On Sunday, April 12th, the American press reported that Britney Spears had been admitted to a detox center. This decision comes a little over a month after her arrest for driving under the influence. In early March, the California Highway Patrol had stopped the singer in the middle of the night as she was speeding. Police officers told TMZ that she showed signs of impairment and had a substance in her vehicle, without specifying what it was. After a brief detention, the singer of the song “Radar” was released. Authorities did not specify whether the offense involved alcohol or drugs.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Britney Spears is scheduled to appear in court on May 4th. Her team quickly responded, calling the events “an unfortunate and totally inexcusable incident” while stating that she would take the necessary steps and comply with the law, in a statement sent to Deadline. Several American media outlets now claim that the 44-year-old artist voluntarily checked into a treatment facility, without the precise reasons or date of her admission being known.
Britney Spears admitted to a detox center: how did her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, react to the news?
In a relationship and then married to Kevin Federline from 2004 to 2007, with whom she has two children, Britney Spears wrote in her book, “La Femme en moi”, that not everything was smooth between her and her ex. The singer wrote that the dancer had “taken her world” by gaining custody of their sons, and that her family had let her down. On Monday, April 13th, Kevin Federline reacted to the star’s admission to a detox center and supported this decision. His lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told TMZ: “Kevin is aware that she has checked into a detox facility. If she needs help, he is glad she is getting it, and that this decision seems to have been made of her own initiative, and not imposed by others, if that is indeed the case.”
He added: “The essential thing is that she follows the recommended treatment program and sees it through.” According to a source close to the former X Factor judge, entering a detox center now could show a judge that she is taking the situation seriously. Her family, including her sons, reportedly strongly support this decision. The duration of her stay remains uncertain: while many programs last about 1 month, some sources suggest that she might stay longer this time, to engage in a deeper recovery process.
Why is Britney Spears’ mental health worrying her entourage?
In her autobiography, “La Femme en moi”, Britney Spears talked about her relationship with Justin Timberlake, media pressure, and her relationship with alcohol, stating that she enjoyed drinking without losing control. She also mentioned taking Adderall, a treatment prescribed for attention disorders, describing some of its effects. After her highly publicized downfall in 2007, the singer was placed under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie Spears, who then managed her finances and part of her personal life. This arrangement was contested for years by her fans, united under the Free Britney movement, until it was lifted in 2021 by the American justice system.
Since then, several incidents have raised concerns about her well-being. In 2023, the police intervened after a video surfaced of her dancing with knives on her Instagram account, which she later claimed were fake. The following year, emergency services were called to her hotel room after an injury to her ankle following an altercation with her then-partner. Behind the spotlight and controversies, the main focus is on a woman’s struggle to regain control of her life.
