Do Americans Disregard Mental Illness?

By Rebecca DeLuccia, published Jan 11, 2008
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With all of the recent publicity surrounding Britney Spears many Americans are too busy gossiping and reading tabloids to notice the real issue at hand here: Britney Spears is mentally ill and is in need of a serious psychological evaluation.

Beneath the celebrity and money there is a human being in pain and crying out for help. It's this help that Britney needs so desperately that somehow just doesn't get to her despite the fact that she is one of the most famous people in the world. How does someone go from being so loved to cast out when in their darkest hour of need?

Bipolar disorder, or manic depressive illness, is hallmarked by the intense mood swings and erratic behavior similar to Britney Spears recent behaviors. If left untreated substance abuse will likely increase and the possibility of suicide will also significantly increase. Of course only a professional can determine whether or not Britney is Bipolar, but a psychological assessment is now imperative.

People tend to pass judgments and disgrace her without giving any credence to the fact that she is still very young and obviously very ill. It's as though her mental illness doesn't exist. Newscasts will advertise Britney's "wild behavior" or "crazy partying" but will never refer to her as being "mentally ill" or "sick". It is obvious to anyone that Britney's irrational behavior is nothing like those of fellow celebrity party girls such as Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton. Britney is far more disturbed and sinking deeper with each passing day.

 
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Britney Spears went from American icon to an abused child.

Credit: Imageboy1

Copyright: Wikicommons

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Takeaways
  • American society has evolved to disregard the mental illness of our celebrity youth.
  • Even the law has not stepped in to properly help Britney Spears.
  • What does this say about us as a culture?
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Showing Comments 1 - 15 of 15
 
 
You make a lot of interesting points. I think if Britney is correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it would bring the illness to the public's attention. I don't think too many people realize how serious it is, and tend to write suffers off as simply being "crazy."

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Posted on 03/02/2008 at 5:03:02 PM

 
Very interesting and profound points. Thank you!

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Posted on 01/29/2008 at 10:01:15 AM

 
5++++++ ARTME

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Posted on 01/28/2008 at 8:01:02 AM

 
People don't really understand the internal pervasiveness of mental illness and how it strips people of making rational choices.

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Posted on 01/25/2008 at 6:01:44 AM

 
Some have speculated that's she on meth, which CAN cause a lot of the erratic behavior we're seeing. But I agree that something else is going on with her and think it's just sad that the media is having a hayday catching her every embarrassing moment and plastering it all over the papers and tv. And it DOES seem that a lot of people are "getting off" on it and I can't stand that. Our society thrives on seeing others fail, falter, and fall from grace in order to make themselves feel better. Well, personally I like seeing stories of people turning their lives around, be it over coming drug addiction, mental illness, cancer...INSPIRE ME, inspire US. And furthermore, we are setting our future generations up to fail by allowing this "trash parade" to continue...the other day, as we stood in line at the grocery store, my daughter noted Brittney all over the tabloids and said something mean about her. The woman behind us laughed and I quickly told my daughter, "It's NOT funny. There is someth

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Posted on 01/24/2008 at 8:01:16 AM

 
VERY good topic I feel sorry for her I wish every one in the met. would just leave her alone..... 5

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Posted on 01/18/2008 at 8:01:15 AM

 
Yes, sadly mental illness is often disregarded. People who don't understand it usually don't want to accept it as a real illness. It may cause extreme dismay that she seems to not put her children first, but someone suffering from mental illness is not well equiped to make the right decisions for themselves, much less their children. It has nothing to do with her intentionally being neglectful. She needs help. And we as a nation are so hungry to hear the latest on the celebs that we just don't consider that stars are real people who sometimes have real problems. If we didn't put such a premium on the latest gossip, then maybe her buttons wouldn't be getting pushed so much and she could relax and get some help. Stress affects mentally ill people differently, I can just imagine the stress she is under being in the spotlight like she is.

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Posted on 01/17/2008 at 3:01:43 PM

 
We deal with mental illness with our oldest daughter . . . it's not easy to spot, though.

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Posted on 01/17/2008 at 9:01:13 AM

 
Shanika - As Rebecca pointed out (and I agree) mentally ill people, can't always "get it together" with willpower alone. Why? Because their brains aren't working right. The brain can get as sick as the body and biochemical imbalances can be a huge factor. Think of women who have typical "baby blues" and those who go into pyschosis or have severe postpartum depression. It is like that. Women who have acted normally all their lives can have postpartum depressions so severe that they kill their babies. Weeks later, when their biochemistry corrects itself, they can be horrified. The right treatment and perhaps medications can keep this from happening. Telling a person who is mentally ill to "get it together" is like asking a diabetic or someone with cancer to get rid of the disease with wlllpower alone. Miracles can happen and I always hope they do but sometimes medical help is a great asset. Britney needs help but will she get it?

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Posted on 01/17/2008 at 1:01:42 AM

 
I absolutely agree! On January 5, I published an article here entitled " Does Public and Media Reaction to Britney Spear's Recent Breakdown Reveal Longstanding Misconceptions About Mental Illness?" Like you, I felt that the judgmental attitudes about her problems were sad. She needs help. Unfortunately, for a celebrity who is no longer a minor the legal system seems unable to force her to get help. Many people as ill as she may be don't want to face facts. Nice article, enjoyed reading it!

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Posted on 01/17/2008 at 12:01:05 AM

 
You make some great points, however keep in mind that this woman is a mother to 2 children. She is also 26 years old. She is not some child. It is disgusting that some might find joy in her misery, but she is making zero attempts to put her children first. I have ZERO sympathy for parents who cant get it together. It makes me sick. I agree that onlookers and media bear some responsibility as well. The papparazzi are pigs. Great article!

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Posted on 01/15/2008 at 7:01:14 AM

 
Very well written, and entirely too true. I think many Americans still see mental illness as a sign of weak character, which it is not. This is obvious when you look at mental health coverage by insurance plans, PPOs, and HMOs; they don't cover it in the same way as they cover, say, diabetes, which also requires daily medication and frequent doctor visits. I too am no fan of Britney, but I worry about her and her children. Of course you can't force someone into treatment; if a court mandates it and she doesn't want it, it probably won't help her much. ("schadenfreude" = taking pleasure in the tragedies of others -- word for the day!) Great job. Sadly most Americans are probably noting the partying and substance abuse, and blaming her because she is famous and wealthy.

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Posted on 01/12/2008 at 9:01:24 AM

 
Oh my goodness - I saw that the other day. That was awful that they sent Dr. Phil. Give me a break. My heart cries out for this girl. You are so right. She is in pain and that is clear. I don't listen to her music but much like Marilyn Monroe, Britney will literally die over the Hollywood and the expectations of a starving society.

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Posted on 01/12/2008 at 6:01:05 AM

 
Good article, interesting.

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Posted on 01/12/2008 at 4:01:22 AM

 
You are spot on with your assessment. I am not a fan of Britney, either, but I find her situation sad and tragic (especially where her kids are concerned). She desperately needs some help. Excellent article.

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Posted on 01/11/2008 at 6:01:44 PM

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