Do Britney and I have something in common?
She can allegedly sing; I can most definitely not. She has horrible taste in men; I married a devoted sweetie. She goes commando; I remain silent on the subject.
But if we're to believe the tabloid psychobabble, the wacky pop princess and I may be sisters in the mental health sense. See, the headlines keep screaming, "Bipolar Brit," and who's to say they're wrong. Even Dr. Phil thinks she needs her head examined, in speedy fashion.
Attendees of the annual winter conference of the American Psychoanalytical Association urge the media (through a CNN story) to be responsible and stop speculating about this woman's disturbing behavior.
But when you go out in public and flash your bare nether regions for the paparazzi, chomp gum like the hillbilly you are, fail to show up for custody hearings, refuse to give your kids back to their custodial parent (even if it IS K-FED), shave your head, whomp up on someone's car with an umbrella, churn out babies like candies from a Pez dispenser, perform a dance like a lumbering bear on sedatives on national TV...need I go on?
If I behaved like this, they'd put me on 24-hour watch in a locked ward, load me up on Lithium and assorted anti-psychotic meds, take away all pointy objects and -- if I was a good girl -- they'd let me go with the recreational therapist to string plastic beads for craft hour. (In fact, that's about what happened to me in 2006 and all I did was get inappropriately flirty, develop insomnia, and happen to mention I didn't feel like living much.)
Since it's Britney, the world acts as part star-craved enabler, part train-wreck gawker. She may not have bipolar disorder, but something's certainly off. Someone save this girl before it's too late. Before she dies or before she screws up her poor boys' lives permanently.
In the name of education and advocacy: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive illness) as a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function. About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population age 18 and older are said to have the disorder. It is often treated with medications known as mood stabilizers. For more information, visit the NIMH site.
To seek help and support in your community, find your local chapter of NAMI -- the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If you need someone to talk to, call one of the following hotlines, which are toll free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-SUICIDE, 1-800-273-TALK
If you don't feel safe, please seek help immediately by calling 911.
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