Britney's Early Diagnosis

The doctors at Promises (rehab center for the stars) have made an early diagnosis on what may be the cause of Britney's meltdown.

Sources tell TMZ that Britney's doctors have two operating theories -- either that she suffers from post-partum depression or bipolar disorder. The doctors strongly believe post-partum is the problem.

If this is the case then I think it's very sad that no one around her (especially her mother) saw the signs and tried to get her help before she completed broke down. After my sister had her first baby (and her second) everyone around her was very aware to look for signs that she was feeling depressed and/or overwhelmed. Anytime she seemed blue we jumped in and lended an extra hand or asked if she wanted a break or to talk.

We're told doctors believe Spears' problem is complicated by an intense feeling on her part that she has lost control of her life.

Okay, now I feel really sympathetic towards Britney. I hope she gets the help she needs. I knew someone who suffered from serious post-partum depression and her husband, who is very religious, chalked it up to her not praying enough and being self-indulgent. When he finally consented to her seeing a psychiatrist, the shrink suggested that the husband needed to help out more with household chores and with the new baby (their third) and that her depression was aggravated by a feeling like she was raising their kids all alone. Hubby immediately stopped attending the sessions and made the wife feel guilty for even thinking that her problem could be cured by medicine. While she was in this depressed period, she was extremely susceptible to feeling like everything was her fault, to believing whatever her husband told her; she had no confidence in her own thoughts and feelings - she was unable to make any decisions on her own.

I can see how Britney wound up in this situation. Her second pregnancy wasn't planned so as much as she loves the baby, there could be some residual resentment that her career was being damaged by the timing of it all. If she started feeling depressed almost right after she had the baby, it definitely could have affected her marriage. Once her marriage feel apart, she started partying and dated the guy who eventually sold her out for $100K. Anyway, it's pretty obvious that something more than just drinking too much is at the root of her problems.