Furious Seasons

April 07, 2008

Britney Spears Described As Doped And Vacant On Bipolar Meds

A few readers altered me over the weekend to the latest issue of US magazine and its cover story on Britney Spears entitled "Living with Mental Illness." I've been following the Spears story for quite some time now not because I am interested in pop divas and their weird antics, but because I am fascinated by the social dynamics of it all. The article isn't online, so I thumbed a copy last evening at my supermarket.

The article's lede focused on the financial pain caused celeb photographers because Britney isn't doing crazy things in public anymore--did an editor think this was really the best lede?--and then moved onto the fact that Spears has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has been taking gobs of meds. It's not clear what she's taking, but "insiders" cited by the magazine report that Spears is doped and looks "vacant." Anyone who saw her on TV recently knows that Spears has put on a bit of weight as well.

Sounds like the meds are working just great!

The article was your basic simple-minded stuff when describing bipolar disorder--a lifetime struggle with extreme mood swings. I'm always amused by the media's description of the mood swing dynamic especially against the reality many of us know--our moods aren't exactly light switches. And, we mostly a long way from being crazy, at least as I understand the term.

I was puzzled by the article in other respects, too. No one from the Spears camp has ever confirmed on the record that the singer, dancer and occasional woo-woo flasher has ever been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Spears has been silent on this herself. I continue to think it's unfair for someone who is in a situation where they need all the calm and privacy they can get to be batted about in the press that way. Does the entertainment media hound cancer patients?

But I assume at some point the truth will come out and Spears will say something. And, as I have said before, Spears will become the face of bipolar disorder in our culture.

Does that bother you as much as it does me?

Posted by Philip Dawdy at April 7, 2008 12:01 AM

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Comments

Dearest Philip:

"face of bipolar"? She does have a pretty face;so that not a bad jumping off point. Yes,the fact is that there are not facts here. Just a hot media story with lots of hype and little substain as usual. HIPPA privacy laws apply to celeb's as well as us unnormal folks I been told.
So I see in the my cystleball some where down the road for Britney, a tell all book with a zillion dollar cash advance. Just the way the Biz works. Remember in Hollywierd, There is no such thing as bad press, just more press and exposure, leading to that same old ching ching from the masses. I find this is some ways a pretty humorous reflection of are social priorities really. Then again that's what you get for standing in line at the grocery store bored to death like the rest of us.
Yours Truly
Stan

Posted by: Stan at April 7, 2008 07:08 AM

Frankly we will never know for sure whether Britney has "true" bipolar disorder or medication induced bipolar. I vote for the latter but that's just because I usually do. In any case it's quite clear she's been on a ton of meds for sometime and whatever her original presenting symptoms were they have been utterly confounded with what is reported to be a very messy treatment history.

Posted by: Sara at April 7, 2008 02:36 PM

Does the entertainment media hound cancer patients?

Yes. I've seen three covers on Patrick Swayze and his pancreatic cancer - including one alleging a secret child!

Posted by: Milehimama at April 7, 2008 04:43 PM

I still am not convinced that Britney is bipolar. I really truly believe that she has borderline personality disorder instead. She fits the criteria as much as I do.

Regardless of what she has... I think the media attention on her mental illness has gone way too far. No one would be able to get better with all those eyes watching everything she does. I agree with the comment on the fact that she's gained weight meaning the meds are working. Mine sure has made me fatter! LOL

Posted by: BPD in OKC at April 7, 2008 09:24 PM

I still can't get over the fact that her family purportedly had her committed to prevent her manager from giving her psych drugs which they are now forcing her to take while they steal her fortune. As for her behavior, imagine if Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg had done exactly the same stuff, would anyone label him bipolar? Bill Clinton?

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Posted by: Janice at April 19, 2008 08:17 PM