Britney Spears - Biopolar Or Bpd?

[icu_baby]

I thought this topic was interesting. Britney spears has been admitted into psychiatric care again and there are reports that she is suffering from Bipolar disorder. According to one website:

"Last year Britney Spears shaved her head, attacked paparazzi photographers, broke traffic rules and appeared in public with no underwear on. However, many people believe that she would be able to retrieve her earthly manners if she could see her two sons. About 51 percent of the polled said that they Britney could still recover from her current deplorable state.

Psychologists say that the troubled singer may die in about six months if she does not improve her mental condition. Britney was going to address to Doctor Lillian Glass, a top US psychologist. "Unless Britney is locked away or put into a treatment program, she is going to die in six months - or even sooner. In my opinion, she suffers from cyclothymia, a chronic mood disorder in which short periods of mild depression are followed by short periods of hypomania. That explains why one minute she can appear perfectly sane and the next she's exhibiting totally crazy behaviour,” the doctor said.

Cyclothymia is a mood disorder. This disorder is a milder form of bipolar II disorder consisting of recurrent mood disturbances between hypomania and dysthymic mood. A single episode of hypomania is sufficient to diagnose cyclothymic disorder; however, most individuals also have dysthymic periods. The diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder is never made when there is a history of mania or major depressive episode or mixed episode (as told in "Blueprints in Psychiatry" - "mood disorders"). The lifetime prevalence of cyclothymic disorder is 0.4-1%. The rate appears equal in men or women, though women more often seek treatment."

I don't know, I also think that she has BPD but maybe because of the stigma assoicated with BPD has resulted in the psychologist giving her a possible diagnosis of Cyclothymia

What do you guys think?

The DSM-IV criteria in which you must have 5 of the 9 to meet the diagnosis of BPD

A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and

marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated

by five (or more) of the following:

1. frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or

self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.

2. a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating

between extremes of idealization and devaluation

3. identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self

4. impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex,

substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating

behavior covered in Criterion 5.

5. recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior

6. affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria,

irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days)

7. chronic feelings of emptiness

8. inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper,

constant anger, recurrent physical fights)

9. transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

I think Britney spears meets 8, 4, 9, 2 and 3.

ps - I have no qualifications in psychology/psychiatry whatsoever so this is only my amature speculation based on her behaviour on what is reported in the media.

If she did have BPD though, I think that in a way it would be good in the sense that she can bring excellent publicity to a condition that the public know nothing about.

[Warrior Princess]

I would also vote BPD for Britney... but most of her problem isn't mood disorders it's the drugs... if she would get clean she wouldn't show the bizzare moments any where near as much.

PW.

[bluebird]

I think she meets the criteria in 1 and 7 too.....?

I have also felt an empathy for Britney and her problems, I feel for her and I can see a person in pain.

It would be good if personality disorder was brought into focus and myths dispelled. I wish there were a celebrity who could bring the issue to the forefront as Stephen Fry has for bi-polar sufferers.

As it is we are wrongly judged/perceived, completely misunderstood and the public remain ignorant [as do some mental health professionals!]

But is society ready for it?

[Warrior Princess]

I think she meets the criteria in 1 and 7 too.....?

I have also felt an empathy for Britney and her problems, I feel for her and I can see a person in pain.

It would be good if personality disorder was brought into focus and myths dispelled. I wish there were a celebrity who could bring the issue to the forefront as Stephen Fry has for bi-polar sufferers.

As it is we are wrongly judged/perceived, completely misunderstood and the public remain ignorant [as do some mental health professionals!]

But is society ready for it?

Princess Di was said to have BPD but they won't say much on it because of the stima I suppose and because she was such a well likes personna they dont want to 'tarnish" her with the BPD label. <frown> if this was further explored it would help the BPD stima greatly but they with hold the info.

I think labeling Britney would not be good for the BPD stigma as she would be an example that many would dislike because of her actions. It would only make the label look worse if people compared us all to her. I have empathy for Britney too. I was not a fan of hers til I heard of her suffering. I know where she is coming from. She's made a bit of a public spectacle of herself though sadly.

PW.

[bluebird]

I agree with your point Paine Warrior - not good to use this label and not good for Britney to be held up as an example. I think someone 'recovered' would be a good ambassador though. I know someone who is an amazing personality and who is recovered, I'm sure she is one of many. Maybe it is time to air the subject in the media, maybe not.....

Very interesting point about Diana - I also felt great empathy for her too. maybe it's a case of having BPD radar.....

[icu_baby]

I think she meets the criteria in 1 and 7 too.....?

I have also felt an empathy for Britney and her problems, I feel for her and I can see a person in pain.

It would be good if personality disorder was brought into focus and myths dispelled. I wish there were a celebrity who could bring the issue to the forefront as Stephen Fry has for bi-polar sufferers.

As it is we are wrongly judged/perceived, completely misunderstood and the public remain ignorant [as do some mental health professionals!]

But is society ready for it?

It would be excellent if someone brought the condition to the forefront. I also sympathise with Britney because I know how she feels in a strange sort of way, her inner emotional turmoil. However I wish that we are also able to get the same amount of support as she has. After my second serious suicide attempt which landed me in a coma for 4 days only two months ago, I have only had one follow up meeting with a psychiatric reg and thats it. I went to my GP to get a psychiatrist and one won't be available until May. I can't get an earlier appointment because my case is not "urgent" enough - despite the fact that I almost died and I feel like I am deteriorating. But where I live mental health professoinals are not as willing to help people who suffer from BPD. It's an incredibly sad but true reality. If I had attempted suicide and I was diagnosed with Bi-polar then I would have gotten the help that I need so badly and straight away. When I was in hospital the nurses made very insentitive comments to me like how I could act the way I do. They blamed me for my downfall instead of my illness and that makes me quite resentful and untrusting of the mental health profession in the way they deal with BPD.

I also wish I was diagnosed with Bipolar II or cylothemia rather than BPD and then I wouldn't have been discriminated against because their is little understanding of the suffering assoicated with this very real and debilitating disease called BPD which deserves as much attention and recognition as other serious mental illnesses.

[yorkiegal73]

I do wish these psychologists, who have never met Britney, would stop making on the spot diagnosis of her. Not a dig at us here. We're not going on tv and pretending we know what we're talking about. I'll bet she sais she's bi polar. That seems to be the fashionable celeb condition at the moment. Having said that, it would be useful to see BPD talked about more openely and if Brit is, it might help.

[kib0ne]

But does she meet the general diagnostic criteria for a Personality Disorder, hmmmm?

[Warrior Princess]

But does she meet the general diagnostic criteria for a Personality Disorder, hmmmm?

To me she is more a woman with a drug problem... take away the drugs and lets see how many symptoms she has left.

Pw.

[Lily-Bee]

I agree with Paine, the drugs could do a lot of this............so off the drugs is when it will become clear if she has other problems or not.

Lilly

[kib0ne]

But does she meet the general diagnostic criteria for a Personality Disorder, hmmmm?

To me she is more a woman with a drug problem... take away the drugs and lets see how many symptoms she has left.

Pw.

*nods*

[rebeccaborderline]

Im not sure; dual diagnosis BPD and substance abuse is pretty common (Im an example). Sure the substance makes the behaviours way worse but can be a sympton/expression of whats underneath. When I was pissed out of my head I didnt act in ways that were alien to me, ! acted in ways that were normal to me eg S/H, just to greater extremes. That said, I dont think she can be sucessfully treated for any MH issue unless they address the substance abuse first.

I also think she's more BPD than bi-polar (not that I pretend to be an expert). I also agree BP seems to have become a bit of a fashionable celebrity kop-out, I dont believe some of them.

I understand that if she is BPD some people might think she's an awful role-model for it because she's so all over the place; but isnt that exactly the point? Mental illness isnt sanitised, as Stephen Fry tends to portray it a bit. Its not all massively talented people making great successes of their lives, going a bit off the rails then reforming to much applause; its real people, with real issues (eg Britneys childhood) coping with horrible experiences, shaming and humiliating themselves because their lives are so out of control....ring any bells??!! It certainly chimes with my life.

I wish the poor girl all the best and hope she gets the right help, forced on her initially if thats the only way; its awful to watch the destruction of someone. Amy Winehouse too (although that one I think is definately more drug-induced)

Thats my opinion anyway!

rebeccaborderline

[NickyP]

BPD for sure in my book, thought it for months.

[kib0ne]

Maybe I shouldn't even be reading this post, I don't follow celebrity really... so I wouldn't know anything about Brit Brit's childhood.

Imagine if she came here looking for support... I wonder how she'd feel about us talking about her.

[rain]

She seems to have had a happy childhood? Or am I wrong here?

[kib0ne]

Well my image of her during childhood is this Mickey Mouse smiley sunshine kid, ... devout Christian, that bakes and eats a lot of apple pie.

[rebeccaborderline]

maybe we're just seeing the same thing from a different angle...my impression of her is of an undereducated backwater family, pushy mother, dysfunction coming from somewhere if Britneys in the state she's in, lost her kids; and the younger sister following same route, pregnant at 16...I dont buy into this Mickey Mouse Club idyllic upbringing, I can't think of many childhoods less normal. But I don't really know.

rebeccaborderline

[rain]

Yeah, a little girl whose family loved her and who got to live out her dreams and be in the Mickey Mouse club. Jamie-Lynn seems to be happy too? I don't know, BPD isn't only just environmental factors, right? Anyway, this is just all speculation. I wish her the evry best anyway.

[rain]

Hmmm Rebecca has a point too.... Yeah, maybe all is not as it seems..

[bibiddi]

Whatever Britneys problems are, I hope she finds a way through it.

I cant imagine she had a very happy childhood.She had an agent at the age of 8 and was working away from her family, even when she was with Disney,she was still working.What kind of childhood was that?

I thought she had a volatile relationship with her mum, but I could be wrong.Then her innocence/ sexuality was used as a marketing campaign.

I gut feeling is that shes been used to make money, Britney as a person has been ignored,and Britney the product has been exploited.

Whatever demons she has, I hope she finds the strength to fight.

[kib0ne]

Yeah, I can see both sides of it I went to an all girl grammar school that churned out a lot of anorexics... but like I said I don't read into celebrity too much anyway. I really do wish her the best; 'get well soon Brit Brit if you're reading this'... and to be honest if I had paparazzi hounding me when I felt like a dog poo I'd probably give em a slap,... its bad enough when I get spotted off of Myspace. I really want her to fight, come through this and be stronger and put two fingers up to all those who didn't help her i.e. the press, I think that's what being a good role model is more about.

[Warrior Princess]

Oops she did it again!

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=374051

Hope she gets the help she needs.

Note the wreckless driving comment.

PW.

[Warrior Princess]

Well my image of her during childhood is this Mickey Mouse smiley sunshine kid, ... devout Christian, that bakes and eats a lot of apple pie.

sounds like my child hood!!!!

Kidding Kidding!

Pw.

[beamfrostold]

But does she meet the general diagnostic criteria for a Personality Disorder, hmmmm?

To me she is more a woman with a drug problem... take away the drugs and lets see how many symptoms she has left.

Pw.

yeah i quite agree i think her problem is drugs and if she came off them then she would be a new person.

[icu_baby]

Oops she did it again!

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=374051

Hope she gets the help she needs.

Note the wreckless driving comment.

PW.

haha Pain Warrior I am in Australia too! Yes I saw the news on channel 9.

Her psychiatrist put her in hospital because she was a danger to herself because of her reckless driving and her deteriorating condition. That sets a very low threshold for what makes a person a "danger to themselves and others". I have done much worse things to myself - like put myself in a coma for 3 days and on life support without being admitted into a psychiatric hospital. I am not complaining that I was not involuntarily detained but I didn't get the follow up support that I so badly needed which lead to my major relapse oinly 6 weeks later. I did get the crises team come to my house the next day but I had to arrange for my own psychiatrist/psychologist and I couldn't find one that I could make an appointment with. The thing that upsets me the most is when I called up the mental health team to ask them for a referal somewhere they said that I was no longer a client and that they their duty involved a 10min follow up call afterwards.

Do you think that if I was diagnosed with bipolar instead of bpd I would have been treated the same way. I think this is a serious issue which should be addressed?

icu_baby