In early March, Britney Spears’ DUI arrest was a wake-up call for her.
Amidst a frenzy of media coverage, she’s doing something very smart for herself.
Britney has checked into rehab.
That’s a brave choice for anyone — but especially for someone who was, for so many years, controlled and medicated against her will.
Rehab sounds like a great reset
On Sunday, April 12, a representative for Britney confirmed to Page Six that the beloved singer has voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility.
Celebrity Intelligence with Dan Wakeford was the first to report that she was seeking treatment.
She is in rehab for substance abuse following her March 4 DUI charge.
We do not know what the duration of her stay at the facility will be.
But everyone feels very encouraged that Britney is doing the right thing for herself.
In the weeks following Britney’s DUI arrest, she has received a lot of support.
Her young adult sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, have supported their mom, spending time with her.
Britney herself reportedly saw the event as a wake-up call — and felt deeply embarrassed.
Obviously, anyone would feel humiliated if they spent the night in jail on a charge like this.
But Britney knows that she has millions of eyes on her. That magnifies just about everything, including feelings of shame.
Over a dozen years under a conservatorship makes things harder, even now
Some have asked — as we so often ask when it comes to wealthy celebrities and driving-related infractions — why someone with that level of money is driving themselves at all.
Britney, however, is an exception.
For most of her adult life, Britney was under strict control. Her diet was regulated, her vacations had to be approved, and she was unable to drive her own cars.
It’s true that Britney driving has led to her arrest. And that sucks!
But, though we hope that she will hire a driver in the future (just to be safe), we can understand why she wanted to be behind the wheel by herself after so many years of being forced to be a passenger princess.
Relatedly, Britney attending rehab is a huge step — and probably a very scary decision for her to make.
For years, she could not make her own medical choices. This included being medicated and institutionalized against her will.
With years and years of medical trauma, the idea of “rehab” probably sounds like another gilded cage in Britney’s mind.
The good news is that wealthy celebrities checking themselves into rehab is very different from a conservator doing so on their behalf.
We’re so happy for Britney. It’s good that she recognized that she needed treatment and is taking this step to improve her life.
Her next court date is in May
Some have cynically suggested that Britney is only checking herself into a treatment facility in preparation for her court date.
Britney is due to appear before the judge on May 4 — yes, Star Wars day — over her DUI charge.
It is possible that her legal team advised her to take this step as a calculated move to show that she’s getting help.
But, if so … then she’s still getting help. And that’s great.
Unlike most celebrities her age, Britney was locked down for most of her adult life. This means that she’s playing catch-up on living as an adult. We’re glad that no one’s been harmed along the way.