The ability to perform on-stage is not a litmus test for mental health, not at all. There are countless examples of celebrities that were able to perform on-stage but unable to keep it together off stage (Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Marilyn Monroe, Anthony Bourdain, etc)
The real problem is that her fans who think they’re “defending” her are really just projecting their own shame of mental illness. What happened to removing the stigma around mental health? Britney is not less of a person, or a bad person, simply because she suffers from mental health issues.
From what I’ve seen, MC users that see evidence of her mental illness discuss it on this board, then others like yourself rush to her “defense” using nothing more than conjecture. Applying the claim that a drug-induced breakdown is likely treatable to Britney’s situation, while ignoring her stranger behavior, is ignorant. In many cases mental illness is treatable, but without a clear understanding of her situation you’re just assuming what you want to be true.
If you disagree with criticisms of her recent behavior as it relates her mental state, create an actual argument, made from something other than generalized statements and hypothetical situations.
reply
share
[deleted]
3 years ago
There are different degrees of mental illness, someone with the milder ones can certainly still perform... but if you are so far gone that you need a conservator to dictate your every move then you are clearly too far gone to be performing and the only reason someone that far gone would be performing would be because the conservator was just using them as a dancing monkey to make money and not giving a shit about their actual mental health.
reply
share
Abed303 (282)
3 years ago
Those are just more generalized statements. You have this idea that someone with mental illness should not be allowed to work a job or live a full life.
Brian Wilson, the lead singer of the Beach Boys has a conservatorship. He suffers from schizoaffective disorder and experiences auditory hallucinations (he hears voices). The Beach Boys still perform to this day, he’s even had to take time off to focus on his mental health. He enjoys performing, finds it fulfilling, and it provides him income as well. By your logic, he should have to choose between his career and his conservatorship.
Amanda Bynes is in a conservatorship as well. She has regained control over her finances, but her conservatorship still has control over her person and can make medical and housing decisions for her. If Amanda found an opportunity to work again and found it fulfilling, shouldn't she be allowed to pursue that?
Was Britney’s conservatorship abused by her father? That’s a very different question. I personally think her father did abuse his position, but that doesn’t speak to Britney’s mental state. Brian Wilson was in an abusive conservatorship, but when it was exposed he was appointed a new conservator. He still needed help, and the abuse he endured through his first conservatorship didn’t negate that.
This all comes back your own perception of mental illness; I’d argue that it needs adjustment.
reply
share
[deleted]
3 years ago
Actually your facts are a bit off. Brian Wilson's relationship with Landy wasn't a legal conservatorship it was more like a cult leader controlling someone that was already fucked up from possibly mental issues and more like from drug abuse. The only conservatorship was initiated by his wife to wrestle him away from the doctor. It is also not really clear that he suffers from mental illness as much as the effects of drugs as his first breakdown came after taking LSD in the 60s.
reply
share