In the Britney Spears memoir, “The Woman in Me,” she talks about being forced to take Lithium during the infamous conservatorship, and she explains how it affected her.
Britney describes the conservatorship as being abusive and controlling. Her father imprisoned her for 13 years. Spears recounts all the horrendous details of that time.
Britney’s Experience with Lithium
Britney said her psychiatrist in the mental institution took her off Prozac, which she had been taking for five years, and put her on Lithium. The “Toxic” hitmaker explained, “Lithium is a very, very strong and completely different medication than what I was used to.”
Lithium is a mood stabilizer usually given to people with bipolar disorder. It is also sometimes used in severe cases in which the person is contemplating suicide. It’s a serious drug.
“He put me on that, and I felt drunk,”
Britney said.
“I couldn’t even have a conversation with my Mom or Dad, really about anything.”
The drug can be lifesaving to people who need it. Still, it also comes with some intense side effects, like headaches, disorientation, and dizziness, and some patients even report it can cause an overall state of indifference, which can kill someone’s creativity.
Britney Spears explains that she felt she had lost her creative spark during that time. If a person takes Lithium for an extended period, it can lead to kidney or thyroid issues.
There was also a lack of consent throughout the conservatorship and how Spears was treated. If she hadn’t been in the conservatorship and in the hospital, she would have the right to consent or refuse treatment.
Britney could have been afforded more options. However, when one is placed in a conservatorship, many fundamental human rights are taken away.
Lithium triggers different reactions in people. For Britney, it was very draining and debilitating. The feeling of being “drunk” was overwhelming for Spears. She says she felt extremely “slow” and “lethargic.”
Britney Spears Explained in Court What Her Life on the Conservatorship Was Like
When the “I’m a Slave for You” singer tried to explain to her father the side effects she was experiencing, he wasn’t concerned at all. He told Britney that since she didn’t pass her psych exam, she was going to be sent to rehab.
According to testimony from Spears, which was taken in court during the trial to end her conservatorship, she said six nurses were sent to her house to “monitor” the pop icon, and they wouldn’t allow Britney to leave the house alone.
She said that her family did nothing to help her, and her dad made sure that anything that happened had to be approved by him.
During the court proceedings, Britney said,
“I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does.”
It was during this frightening time in the “Baby One More Time” singer’s life that it occurred to her that Lithium was the medication that her grandma Emma Jean, who later committed suicide, had been on.
The Free Britney campaign played a significant role in helping Britney speak her truth and earn her freedom. The judge ruled in her favor, and in November 2021, the conservatorship ended.
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