How Has Worrying About Britney's Well Being Affected You?

[ElectricPlatypusLove]

I felt that having a corner to discuss the impact of Britney's career and conservatorship and #FreeBritney on us, the fans and our own mental health was an important topic.

Personally, Britney's trajectory has steered me clear of ever wanting to be famous. While I once grew up idolizing Britney the performer/star....seeing how things ended up for her made me think twice about persuing the entertainment industry further. 

Now as for this past 2 years of #FreeBritney era. The confusion and uncertainty have been hell for someone with anxiety and depression like me. It has been day after day after day of disturbing revelations about a woman I've never met but grew up idolizing, loving, and respecting. Every time a new topic is posted with some tidbit of information regarding the mistreatment of Miss Spears coming from ALL SIDES, I feel more anxious, frustrated, helpless, and jaded. Britney was once the highlight of a day: a 4 minute performance being a ray of sunshine amidst the dreary teenage years. But now every mention of Britney triggers depression/anxiety/confusion/anger. At this point I would prefer to flip a switch and no longer care. But that isn't a possibility. The worst part is with every piece of evidence we have gathered, there's still a slight fear that Britney is perfectly content, hates her fans, and would prefer we stream her Greatest Hits and stay out of her private life. It's been frazzling and tiring. 

 

I hope everyone has a good support network and the ability to care about Britney without it affecting your daily life. A lot of the conclusions we have drawn are deeply disturbing: Corrupt state courts, corrupt family members, absolutely ghoulishly evil "team members"....these are just such dark subjects for a fan base founded by such a vibrant, bright, upbeat soul. I'm interested to know how this has affected the other members here, in your daily lives, your mental health, and your vision of the world in general. 

 

 

[Neydelinska Spearsi]

Speaking just from my experience (idk about others) I feel like an as-hole for being happy and stanning britney-jamie bond during 08-09. Back then I was so happy and felt like he saved her life.

I bought all the merch and the album and tsc edition to support her. FTR - I adored it and now it feels like- watching a prisoned animal for 40 mins, not a documentary

 

I feel guilty and ****ty loving the circus era. I felt c-ship was the best thing happened to her... and by giving them my money through the years, I just fed the worst people around her. :(

[godneyjspears]

It's been a journey 

But I'll go through it all until Britney's happy 

[jordeezy river red]

I completely understand and get it - it paints the picture of a dystopia in which the court systems are corrupt and the media is playing watchdog for them instead of fighting for We The People and that is exactly what the world is in 2021. 

[jonloch1]

i mean, to say it has 'affect my mental health' is a bit of a strong exaggeration.  im a massive Britney fan and i do feel angry that shes under a cship even though she was 'well enough' to record albums, tour, do resedencies etc. but at the end of the day, i dont know Britney personally and so theres nothing i can do about it and to be fair, theres probably things i dont even know about. i do think, and please dont jump on me on this, i do think some fans are looking far too closely into her IG posts for clues and signs that shes 'not well' or shes 'trapped' when i think she genuinely looks happy, apart from all the cship battle stuff obviously. she looks happy when shes with Sam and her boys, i do not get people's problem with Sam, he still is there after 5 years and she looks happy around him and yet fans like to say well hes a gold digger. He has stuck up for Britney and she looks happy with him so again i feel like thats another things fans like to 'see a issue with' and its just tiring

What i find    difficult though and saying this makes some fans get their pitchforks out and go off on one, i really miss her music and i really am longing for a new album from her. But its such a conflicting feeling because i get why she doesnt wanna work whilst under the cship and i respect that. But its been nearly 5 whole years since her last album and i miss the excitement of a new Britney album being released  

[Frankie8]

It really affected me when it came out she was in the facility against her will and then seeing her pictures of when she was released and looking like a zombie. Then hearing Larry say she may never perform again. I thought what happened, is 2007 happening again but that now her mental state diminished and she no longer is right. I got mad learning more and more things weren't so good and that we had no idea.

The IG conspiracies tire me out cause I overthought them to where I started sometimes not watching a video cause I just didn't want to think about it. And some days like in 2019 I just didnt google Britney cause I didnt want to read anymore bad news. But now I follow what is happening, but sometimes I take a step back.

[Arianna]

This is probably not what you’re looking for but it’s made me bitter as a fan. I have defended her day in day out since Free Britney started and spent so much time and effort trying to spread the word and I feel constantly trolled by her and unappreciated. It’s exhausting. I probably sound absurd but it’s seriously beyond frustrating.

#Tea

[PokemonSpears]

I mean, it obviously makes me sad that she's in this situation, and that us as fans are also going through this, while other people are enjoying their faves thriving in their careers, looking after the new releases, videos, performances, photoshoots, etc. Like, I still think about what someone said that Taylor fans were having huge discussions about some fictional characters on her songs? They really don't know what we go through being fans of Britney. And of course I don't say it to blame it on Britney, but you know what I mean. She always brought joy to me with everything that she did, and now we can't even enjoy a new Instagram post.

 

I feel bad but at the same time, I think despite everything, she's not suffering as much as many people may believe. I'm not saying the conservatorship is ok or that we shouldn't be fighting against it, what I say is within her possibilities, and despite all the ****ed up situation she's in at the bigger picture, I genuinely believe she lives a "happy" day-to-day life, and even more now that she's on a hiatus. She may not have her kids every day, but it's definitely not as bad as back in 2007 when they were just babies. I mean, they're older now and even if they lived with her, she probably wouldn't see them that often because as teenagers they most likely start looking to be left alone in their rooms or whatever. And she also has Sam. Again, I'm not saying this is an ideal situation or that it should stay like this, no, but while it changes into something better, it definitely isn't as bad, as to say that she's suffering every day or something. I mean, who knows, but I definitely doubt it. I don't think she would've resisted all these years if she hadn't developed some sort of coping mechanism already, in order to be numbed, so to speak, to this situation. 

So no, it doesn't affect me to that level of mental distress, but of course I'm concerned and disgusted at the facts, and I want this to be over, for her, even if she retires indefinitely after that. We will always have everything she's already done, and that's why I keep doing all these annoying anniversary posts, not to distract or take away from the current situation, but to remind me and all of us that we're all here for every single one of those things she did in her career, every album, every song, every video, every performance, and that has to inspire us to keep fighting for her, praying that everything is solved in her favor as soon as possible, that justice is served. She deserves it, because I mean, every human being does, but especially her for all the joy she's brought us through the years.

[phareezy]

It's made me more of an activist, not just for her rights, but in general. There are a ton of injustices happening around the world and I used to take the very privileged approach of hoping someone else would fix it. That's not ok. I really had my eyes opened a few years ago  with certain events that happened in America that I won't detail here so as not to bring politics into the conversation, but I realized a lot of Americans really are very passive when it comes to politics and have very close minded ways of thinking. I always knew it was there but I had hoped we were moving to a place beyond that. I was very wrong.

But back to Britney. Conservatorship abuse isn't anything I ever thought about until her situation, but now it's something that crosses my mind all the time. I hate it's happening to her and I hate that if it wasn't happening to her I probably wouldn't even know about it nor would I be doing anything to stop it. Really, it makes you think about other injustices happening to people right under our noses.

I'd say I'm embarrassed for partaking in Britney's brand all these years knowing what was going on and not even trying to really understand what it meant for her and how she felt. I like having this space to come and talk about her and what's going on so it doesn't spill into my other worlds where people will think I'm insane as they aren't following the shadiness as closely

It's also yet another great lesson in the art of the PR spin and how we really don't ever know the full story. 

[mannequinn]

it’s pretty frustrating to see my favorite singer go through all this bs but i don’t think i’m losing sleep or crying over this yk 

[nthenwkiss]

funny that you mention it, cause I've been going crazy too. - it has definitely affected me at a personal level.

[Frankie8]

19 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

We will always have everything she's already done, and that's why I keep doing all these annoying anniversary posts, not to distract or take away from the current situation, but to remind me and all of us that we're all here for every single one of those things she did in her career, every album, every song, every video, every performance, and that has to inspire us to keep fighting for her, praying that everything is solved in her favor as soon as possible, that justice is served. She deserves it, because I mean, every human being does, but especially her for all the joy she's brought us through the years.

Those anniversary posts aren't annoying!  I like reading them to be reminded of something I may have forgotten or may have missed if it was a foreign tv show that I could not see.

[PokemonSpears]

14 minutes ago, Frankie8 said:

Those anniversary posts aren't annoying!  I like reading them to be reminded of something I may have forgotten or may have missed if it was a foreign tv show that I could not see.

that's glad to hear

it's just I know there are some people that don't really like them. I'll keep doing them anyways

[Peachy]

The whole Britney thing has depressed and scared me for a long time. I see similarities in myself and Britney for sure that pains me. 

[s&m]

Some exhales must be really tired because they currently are judges, lawyers and doctors 

[nthenwkiss]

now do you imagine the day she's free? omg i think i'll die - all the headlines will read "britney is finally free" and basically the whole world will celebrate, it'll be like a worldwide holiday. 

[BRITannico]

On 4/18/2021 at 5:31 AM, Grumpy Cat said:

I feel guilty and ****ty loving the circus era. I felt c-ship was the best thing happened to her... and by giving them my money through the years, I just fed the worst people around her. :(

I know where you coming from, I feel the same way, but I try to think it was not our fault, that’s the narrative her team sold to us and they played the cards really well, specially back then when we were all scared of her situation, scared of accessing the internet and finding out she was not longer with us. They knew all of this and making her dad the hero of here life was really smart.

I remember talking to my friend and saying something like, omg I am so happy Britney is fine and has her dad taking care of her,  nothing better than having family around. Little did I know.

So do not blame yourself for that, we did not have anything to prove something was off until the Britney’s gram voice mail.

And yes, her situation has really affected me, it is really disturbing and sometimes I feel like I need to take a step back, take a break, because it has drained my energy multiple times. I come in here and do not comment on stuff regarding her conservatorship or even read the whole thread.
I need to take care of myself to continue to fight for her freedom.