It is easier to claim craziness than admit depression and express personal hardship; especially if your pain is front page news on every gossip media outlet available. The stigma of mental illness can ruin a person and their career. Unfortunately, it is a disease that few understand and many judge. Based on Britney Spears’s past behavior and confessions, one may assume that she was and is currently dealing with issues surrounding depression, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and postpartum . For some reason, the general public forgets that celebrities deal with varying degree’s of mental illness too. The list is extensive when it comes to Britney’s troubles and rebellion; however, her problems probably began much sooner than adulthood.

Money. Success. Youth. Glamour. Beauty. Expensive clothes. Fabulous shoes. Trendy purses. Handsome boyfriends. These words are tags assigned to Britney when she was at the top of her game. Her handlers coached her to be the picture of perfection. The girls that wanted to be her and the boys that wanted to date her did not know that there was a storm brewing inside of her that would eventually erupt into volcanic proportions.

During Britney’s childhood, she learned how to be an adult. She had the problems of a grown-up yet struggled with dilemma’s of a teenager. Britney strived to bring in the dough but also related to every teenage girl: peer pressure, boys, and “looks.” On the surface, Britney balanced everything perfectly. She was forced to reverse roles with her father while he battled alcohol addiction – she was the adult while he regressed to being a child. She resented her mother for allowing the role reversal and stress to occur. Yet, Britney was also dating the most famously talented and popular boy band member of her time, Justin Timberlake. For years, she seemed to have it all.

Hardly anyone saw it coming- Britney’s demise, that is. Marriage, babies, and denial. When Britney finally filed for divorce from her seemingly gold-digging husband, Kevin Federline, the world erupted in applause. We were happy but was she? Caught up in our own emotions of glee, we failed to realize Britney’s emotional downfall. It quickly became apparent that as a child, Britney had not been taught how to effectively deal with grief. Instead, she mourned her relationship with Kevin at the bars. She flashed her “goods,” shaved her head, entered rehab, wrecked cars, failed to parent, and dated the paparazzi in order to feel like she was in control of her life yet rebel against order at the same time. These incidents exhibited her confusion, pain, depression, anxiety, postpartum and post-traumatic stress disorders.

I’ve heard many people ask, “How can Britney give up on her children?” My response is that she didn’t. She gave up on herself which led to the worst instance that could happen to a mother: losing her children. It is easy to call Britney “crazy” and sometimes I did too, but “crazy” is not equivalent to mental illness. Simply put, Britney needs help and it seems like she is finally getting it. One does not have to be a fan of Britney’s in order to empathize and wish her well. As a non-fan but kind spirit, I give a shout out of goodwill to you Britney.