasn't nearly as popular in recent years as Spears seems to be, as far as media coverage is concerned. So you can just imagine what it would be like if Spears met an untimely end.

[Darth Wong]

It's entirely possible that she has a genuine mental disorder, but it's also entirely possible that she's just a trailer-trash drug addict, and that her erratic behaviour is due to a combination of a massive sense of entitlement, the collapse of her music career, and the side-effects of narcotics.

It's not as if her public behaviour so far can't be explained by either model. Oooh, she's become belligerent and done weird things! Oh no, she's ignoring her responsibilities and she doesn't always act the same way! As if people have never said that about a druggie before.