On CNN.com, just under tonight’s caucus headlines is this breaking news item: Britney Spears taken to hospital for tests. The short article says this:

Doctors at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles will decide whether to invoke a California law that allows a patient to be held for psychological evaluation for 72 hours, the police spokesman said.

The best thing that could happen to Britney Spears right now is a 72-hour hold. I’m not here to criticize her because I think she’s desperately in need of some solid psychological evaluation and treatment, but really, it’s time for her to step up and accept some real help. Having fawning staffers tell her she can skip out on custody hearings, endanger her kids, and behave badly every chance she gets is not doing Britney or her children any good. Not that she’s really been on the road to stability lately, but this past week has been especially bad for her and getting worse. If there is a way to get her into a hold, at least there’s the chance for some kind of breakthrough for her.

I wrote about the possibility of a bipolar disorder diagnosis for Britney almost a year ago. The comments left on that post by others who have bipolar disorder or have a loved one with it are poignant and telling. They’ve been there, lived it, know what it’s about far better than I. So if this is really a possibility for Britney Spears, I’m hoping perhaps she’s at a point where she will allow professionals to help her get stabilized, diagnosed and treated, because it’s hard to watch someone with her talent and youth waste it the way she has for the past couple of years. If she’s in a tailspin, I hope tonight begins the reversal.

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