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'Gravely Disabled' Spears in Psych Ward

Posted: 2008-02-01 18:19:38

Filed Under: Britney Spears, Star Scandals, Music News

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 1) - With Britney Spears whisked out of the public spotlight Thursday and committed to a hospital psychiatric ward, it's now up to a team of professional caregivers to reverse her seemingly endless downward spiral.

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Britney's Ups and Downs

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Britney Spears' lawyer told a court that it would be "harmful" for the singer to participate in a July 31 hearing regarding her conservatorship case because her health condition is still "fluid."

Fast & Furious Britney Updates: Breaking News from TMZ

Spears, accompanied by more than a dozen police officers, was taken to the UCLA Medical Center before dawn Thursday in what one officer would only say was an effort to "get help" for the troubled pop star.

Sources tell TMZ that the pop starlett has been classified as "G.D." -- gravely disabled. "That means the patient is unable to take care of basic needs, such as the acquisition of food, clothing or shelter," the site said.

It was her second 72-hour commitment in four weeks, though her previous stay lasted less than two days and was followed by more strange episodes that have accompanied her divorce and bruising child custody battle.

Outrageous Britney Pics

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Britney Spears struck a rose pose with a December 2007 issue of Vanity Fair. Julia Roberts graced the cover and offered to care for the troubled pop star in the interview.

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Britney Spears enjoys a day of body surfing in Costa Rica. She's spending a few days at Mel Gibson' s property with agent Jason Trawick.

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Britney Spears with agent Jason Trawick on the beach in Costa Rica.

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Spears takes a spin with agent Jason Trawick in Costa Rica.

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Spears raised eyebrows by jetting off to Costa Rica with Mel Gibson. Jumping to conclusions? Get your mind out of the gutter. Britney's dad's taking the trip with them.

X17online.com / AP

Britney's all smiles after a minor fender bender in Los Angeles on May 13. Her car accident didn't keep her from hitting the gym or recording studio on the same day.

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Britney tried to hide her belly at a Culver City gym on May 13.

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What's with hiding the belly. She's at it again outside of a recording studio on May 13.

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The law allows a person to be placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold for up to 72 hours if they are believed to be a danger to themselves or others. Spears' mother, Lynne Spears, was seen leaving the medical center's psychiatric hospital about 5:30 a.m. Asked if her daughter was all right, she replied, "Yeah."

Under the law, doctors may keep an individual under round-the-clock observation but may not medicate the person without his or her permission unless there appears to be grave danger, said Dr. Bruce Spring, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Southern California.

"The hold is not a carte blanche for treatment," said Spring, who is not connected to Spears' case.

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Meanwhile, the father of Spears was named her temporary conservator Friday, putting him in control of her welfare a day after she was whisked to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

While James Spears was named conservator of the troubled pop star herself, he and an attorney, Andrew Wallete, were name conservators of her estate. The singer's mother Lynne Spears, was also in court.

The court also issued a restraining order against Britney Spears' sometimes manager and friend, Sam Lutfi, and gave permission to change the locks on her estate and remove anyone who is there.

A court creates conservatorships when a person cannot care for themselves or handle their affairs.

Jae C. Hong, AP

whenever young girl stars
came on my show
i tried to warn them
go to school

follow jodie
she did it
u can too
save urself

she was parkers age when i met her
lil souther girl with a tiny twang
yes maam she smiled
adorable

she wanted it
the mothers always said
as way of both apology and explaination
in the dressing room

vivi would
if i let her
support r family
with her light and talent

its not mine 2 sell

they could not have known
at the start
that this would b the result
it is sold as the answer

if i had a magic wand
i would will her the strength
windex all windows
watch the sun warm her soul

clear
they scream in er?s
u can be jolted back 2 life
then cared 4 thru full repair

staph infection
blood clot
drug addiction
columbine

only the most brave
go into the big waves
even mark foo
went under

all together now
we pray

Source: Rosie.com

Spears' public emotional spiral began in November 2006 when she filed for divorce from Kevin Federline, the father of her infant sons, 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston.

Neither Spears' attorney nor Federline's lawyer immediately returned calls for comment on her hospitalization. The pop star's spokeswoman declined to comment.

It was not immediately clear who initiated Spears' commitment process. The latest effort to get her help comes as various people in her life appear to be jockeying for influence, from her immediate family to two men who have recently surfaced.

One, Sam Lutfi, has described himself as Spears' manager and "very good friend." Lutfi was seen leaving the hospital around 7:30 p.m. When paparazzi asked him about Spears' condition, he replied, "She's great, she's fine."

Earlier this week, Barbara Walters said on ABC's "The View" that Lutfi had contacted the veteran newswoman and told her that Spears saw a psychiatrist and "is starting some kind of treatment."

The other is Adnan Ghalib, a paparazzi photographer who recently announced that he is Spears' boyfriend. Soon after that announcement, Ghalib's wife of four years filed for a legal separation.

Ghalib has been seen escorting Spears on shopping excursions, restaurant outings and to court during her ongoing child-custody battle with Federline. He reportedly followed the motorcade to the hospital with Spears' mother.

The pop star was seen arriving in an ambulance, accompanied by the type of escort normally reserved for a president. Nearly a dozen officers on motorcycles, as well as more in police cars and in a pair of helicopters hovering overhead, shepherded her to the hospital.

UCLA spokeswoman Roxanne Moster, citing patient confidentiality laws, declined to say whether Spears was at the hospital Thursday.

Generally, a person on psychiatric hold receives a physical and mental evaluation and undergoes tests that can include X-rays and blood samples. Doctors can also recommend a course of treatment during that time.

If a person is still considered a danger after the initial hold, doctors can extend the confinement to up to 14 more days and a court-ordered hearing is held at the hospital during that time to determine if the person should be let go.

An estimated 40 to 100 people are committed against their will in Los Angeles County every day, Spring said. Most, however, arrive with only an escort of two police officers or a psychiatric mobile response team.

"It's unusual that there would be a parade of people," Spring said of the circus-like atmosphere under which Spears arrived. Her visit drew complaints from neighbors who contacted the Federal Aviation Administration about the helicopters.

Police Capt. Sharyn Buck said some people complained, but the motorcade was provided to get Spears through a paparazzi swarm without endangering her or the public.

"It's not preferential treatment by the LAPD, it's protecting public safety," Buck said.

Because paparazzi photographers trail Spears' every public move, she is forced to conduct almost all of her life in the equivalent of a moving fish bowl. As the world has watched, her behavior has gotten increasingly erratic.

Earlier this week, she was videotaped speaking in a faux British accent as she ordered Lutfi out of the driver's seat of her black Mercedez-Benz, shouting at him, "I want to drive my f------ car."

At other times she has arrived at public events in short skirts and without underwear, shaved her head bald, ran over a photographer's foot, left the scene of a fender bender, flogged another car with an umbrella and abandoned a car in traffic when it had a flat tire. Earlier this week, she was photographed holding her pet dog and crying.

Spears was hospitalized on Jan. 3 after police were called to her home when she refused to return her children to Federline following a visit. That episode resulted in her losing custody of her sons.

As she was about to leave the hospital the first time, Spears was confronted by TV personality "Dr." Phil McGraw, who said he was sent there by her family. At one point, McGraw had planned an episode of the "Dr. Phil" show about Spears, but quickly abandoned the idea amid criticism that he was exploiting her problems. He has since apologized for discussing his visit publicly - but not for going to see her.

Meanwhile, another hearing in Spears' child-custody case was scheduled last week but she didn't attend.

She arrived at the courthouse wearing a short, black party dress, bright pink lipstick, shiny gold platform shoes and sunglasses. But after passing through the courthouse metal detector, she announced, "I want to leave" and returned to her car.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-01-31 07:11:51

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4381 comments

Johnybatszz1595 04:14:46 PM Feb 15 2008

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i really feel bad for her. its the poperazzi that is messing her up. yea she shaved her head and said if the cops touch her kids she will kill the kids before they get thier hands on them but she is depressed cause of the poperazzi.and i hpoe 1 day they relize that

FamilyThorne 10:49:01 AM Feb 15 2008

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Brittany needs to do what solja boy tell everyone who gets on his nerves and all the cameras to YAHH YAHH YAHH trick yahh yahh trick

Equestrienne13 08:39:28 PM Feb 14 2008

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People are waaaaaaay too obsessed with her!

JenGirl1988 02:21:53 PM Feb 14 2008

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Should you ever meet Britney, Jamie Lynn, their brother Bryan (yes, they have a brother), or one of their parents, all you have to do is...well, the rest is up to you. I'd attach a ball and chain to their ankle to remind them of what a wreck the Spears family name has become.

Tsoccergirl6 05:05:24 PM Feb 13 2008

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britney is wack and needs major help if she is goin 2 get any better

GriffinNorth 03:56:20 PM Feb 13 2008

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I just have 1 responce to all this.....XD

Alliwix 07:31:00 PM Feb 12 2008

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Britney's breakdown started a long time ago, she has been broken by fame, and the meidia. Her base that she started on, music, is dissolved. Now her fame is only held together by her crazy actions that are taken in glory by the press. I feel sorry for her she needs a helping hand don't bash her.

Ninapatina2 09:51:43 PM Feb 11 2008

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there are people in the world who are 20 million times worse then Britney and just cause shes famous you have to judge her like nobodys ever done anything worse?

Ninapatina2 09:50:14 PM Feb 11 2008

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****************all the poperazi gathered up to her house when she was taken by the resque squad so they could get the "death shot" is that not discusting and disturbing theres another reason shes so wacking shes got scum bags following her every where she goes and people like you who call her pot heads and you dnt even know the girl to judge her well enough so just give her a break

Ninapatina2 09:44:49 PM Feb 11 2008

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ok if you really want to know why britney spears is so messed up read this!!!!!!!!!
so Britney has absolutley NOONE! All of her friends family boy friends aggents MOTHER and everyone has always used her. These people who Britney is "close" to tell her to do drugs and drink alot so she can get her picture taken, when she gets her picture taken the people who are using her get in the shot and they get lots of money. Everyone in Britneys life has used her for her money from J.T. way back when to her own mother. Britney's mom is phycotyic, she sold the story of Jamie Lynne to OKAY for 1 million $ before telling any of her family. Britney has absolutly no one in her life that she can turn to and you wonder why she's so messed up?

ZackPierce1 06:52:37 PM Feb 10 2008

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britny spears is just a pot hea dand she will alaws be a drugy

BrownieQueen123 01:08:23 PM Feb 10 2008

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Brittany is a very bad exampple for little kids, incluiding her own, that is terrible what she does.I use to love her, BUT NOW I HATE HER

BlackBeauty5954 05:09:38 PM Feb 09 2008

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I feel relly relly bad4her!!!
She is probably a great person with little troubles but the poperazzi is jjst crushing her. And i hope they realize it!!!!!!!

KeElYiMe49 04:58:26 PM Feb 09 2008

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no really she needs some help . if the media would jus get off her and let her live maby she wouldn' be living off he attention. she doesn't need to go to any hospital for mental treatment. what she needs is a good and healthly dose of realty. ths isnt a game the is the real world and we dont have time to waste it

Kalyn0405 07:43:25 AM Feb 09 2008

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britteney won't get the help she needs because she is so retarted and stupid she already messed up her life like fiffteen years ago and she thinks that she needs to look better but she's making her look worse she has to much make-up and nips and tucks! sorry' gotta take care of a baby.bye

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