The past year has been full of low-key news about Britney Spears. Throughout the spring and summer of 2018, Britney & Jamie Spears were in a financial battle with Kevin Federline, who still has full custody of his sons with Britney. The reason he still has full custody is because Britney is still in a comprehensive conservatorship, and after months of making noise about how he was going to fight K-Fed in court, Jamie Spears folded and gave K-Fed more money than he was asking for, all to avoid K-Fed’s audit of Britney’s finances. Then Jamie had significant health problems, starting late last year. He was hospitalized for a long time, and Britney had to cancel her latest Vegas show. Then, very quietly, Britney’s co-conservator Andrew Wallet quit with no warning and no one in place to act as co-conservator. And Jamie’s health is still struggling.
All in all, this hasn’t been the best environment for Britney. As we’ve seen, she’s thrived – relatively speaking – while under the conservatorship because Jamie controls so much of her life and provided her with a great deal of stability. That’s been out the window for about six months. So… yes, Britney has checked into a mental health facility.
Britney Spears has been admitted to a mental health facility … TMZ has learned. Sources connected to Britney tell TMZ she has been distraught over her dad’s illness … something we’re told is quite serious and not getting better. Jamie Spears has now had 2 surgeries to correct major issues with his intestines and colon. The second surgery was recent but he’s been suffering complications. Jamie’s issues started late last year after his colon spontaneously ruptured.
As you know, Britney put her Vegas residency on hold to care for her dad, and we’re told she’s been having a really hard time. Britney posted a photo with the words, “Fall in love with taking care of yourself, mind, body, spirit” along with the caption, “We all need to take a little time for a little ‘me time.'” Our sources say Britney checked herself into the facility about a week ago where she will live for 30 days.
As TMZ reported, Britney has been under a conservatorship since 2008 for issues relating to bipolarity. As for how her dad’s illness is affecting her … remember, Jamie saved Britney’s life by stepping in back in 2007 when he said he feared he would wake up one morning and get a call from the coroner.
After TMZ broke the news last night, sources went to People to say this:
A source tells PEOPLE exclusively that the singer checked into a facility for “all-encompassing wellness treatment.” According to another source close to the family, “Britney just needed to focus on herself” as she cares for her father Jamie after his “life-threatening” colon rupture, the source confirms.
“Her dad being sick has taken a toll on her,” the source tells PEOPLE. “He nearly died and actually had another surgery a few weeks ago. He’s not doing well. They’re so close and it has been a lot. There is nothing dramatic going on with her — she just realized she needs to make sure to take time to care for herself.”
I wonder where Lynn Spears is? Lynn and Jamie divorced years ago, but they’re reportedly still close, and Lynn is close to both of their daughters. Still, I feel like there was always a reason why Lynn was never given any power within the conservatorship. I also think that there’s been way too much chaos in Britney’s life lately and we probably don’t even know how bad it was getting for her before she checked into the facility. I’m concerned about what happens after the 30 days, you know? Will Lynn step up? Will there be a new court-appointed conservator?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’m glad she’s getting help. It sounds like a stressful time all around and I can see how she would need extra support right now.
Agreed. And if we’re taking the story at face value it sounds like she’s being proactive in seeking treatment, as opposed to pushing herself to the breaking point (we all, unfortunately, were witnesses to what that can be like). I wish her the best and also that her father makes a full recovery.
I’m really proud of her and anyone who is pro active about their mental health. It takes strength and self awareness to understand that you need help.
Do you ever think there will be a time when Britney will no longer need a conservator?
Aims, so true. I have a couple people in my life who are denying that they need help or avoiding it and it’s exhausting, wondering if/when they might really snap.
Truth is, I doubt she is actually the one being proactive, regardless of how her team is spinning it. She’s under conservatorship because she doesn’t have the capacities to take care of herself, she’s not the one calling the shots nor has she been taking care of her dad in the past months. The people around her were proactive and decided that it was best for her to go to a facility, which is probably a good call. I just wish that it was told as it is, there’s nothing shameful about it.
K-Fed came to pick up the boys and Britney locked herself and the children in a bedroom and was behaving erratically. Spin is spin. I’m really glad she is getting the treatment she needs and deserves.
My heart goes out to Britney.
Stress like this is a definite trigger and I’m glad she is in a safe environment vs past times.
If her dad has stepped back from the conservatorship and the other person quit who is running the show right now?
This is an unfortunate wake up call to Jamie to have a back up plan in place.
Best wishes to the Spears family
Ih ope she gets better – lots of cosmic healing to you Brit.
Lynn Spears is the reason why Brit had her breakdown – she pushed her to breaking point and then beyond. Lynn has always been a grade A stage mom and she put fame and wealth before Brit health. She tried to do the same with Jamie Lynn and you could see her going down the same route as Brit but her teenage pregnancy saved her from that fate and she seems very happy doing her own thing. So yeah there are reasons why Lynn was cut out of the conservatorship and financies. IIRC it was rumoured that Brit was close to being broke – she and her enablers had blown through much of her fortune.
I think her brother will step up and be the new conservator if anything happens to Jamie, it certainly won’t be Lynn for reason stated above.
I agree with you, so many parents don’t see (or don’t care) how much damage can make to your children pushing them all the time to work especially when they are the breadwinners of the family. They were probably sings of her not being well (back in 2005-6 before it all happened) but they ignored it so she could continue making money.
The signs were always there but those around her ignored them. A big flag was her 2 day marriage to that guy she knew from home. I think she was desperate to break free from her mother’s control and saw marriage as a way out. I don’t think Brit will allow her mother to be conservator – Lynn has very much been in the background since it started and IIRC their relationship was strained for some time after her breakdown.
It was sad to watch – I have a lot of love for Brit, she’s a good soul who never really got a chance to live a normal life.
I think that’s even more true when a kid’s job is either very demanding or if it’s something that puts them in the public eye before they’re adults and have themselves figured out. Mental illness runs in Britney’s family though- I think I read something about her having at least one other relative who had suffered a breakdown. So it’s very possible that she still would have had a hard time and had her breakdown even if she had never become famous. It’s good that she’s getting help.
I watched her “Behind the Music” special on VH1 years ago and it was very telling. Her parents had a lot of financial problems. Britney was seen as the financial savior of the family. That is a lot of stress to put on a child
And it bothered me back then, and still does now that she was their financial plan.
With all due respect Britney had a breakdown because she suffers from a psychiatric disorder. Her mother’s detrimentally parenting style exacerbated Issues which become some of Britney’s particular and highly personalized triggers. We are almost saying the same thing, yes, but the wording is so important. A better understanding of mental hygiene and psychiatric illness is important for all of us to live in a healthier society.
That’s my take as well. Lynn was an awful mother, but Britney had a psychiatric disorder. I don’t doubt that her treatment of her daughter caused it to be a much larger breakdown than what it could have been if a caring parent had noticed signs and actually done something to help. But I think regardless of who parented her, she’d have been in a difficult situation mental health wise.
@MONICACK I really appreciate your comments.
Erinn
You said it better than I did.
Kittycat
🐱 ty!
I looked mental hygiene up because I’ve never heard of it. I still don’t understand why they use the word hygiene.
I always had a guy feeling if Britney wasn’t in the industry she was in she wouldn’t have the need for a conservatorship, she may be slightly disfunctional in terms of dating guys who aren’t great, some spur of he moment reckless decisions etc like people many of us can think of who we’ve worked with or know somehow but nothing close to this needing legal conservatorship. Many make money off Brit so her being extremely stable is in all their best interests
Meg
Not true at all. I don’t believe you understand the degree to which a person must be rendered disabled enough for the judge to grant conservatorship. The legal, medical, occupational, custodial and financial stipulations are extremely complicated and quite arduous for the conservator. The level of judicial monitoring and social work oversight is staggering. Rigid safeguards are put into place to ensure the ward’s assets aren’t plundered. Britney’s father doesn’t have access to her millions for his own use. Every dime must be cleared for Britney’s direct benefit and record keeping and reconciliation by attorneys and CPAs is court ordered.
When asked why he allows Britney to tour and perform he said that doing so made Britney incredibly happy, validated and physically fit. In addition he said that it let him sleep better at night because she is fairly young and should she ever be forced to stop working altogether that at least her personal fortune would allow her and her sons to live more than comfortably long after he was gone. That’s pretty much when I stopped hating her father.
As I said before, i think what ur talking about, the hoops to jump through to get a conservatorship would apply to a non famous person without lots of $. We’ve seen recently what wealth can buy with SAT scores being changed.
Meg
Slightly dysfunctional? Bad taste in guys? Your comments are a disservice to efforts to abolish the stigma and misunderstandings surrounding mental health. Britney suffers from a psychiatric disorder. Let’s not diminish that or rewrite her narrative. Whether or not you realize it your comments encourage transferrance which is part of shame culture.
While I think that I understand where you’re coming from, it has been proven through research that abuse in childhood exacerbates bipolar disorder as an adult.
Had I not been abused, my bipolar disorder wouldn’t be as bad as it is, and I can confidently say the same thing about Britney. So yes, her mother did cause her to be like she is, bipolar disorder and all.
I feel so much for Britney. Her whole life has been spent under a microscope. I wouldn’t want that for myself and I hope she is able to deal with this in relative peace. Lord knows dealing with mental health issues is tough enough for us normal nobodies. Throw in the goldfish bowl of fame and it’s no wonder so many people crack. My heart goes out to her.
Can’t believe what a spectacle it was made of her breakdown, i’d like to think that in the last ten years our society has changed a lot and the media and people in general would react a lot different. The fact that she’s still alive and well with us is a miracle and I really hope of the best for her.
This is exactly what I was going to say. I hope everyone is a lot kinder than they were a decade ago.
Have you met a dude named Trump? In less than 2 years, he destroyed almost all forward momentum.
It’s a beautiful thing to scroll through these comments and see nothing but love and support for Britney. Yeah, lots of stuff still sucks but we ARE better. We do see her as a person with struggles and root for her to be OK.
I have a feeling that the next time a woman with a similar background and level of fame to Britney’s goes through something similar, it will still expose a lot of ugly misogyny on the left. People still have a lot of entitlement when it comes to women and girls. But depending on who it is, people may be more sensitive than they were when Britney had her breakdown based on the fact that people are willing to be more sensitive about her- which is a plus. The added plus is that it’s actually a woman who wasn’t everybody’s idealized good girl at all times, because usually people are slower to be generous when those standards aren’t being met.
That reminded me of Green Goblin saying to Spider Man that “there’s only one thing people love more than seeing a hero rising; is to see him falling”. I don’t remmember anyone but the guy from “leave Britney alone” video sympathizing with her in that time. The jokes were everywhere, and coming from the same people who liked to see her performing.
I hope she is OK and that her dad is doing well and healing.
Britney is one of the few people in Hollyweird that I have empathy for and she seems like a genuine soul that has never hurt anyone.
I really hope this is a wakeup call for Britney’s family.
Someone will need to take over for Jamie immediately.
But I also hope britney retires and lives out her life outside the media with her kids.
Was Britney’s brother a conservator in the past? I can’t remember but if he was, and he’s qualified, I hope they are making moves to have him be successor conservator or a co-conservator.
Hopefully, her attorneys are already moving forward to find a qualified conservator and move forward with the court.
No, her brother has never been involved in the conservatorship.
I hope things work out well for Britney, I’ve always had a soft spot for her and was really concerned when she had her previous breakdown. my immediate question when I saw the news last night was who is going to take over for conservator. I hope her mother stays far away from anything regarding that because when she was in charge of Britney I think that was not helpful at all to Britney’s mental health and well-being.
Britney probably should just fully retire and try to live her life. We all know a lot of Britney’s in our life and even a relatively easy 9-5 can be more than they can bear at times. Trying to run an empire was far too much for her. And Lynn Spears is an atrocious stage mother who would burn her own child to the ground for a buck. The only reason Britney is alive is because of her dad. I wish Amy Winehouse’s dad had had the foresight to get a conservatorship.
If she enjoys performing, why should she quit. That’s not the reason why she went into a facility. I hate this stigma that those of us with mental illnesses can’t have certain jobs. We may have to be extra careful and check in with ourselves at times, but we can live our lives the way we want to too. I think retiring before she’s ready could be detrimental to her health too. It’s not like she’s lacking fans.
Britney should retire because she has psychological issues which shouldn’t be publicized.
Just because she wants to do something doesnt mean it’s in her best interest.
hmmm, do you think she enjoys performing? I saw some of her videos and she often looks a bit robotic and vacant. I agree that having a certain routine and being able to do your job is good for your mental health, but her job as a performer is tough. I can’t imagine being constantly under scrutiny, being judged for every little detail and having to function on demand. IMO that’s not a healthy working environment.
If she genuinely enjoys performing, it’s a tough call. I think it may give her some kind of stability and comfort just because she’s been a performer her entire life.
Her peaks and valleys seem to coincide with her performing and not performing. I’m not sure if it’s that she starts to unravel when she’s not performing or that she stops performing because she’s starting to unravel. I don’t think anyone on the outside can know which it is.
But her dad, who we can all agree has helped stabilize her, seemed to think it was a good idea to set her up with a residency in Vegas. I wonder if that’s still a good idea without her dad playing such an active role though.
I felt really proud of Britany when I saw this break on TMZ. I think she’s always the butt of mental health breakdown jokes in the celeb community and to make the choice to do what needs to be done to take care of your own mental health despite what people think is so brave and necessary.
I’m proud of her for doing this. This would be a difficult and stressful time for any person, let alone someone who is as close to their father as Britney.
Let’s view this as an adult making a positive health decision in her life to maintain structure during a hard time rather than a borderline crisis as this post suggests.
Having a parent be that sick will take a huge toll on anyone. My father died of ALS a few months ago. Watching him go through that made me feel like I was absolutely losing my mind, in a very real way. And I don’t have bipolar disorder to deal with on top of it! I am still slowly recovering my mental and physical health now that it’s over, as well as grieving for him.
Watching a parent suffer is a very particular kind of torture that makes you feel totally unstable.
Sorry to hear about your dad.
So sorry about your dad. You are absolutely right. Since my Mom has been sick my own mental health has plummeted. I’ve dealt with depression before but this is a whole other beast. It’s what finally sent me to therapy because I knew I couldn’t handle it on my own. My anxiety and stress levels have been through the roof.
@CharliePenn – You were obviously close to your father and as supportive as you could possibly be while he deteriorated. May he rest in peace. I empathize with you and hope you are now able to get your mental and physical health in order. When a child shares that level of closeness with their parent the strain they feel is suffocating. People tell you to take care of yourself so your own health doesn’t go off the rails, but that advice goes unheeded because you put everything aside to help care for your parent.
@Valiantly Varnished – Good for you making this move to get support for yourself. You’ll be of greater support to your mom if you are feeling stable, and your therapist will give you a more objective perspective. I went through it for seven years because I wanted to be there for mom, even though I had my own family to raise and lived out of state. Without my therapist I would’ve cracked. You can only control the things you have the power over, and the support you’re able to give your mom will be stronger when you’re at your best. She loves you and wouldn’t want you to ignore your own health.
With Brittany being so close to father, his health situation would be incredibly hard for her to take. She has good advisors who pointed her in the right direction to maintain her own health. Best wishes for her and her dad.
I feel for this girl – dealing with a sick parent takes a toll on you at every level of your life. I can’t imagine the extra stress when that parent is the one who has been guiding you and guarding your well being.
I hope that she continues to get help.
I am glad she is being proactive about her health. I wish both her and Jamie nothing but the best.
It is good that she is seeking treatment. I’m glad she was able to do so without any of the sad public breakdown that happened a decade ago.
I’m proud of her for getting treatment and taking care of herself. I hope the media and everyone really is kinder to her this time around versus 2007. Also think her brother will eventually take over as her conservator. They’re very close and he’s always been one of her biggest protectors.
God bless Britney, love & prayers go to her.
well seeing as how Lynn Spears wrote that book re-spilling beans on Brit’s virginity lost, etc. and i think it talked about her sister too (because i think at the time brit’s sister was pregs and on nickelodeon …. britbrit probably never forgave her….where as her dad stepped in and handled stuff lowkey as one can stopped brit from going broke, being taken advantage of further, and like yal said brought on some serious stability and dependability to get back in the ring so to speak.
Britney needs to move back home to where ever the hell and teach dance and music to children. This woman’s story crushes me.
If I’m recalling correctly, Lynn Spears was a notorious stage mom, wasn’t she? I remember a lot of rumors suggesting she was the segue into drugs abuse with Britney, and she’s always been exploitative. I suspect there’s a reason she’s not a major part of Britney’s life anymore.
What I read was kind of the opposite, that Lynn tried to keep Britney FROM the drugs, and Britney’s power and money allowed her to avoid typical parental controls. I think her mom said in her book that Britney was caught with coke on a plane, and she realized that the world enabled her so much, and she had totally lost influence with her own daughter.
I love Britney and I’m sending her and her family tons of positive energy and support.
I’m hoping this isn’t another ‘breakdown’ but more of a time-out and a tune-up. When you have the kind of money that she does, it’s not a big deal to do this kind of a treatment. Selena seems to do it often.
We love you Britney, feel better soon. xoxoxo
Does anyone know where her boyfriend Sam Ashahgi (sp?) is?
Or are we agreed this was a showman even set-up by Jamie to keep her occupied?
I read that Kevin is taking care of their boys full time as she seeks help. Once again showing he’s not just a lazy money hungry dad but seriously has been an asset for Britney as she goes through her ups and downs. Please remember this when commenting on he doesn’t deserve any more of Britney’s money etc. He literally has to put his life on hold whenever Britney is unwell and cannot care for their children and has proven he’ll be there when she needs him. More than her father and mother can ever say.
KFed has always been the one taking care of their kids full time, he has full custody on them. And yeah, he might not be the kind of partner we’d wish for our kids, but he has been doing what needs to be done in the best interest of his kids for years and deserves credit for it.
Agree, there is no evidence that Kevin is anything but a good parent, and he is their primary custodial parent.
If the genders were reversed and Brit was a dad and Kev the mom, Kev would be getting praised to high heaven.
Agree with these comments here-Britney is so lucky that Federline is the kind of father he is and that the boys have stability at a time like this.
Good for her for recognizing she needs help. I wish i could afford to go away for 30 days cause i am struggling this winter worse than ever. Turned 50 dealing with a partner with mental health issues and my own depression with the winter coming early and still here. I feel like i’m losing myself and its hard to stop. My solution is to shut down ..shut everyone out and be silent. And i just found out that a job i literally did for 6 months and finally went to competition was given to someone else…….with no real explanation. So now i’m unemployed to boot. Sigh so ya 30 days in a healthy environment would be awesome. Sorry to rant……just not loving life right now
Wishing you the best, and hoping it doesn’t take too long to come.
@ DTTIMES2-My heart goes out to you, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. My husband’s mental health issues took a turn for the worse a couple of years ago, it’s excruciating, especially when you have your own stuff to deal with. I tried to shut down/off but I always ended up taking it out on myself (bingeing, self-hate) or worst of all, on him (yelling, crying, acting out). I started going to support groups held by N.A.M.I. (National Association for the Mentally Ill) and they’ve been a lifesaver. I don’t want to assume you live in the U.S. but if you do you can call the toll free number @1-866-960-6264 to see where they meet in your area. It’s all free, and everyone I’ve met there is***wonderful**. They get it, because they’re living through it too. If groups aren’t your thing right now, you can call their “warm line” just to talk. THEY GET IT. Please try to take care of yourself. It doesn’t seem like ‘just’ talking to someone would help that much, but it does by helping to release some of the negative, and that will be a relief. I’m pulling for you and keeping you in my thoughts 💔
I’m happy she’s getting help, and I’m moved to tears to see a full screen of people with so much love and support for her. There’s so much kindness and goodwill here. Thank you!!
Props to her for getting help, but I feel badly that it couldn’t be kept private. TMZ is scum…
I hope that she stays as long as needed and gets what she needs. I wish her the best.
And K Fed sent his support publicly and continues to be a good parent.
Britney’s dad is very ill and they have a close relationship. This would take a toll on anyone. As a Britney fan I hope her dad recovers and many prayers to them.
Didn’t Lynn remarry Jamie? I pretty sure that Jamie was granted conservator-ship of Britney in 2008 and Lynn remarried him in 2010. That him stepping up to help with Britney brought them “close again”. I feel like Brit’s mom is flighty if not outright exploitative. I think she may be Jamie’s blindspot and he wanted his family back and Lynn gets to stay ‘close’. I hope and pray that Brit’s dad comes through!
I love Britney and always will. I think it’s appalling how she was treated. She is by all accounts a lovely, kind person and no-one can take away the dynamo that she was early in her career. Get well Brit. We’re rooting for you!