Last month Britney Spears addressed the court stating that she felt that her 13-year conservatorship was “abusive”, requesting release from it . And while the singer may have age on her side, Britney is 39, the courts may choose to keep the conservatorship in effect.
What does the conservatorship do?

The conservatorship imposed upon Britney Spears in 2008 states that the individual, in this case Britney, cannot care for themselves or cannot control his or her finances, making them a risk to themselves or others should they have such control. NPR reports that this conservatorship was imposed due to a mental health crisis. Currently, Jamie Spears, Britney’s father as well as Bessemer Trust, manage the conservatorship.

In the Courts

Recently, the case has come before the court and has asked the question “should Britney Spears need a conservatorship?”. Judge Brenda Penny has allowed for Britney to choose her own attorney but has overruled the objection to have a third party look after her daughter’s financial affairs. Fans have united under the #FreeBritney support group, with many awaiting the court’s final decision.

Why Britney’s mental state may need conservatorship

For Britney to be released from conservatorship, she would need to establish that she is both in control of her finances and in control of her mental health. Such may not be easy to do. According to Dr. Diana Kirschner “people who show patterns of behavior like Britney are suffering from a dual diagnosis” . While this doctor has not treated Britney, the implications made are that there are several problems with the health and welfare of Britney which need to be addressed. Friends have confirmed that there is a mental strain, claiming that the singer has used anti-anxiety medication.

The then and now of Britney’s mental health

Fans will recall that in 2007 Britney showed the greatest signs of mental distress when she shaved her head. Britney has claimed that it was an attempt to have others leave her alone, citing on a podcast entitled “What Really Happened” that she wanted to escape the pressures of a certain image which was expected of her . This action alongside a history of drug and substance abuse led to the conservatorship in 2008. While the 2007 and 2008 details seem to be at the front of the debate as to why Britney Spears may need a conservatorship, there are other incidences which have taken place since then which should be examined.

In 2012 while serving as a co-host for X Factor UK, Louis Walsh commented that “Briney was on so much medication” that she could hardly sit up to fulfill her role on the show. Louis claims that the singer would slump in her chair and on the table after very few interactions. Behavior in 2015 caused scandals when Britney posted in a French maid outfit. She has since posted in skimpy red attire and posted the picture with a caption that “I edited out my tattoo on my neck…and yeah I like it better so while you guys are talking behind my back go ahead and kiss my -ss”

By following the timeline of events, we are left with wondering if anything has drastically changed in her mental health. While there has been some performance success, her having released two albums since the conservatorship began, the mental prognosis has remained the same. For this reason, it may be necessary to keep the conservatorship in place.

Protection not imprisonment

Fundamental to answering the question of whether Britney Spears should have a conservatorship is whether she can financially support herself without the risk of being influenced by others and can she maintain mental stability. If you look at the statements which she has made to the press, it will appear that her bipolar diagnosis is still very much in effect. As such it would not be beneficial to the singer to completely remove the conservatorship. According to experts on bipolar, an individual with this mental illness will see the world as being “annoying, that tasks are pointless because you never get ahead, and that no matter what you do, there will be no peace.” Sound familiar?

Fans must remember that the conservatorship was not put into place as a punishment or as a make shift prison for Britney, but for protection. Her mental state had hit rock bottom in 2008 with multiple factors playing into the need to help her. If the conservatorship had not been put into place, the proper medical, financial, and living support may not have been available. Given her history of drug addiction, this could have had fatal consequences. The conservatorship also took her career from being in the red to being in the black. If not for the court ordered help, Britney’s finances may have ended her career. So you see, her current conservatorship is for her protection not for punishment.

Phycological refusals

Britney has claimed that the conservatorship has left her feeling that she was in a prison and that the prison has no escape. Yet, during this time she has shown that she can still preform and have a life. And while there have been claims that her overseers have abused their power, there has not been any formal investigations which have proven this to be true. Britney has made several unsubstantiated claims ranging from having to take drugs to not being able to have any more children . These are serious allegations which should be investigated. So why are they not gaining legal traction?

Perhaps the reason why the claims made by Britney Spears are being viewed as non-substantial is due to the refusal to be examined. The only psychiatrist on file is the one which Britney Spears is alleging as being abusive . By refusing to be evaluated, Britney is solidifying her need to have a conservatorship. The judge is likely to see the refusal not as a declaration of her self-sufficiency, but rather as an attempt to hide a known condition (the bipolar disorder mentioned earlier would be one such diagnosis). Evaluation would more than likely involve drug testing, as her ex-husband was arrested for drugs, co-workers have stated she has abused drugs over the years, and she has claimed that she was forced to take drugs. Combined, a bad mental diagnosis as well as any drug abuse would make for a strong argument that Britney needs a conservatorship.

Conclusion

Britney Spears has flourished under the conservatorship financially, of that there should be no disputes. Yet, financial success does not alone meet the requirements for release from the conservatorship. Based upon her behaviors over the years, specifically upon those behaviors which highlight a constant and on-going struggle with mental health, the conservatorship should remain in place.
Britney Spears should have a formal evaluation of her psychological well-being to establish a treatment plan towards release from the conservatorship. This plan would ensure her of a smooth and safe transition from what she has become accustomed to and what life would be like without those to oversee her financial, mental and personal affairs.

References:

1. Britney Spears’ conservatorship, explained – CBS News
2. Britney Spears’ Conservatorship: What To Know Ahead Of Her Court Date : NPR
3. Friends: Britney Suffers from ‘Psychological Disease’ | PEOPLE.com
4. Britney Spears was ‘on so much medication’ during 2012 X Factor stint, fellow judge Louis Walsh alleges (thesun.ie)
5. How Bipolar Depression Alters My Perception Of The World | bpHope.com
6. What happened to Britney Spears? Full conservatorship timeline | The Independent
7. Britney Spears alleged her former psychiatrist was abusive, but it probably won’t end her conservatorship, experts say (nbcnews.com)

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