by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright February 19, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

having off her hair after weeks of binge-drinking—and God knows what else—25-year-old, mother-of-two pop singer Britney Spears completed her breakdown, giving her former husband Kevin Federline plenty of reason to pursue custody of their two baby sons. While her party-girl lifestyle has been well-featured in the tabloids, what's missed is her undiagnosed mental disorder. Blaming her problems extreme stress doesn't shed light on how the rich-and-famous sometimes watch their lives go down the drain. Since breaking up with Federline, Britney watched her life fall apart since filing for divorce Dec. 7, 2006. Lawyers for the rap-singer Federline were given an early Christmas gift, with her head-shaving episode supporting the idea she's an unfit mother. After checking in to Antigua rehab clinic Feb. 15 in New York, Britney returned to Malibu to visit her boys.

      Erratic behavior is often associated with untreated bipolar disorders, where victims suffer for years without getting help. Celebrity lifestyles involving alcohol, drugs and late-night creative work are fueled by the manic energy seen bipolar disorders. Creative geniuses find relief in manic episodes, sometimes occurring weeks at a time. “Britney's boys mean everything to her and she worried she might lose them in a custody battle. It was clear she was not over her marriage,” said ex-boyfriend Isaac Cohen, giving Britney some cover in advance of a possible custody battle. Drinking nonstop for days at a time can't be regarded as responsible parental behavior. Cohen either doesn't know what constitutes abuse or neglect or tried his best to give Britney an alibi. Before entering Esther's Haircutting Studio in Sherman Oaks, Calif., Britney was seen sobbing in her limo.

      Cohen admitted that Britney appeared to have a breakdown. “She'd lie like a rag doll in my arms and say, ‘Why can't everyone leave me alone?'” said Cohen, further admitting Britney's mental state had deteriorated. For weeks before the hair-slashing episode, Britney paled-around with Paris Hilton in the LA party scene. Checking herself into rehab in N.Y., Britney knew she was in trouble. On New Year's Eve, Britney collapsed at a Las Vegas nightclub, after drinking champagne and mixed drinks, signaling the beginning of her downward spiral. Binge-drinking and erratic behavior are triggered by bipolar disorder, frequently linked to self-destructive behavior. Cutting off her hair was a milder version or garden-variety cutting, often seen in the Borderline Personality Disorder—a personality characterized by disturbed relationships and self-destructive behavior.

      Britney's early sexuality, reportedly getting breast implants at age 16, might indicate premature sexuality either through abuse or acting out. Britney broke into the pop scene wearing provocative school-girl uniform with pigtails in “Hit Me Baby” (One More Time) in 1997. Question's were raised about the advisability of a teenager getting breast implants, serving up juicy gossip for the tabloids. No one knew then that the teenage sensation, who began her showbiz career in the Disney TV's “New Mickey Mouse Club” in 1992, would crack. There's something to be said for postpartum depression, also causing the kind of hormonal swings capable of producing erratic behavior. After refusing to chop off Britney's hair, salon owner Esther Tognozzi couldn't talk her out of shaving her head. “I tried to talk her out of it, but she said, ‘No I absolutely want it shaved off now.'”

      After shaving off her hair, the pop singer expressed regret. “Oh my God, I shaved it off. My mom is going to be so upset with me,” Britney said to Tognozzi, observing she looked detached from reality. “She was just there in body and not really emotionally there,” said Tognozzi, attesting to Britney's mental breakdown. If the hair episode weren't enough self-abuse, Britney was then driven to Body and Soul Tattoo Parlour to further disfigure herself. There she ordered the Tattoo artist to etch a pair of pink lips on her wrist and a black, white and pink cross on her lower lip, while screaming out in pain. “After she left, we said to each other, ‘We just saw a huge celebrity on the verge of a nervous breakdown,'” said Emily Wynne-Hughes, a patron of the Tattoo shop. Unlike Tognozzi, who had the good sense refuse Britney's demands, Body and Soul Tattoo Parlour aided her masochism.

      However the tabloids glamorize Britney's erratic behavior, it's a serious matter that could have life-threatening consequences. Anna Nicole Smith's unexpected death should remind the well-intentioned press that mentally disturbed celebrities need appropriate medical treatment for their problems. Based on first hand reports, it's clear Britney had a nervous breakdown, requiring urgent diagnosis and treatment. Instead of driving her to hair salons and Tattoo parlors, her personal handlers should have taken her to the nearest psychiatric hospital for evaluation. Before Britney ends up like Anna Nicole, she needs to get psychiatric help. No one at “YouTube,” “E,” or the “Enquirer,” wants to cover another funeral of young woman, whose pleas for help went ignored. When you strip away all the glitz, even celebrities must deal with mental problems before it's too late.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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