Tuesday, February 20, 2007

I know just how you feel, Britney

Do you think Britney Spears has borderline personality disorder?

While, on one level, I am extremely annoyed at the woman's actions and the way she seems to be self destructing, another part of me says "Wow, that poor woman seems to be self destructing, I wish I knew how to help."

I don't follow the whole saga, but the act of going into a hair salon and grabbing the clippers to shave her head indicates to me a woman out of control, and someone very angry, full of self-hatred, someone who loathes the way things are and wants to shock herself out of it.

Do you remember her on David Letterman last fall? All sweetness and light. Such a polite, funny, fun person, so happy and clear-eyed. Contrast that with the tabloid images of her today.

I am usually really hesitant to talk about BPD and celebrity, movies, whatever. It seems that the portrayal of the disorder in popular media is one of deep ignorance. What I know about Britney is that the look in her eyes on that video, the way she looks at herself in the mirror, struck something in me. I saw something that clicked and I said "Oh my god, she's BPD." I think the difference in the way I mean it versus the way the popular media portrays such things (i.e. the way they called the astronaut who flipped out "borderline") is that they mean it pejoratively while I mean it as a recognition of something wrong that CAN BE FIXED.

2 comments:

Amanda said...

During the most self-destructive phase of my life, a weirdo asked to do a G.I. Jane on my butt-long hair.

I let him.

That was the turning point.

I hope it will be the same for her.

DrivingMissMolly said...

Hi! This is the first time I've read your blog. I soooooooo thought this about Britney as well. For about 6 months I've been battling the desire to cut all my hair off. Not to shave it, but just cut it.

I wanted a sign to show my pain and distress and self-hate. Mental illness is so hard and people can't see so they don't believe...

I too am a PBB. I also have MDD and GAD.

Take care!

Lily