Britney Spears has regained popularity recently amidst the #FreeBritney movement, a successful attempt to end Britney’s conservatorship. Like many celebrities and pop stars, Spears has struggled with both mental health issues and addiction, leading to her conservatorship in the first place. But where is she now, and how is she doing mental health and addiction-wise? To learn more about Britney Spears and her addiction, keep reading.
Who is Britney Spears?
Britney Spears was born in 1981 and is 40 years old. She’s a singer, dancer, and songwriter credited for influencing the revival of teen pop in the early 2000s. She’s often referred to as the “Princess of Pop” for her success in the industry. The pop icon has tons of hit songs, including Oops!… I Did It Again and …Baby One More Time. Her first two albums are amongst the most popular albums in the country, making her one of the best-selling teenage artists of all time.
After her teenage years, she did a bunch of concert residencies in Las Vegas and continued to put out new music. In 2008, she was placed under conservatorship because of the mental health issues that she was going through. Her conservatorship didn’t end until September 2021 after a long battle in court and the huge #FreeBritney movement.
Understanding Britney Spears’ Conservatorship
The story of Britney Spears’ conservatorship is a long one, but it’s a story that must be told. Spears’ battled with mental health issues in the 2000s and after her divorce from Kevin Federline in 2007, she was hospitalized. After that, she underwent mental health evaluations. In January of 2008, she alleged locked herself in her bathroom with her children, leading to an evaluation. There were back-to-back psychiatric holds on her before her father, Jamie, petitioned for an emergency (and temporary) conservatorship over her. However, it wasn’t so temporary and ended up lasting for 13 years in total.
Throughout those 13 years, Spears continued to struggle with her mental health and eventually began to fight for the termination of the conservatorship, with lots of backlash from her family and support from her fans.
In 2008, around the time her conservatorship was made permanent, she commented that “If I wasn’t under the restraints I’m under right now, with all the lawyers and doctors and people analyzing me every day — if that wasn’t there, I’d feel so liberated.”
After that, she didn’t publicly comment on her situation again until 2016 when she stated that she was “sick of being taken advantage of”. It makes sense that through all this time, she struggled with her mental health. While there’s no documentation of her struggling with addiction at this time, many sources allude to it.
During her conservatorship, she wasn’t allowed to make any financial decisions or really any decisions for herself. Her entire life was decided by her father, and she even had an IUD installed against her judgment to keep her from having kids. Some people believe that this was in order to keep her working, instead of spending her time taking care of children. Overall, the conservatorship could not have been good for her mental health, and it’s no wonder she wanted out of it so badly.
Has Britney Spears Struggled with Addiction?
Britney struggled with substance abuse prior to her conservatorship, one of the reasons that she was placed under it in the first place. Growing up in the public eye can be challenging, especially for a young girl. Many celebrities turn to drugs or alcohol when the pressure becomes too much, and for Britney, that’s what happened.
However, throughout her conservatorship, sources state that she was on a lot of drugs for her mental health problems, and after refusing to do a show in Las Vegas, was taken off all her regular drugs and placed on Lithium. Lithium is a much heavier drug that’s used to treat bipolar disorder as well as addiction. The shock of abruptly switching drugs must have been incredibly intense. Not only that but Lithium is known for being habit-forming, which couldn’t have been easy for Spears in her state.
Spears’ Struggle with Mental Health Issues
Forced psychiatric care, like Spears’ endured, can have a huge effect on one’s life. Conservatorship is usually saved for people with severe mental health issues or elderly people with dementia who can’t make decisions on their own. Part of the mental health journey is being able to admit to yourself that you have a problem and working toward the solution on your own. Oftentimes, forcing someone to get care of treatment will have less success because they’re not willing to put in the effort on their own. Without the conservatorship, Spears could have sought out treatment in a safe way on her own terms.
Spears is known for struggling with bipolar disorder and anxiety, two disorders that can be crippling if not treated correctly. However, they can be managed when the patient is on medication and in therapy. However, Spears was overloaded with medications, some even stating that she was overmedicated to the point where it was doing more harm than good.
What To Do If You’re Struggling with Mental Health Issues and Addiction
If you’re struggling with a co-morbid diagnosis like addiction and depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, it’s time to seek treatment. Dealing with both of these issues at the same time can help you find the most success. As mental health problems are often the root of addiction, it’s helpful to treat them hand-in-hand. By reducing the mental health struggles one feels, relapse may be less likely.
Seek Treatment As Soon As Possible
As of right now, Britney Spears has been freed from her conservatorship and is working on her mental health in her own way. There’s no word about whether or not she’s clean, but we hope that she’s working toward recovery. If you’re ready to start your own recovery journey, contact us today. We’re eager to help you get and stay sober.
