MSNBC: "Britney Spears' erratic behavior could stem from drug, mental health problems"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Britney Spears: ‘Predictably unpredictable’
Pop singer's erratic behavior could stem from drug, mental health problems

By Courtney Hazlett
MSNBC
updated 6:48 p.m. PT, Wed., Nov. 28, 2007



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22013375/

Back when Britney Spears was allowed to drive with her children, she packed her two young sons and their court-appointed monitor in her Mercedes, drove to a chandelier shop, then left the kids in the car with the monitor while she perused new lighting fixtures.

For a woman who had only recently regained partial custody of her children, the move seemed shocking, but it was par for a course that has been increasingly erratic since Spears’ split from Kevin Federline just a year ago.

Spears once blamed some of her behaviors on being “country,” but according to mental health professionals, former employees and friends, Spears’ problems at best stem from deep issues with fame, or at worst, indicate a serious drug or mental health problem.
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“Britney is a drug addict. It is an indisputable point,” addiction specialist and “Loveline” host Dr. Drew Pinsky recently told Us Weekly. Pinsky, who does not treat Spears, backed up his claim, which has not been directly addressed by the singer or her camp, adding, “We know that she is a drug addict because she's been admitted to a treatment center. You can't be admitted unless you’ve met criteria for addiction.”

[IndianaJones]

1. no way...completely false. nt.

[flvegan]

2. Doctor making a definitive 3rd party diagnosis. Okay.

Dear Dr. Drew,

When you have millions, I'm sure that one can get admitted to a clinic. Especially when the criteria being met is that you're Britney Fucking Spears.

Mahalo,
flvegan

[Kutjara]

11. You're forgetting the most important criteria.

Dr. Drew needs some publicity and/or has an upcoming book on celebrity addiction he needs to sell (and of which Britney's circumstances form a large part).

[skygazer]

18. But..but... but... he saw her eyes follow the balloon!

Oh, sorry - that was another idiot doctor...

[SoxFan]

3. Well, hand out the Pulitzer now!

How can you top this sort of insightful reporting?

[krispos42]

4. But... but... I thought she was a good mom!

Like the mom in that show. What's her name again?

June... June... June Beaver!




You know, from that show "Leave it to Beaver". Back in the '50s or whenever.

After all, didn't Britney show her Beaver in June?

:rofl:

[ashling]

5. yawn

ya think?
:eyes:

[CreekDog]

6. what would we do without cable news??? (nt)

[Swede]

7. In other news,water is wet.

Leave Britney alone!!!!!

[FloridaJudy]

8. The only long range medical diagnosis

I can make is that she definitely bites her nails, judging by that picture.

Of course someone who acts that self-destructive is not a radiant example of Mental Health, but for Dr. Pinsky to declare that anyone admitted to a treatment center is ipso facto an addict is asinine. Many people are court ordered there, some are there for further diagnostic tests, others to comply with professional requirements. I know a nurse who was forced into one because he flunked a drug test at work. He'd smoked one - ONE - joint two nights before because it was his birthday. One joint a year hardly proves addiction IMHO.

Sheesh.

[BlueIris]

13. Great post!

Pinsky is a slimy fuckwad.

[FloridaJudy]

17. Many "addictionologists" are from my experience

There are some good ones, but a lot are just self-righteous jerks. One tried to force me into his "program" because I'd flunked a drug test - which later proved to have an incredibly high false-positive rate. Cash up front, ma'am, no, your insurance won't cover it. He tried the same on a colleague of mine. When we went to a different facility - this one publicly funded - because we couldn't afford $9,000 to $20,000 a month for an indefinite period, we got a different diagnosis entirely. They wanted to save the beds for folks who really needed them.

There are some good places, and some good docs, but a lot of "treatment" is a scam - particularly the private facilities.

[ellisonz]

20. But but but...

IT IS RECOVERY AND ONLY A CERTIFIED ADDICTIONOLOGIST CAN CURE YOU!!!

:silly:

[Hand]

9. Gee, ya think?

:boring:

[Ellen Forradalom]

10. If you'd lived her life

you'd have mental health problems too.

[Dora]

22. Thanks for the sane post.

I cringe when I see the abuse that's heaped upon her.

I'd bet cashmoney that most of the people here wouldn't talk about someone in their own family the way that they talk about Spears - and many of us are closely acquainted with someone whose life is as much of a train wreck as Britney Spears'.

[BlueIris]

12. I despise BS's highly questionable behavior, but I still hate "Dr." Drew Pinsky.

SHUT UP, PINSKY. I don't care if you do have three kids to put through Harvard you are a LYING WHORE.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

25. His MTV show was pretty amusing...

...Adam Carolla would do his clueless sexist lout routine and Pinsky would follow, in earnest and somber tones, with his "clinical" observations. It was like "Sex Education For Slackers Featuring Good Cop & Bad Cop."

:rofl:

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Geez - really? They think that? Well, thank God for the high priced experts.

:eyes:

[MissMillie]

15. I think we should let temeah diagnose her

He could do that whole Bill Frist-watch-a-videotape-and-diagnose-the-problem thing.

[kay1864]

16. Heck, who needs a videotape when you have this?

This has "mental health problems" written all over it!

[mitchum]

19. She suffers from NTWTWTMFM Syndrome

[KG]

21. leave Britney alone!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[sasquatch]

23. "You can't be admitted unless you’ve met criteria for addiction.”

Why do I get the suspicion that some of that stuff can be "Sexed up" in a for profit health industry?

[dpbrown]

24. Could?

:rofl: