Britney Spears has reportedly checked into a psychiatric facility to deal with emotional distress related to her father’s recent health crisis. She has been receiving treatment for a week now and is expected to continue to do so for a month.
Over the past year Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, was hospitalised and almost died, and recently had a second surgery to repair a ruptured colon. Britney announced on Instagram that she was taking time out from her Las Vegas residency to focus on dealing with that and put family first.
There is zero shame in Britney seeking out the help she feels she needs right now to deal with anything she’s struggling with mentally. Attending to our mental health is crucial and Britney is setting a positive example by doing so.
Back in 2007, Britney was mocked for her mental health struggle whens he shaved her head and attacked a paparazzi with an umbrella. She later checked into a psych ward to seek help but the rhetoric around the ‘scandal’ was completely unsupportive.
She was 26 at the time, and would have benefitted from public understanding and encouragement that mental health struggles are normal and seeking help from a facility doesn’t make you crazy. Facilities can be a necessary support system, and Britney never deserved to be shamed.
Hopefully now, a 37-year-old Britney will receive the respect she deserves during her struggle and her treatment.