No offense taken, P/J.

I have no answer or opinion for you regarding differential diagnosis that include postpartum depression or about any diagnosis that may be made by popular demand.

I would, however, like to share a family story about what it is like to live with a person similar to Britney Spears.

My daughter-in-law copes poorly with the responsibilities of caring for her two children. One day our DIL called to ask us to take the grandboys: "They deserve better than someone who yells at them and who is afraid all the time." Since that day a little over two years ago my husband and I have had the privilege of parenting young children again.

Our DIL has made little progress under the care of a medical doctor, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist. Neither medication, individual counseling sessions, nor participation in (two!) series of dialectical behavorial therapy courses has changed her approach to living.

Our son is at his wit's end. He loves his wife. He loves his chldren. He knows he cannot keep his children safe in his own home. So his children live 300 miles away. And he wonders about his marriage vows...

Our son and DIL speak with their children via telephone every evening. During school breaks they take the boys home with them - but our son ensures that he is either on vacation himself or that someone is immediately available to assume the care of the boys. When son and DIL return the boys to us, DIL cannot wait to leave our house. Our son is weary of carrying the grief of his wife's mental illness.

I suppose a differential diagnosis of borderline personality disorder vs antisocial personality disorder vs histrionic personality disorder vs anxiety disorder is in order. But does it really matter? Our DIL is not capable of being a wife or mother. Our son married "for better or worse." And so we grandparents laugh with our grandchildren - and cry with our son.

Joy

That's another very good example, Julie. I'm afraid for Amy Winehouse. She will be dead soon if she doesn't accept help.

MJ

__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana.

http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com

Hopefully she has as she has just been in rehab.

But you are right MJ

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Julie
http://www.lifeinthenhs.wordpress.com

Thankyou for that story Julie.

I don't know much about Amy Winhouse, I though that she just had some drug problems. Is it worse than that? On the weekend they were saying that they wanted her to go back into rehab (as she had just come out last month?) but she was refusing to.

There is another artist out there who is having trouble with drugs, however I can't remember his name. Scruffy looking, always looks stoned, wears a homburg most of the time.

__________________
'Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiselingand scraping and polishing. - BC Forbes'

No she came out at the weekend having just been in. We'll see if it has done any good. Her husband is still in prison and no doubt she is still living in the same way. She looks a mess not helped by her peroxide hair

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Julie
http://www.lifeinthenhs.wordpress.com

Post Partum depression sucks.

I had it after all three kids AND a miscarriage. I could barely move, I cried continuously for weeks, was very anxious about the baby - couldn't sleep because I was afraid I'd miss a cry...I'd be okay if my mom was around but if it was just John and I it would hit again.

Interestingly, it was relieved by a shot of B12. I have no idea why, it could not have been a placebo effect because I did not expect it would work. My mom had just heard about that treatment on TV and my OB was willing to try it.

Oh, and P/J, I have to laugh - you wrote "ligament ADD" - I had no idea ligaments could have attention deficit I'm sure you meant "legitimate". Sorry, I could not resist.

__________________
The ER is the only place where you are rewarded for efficiency by getting more patients!

Kim
http://www.emergiblog.com

Regarding Ian's very good post on growing up in the spotlight:

Not only was Justin Timberlake in that "class", but so was Christina Augilera and JC Chasez (from N'Sync).

I agree that Britney probably did not grow up learning any coping skills.

I think the first sign was the marriage to her old friend in Vegas that was annulled within 2 days...

But hindsight is 20/20....

__________________
The ER is the only place where you are rewarded for efficiency by getting more patients!

Kim
http://www.emergiblog.com

I have heard of this as well. I was put onto Vit B suppliments by my natropath as I can sometimes get very moody at times.

Hey what can I say, I like to involve the whole body in a diagnosis and feel that ligaments get left out too often

__________________
'Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiselingand scraping and polishing. - BC Forbes'

Latest news is that Britney has left the hospital after six days at the medical center. I thought that she was under a treatment order?

There are allegations going round that her manager has been drugging her and there is now a restraining order on him. There are reports of psychiatrists assessing her ability to understand what is going on around her. We'll see were we go from here I guess.

__________________
'Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiselingand scraping and polishing. - BC Forbes'

I read a story today that said a "court representative" let her go against her doctor's wishes. My guess is that Britney didn't want to sign in as a voluntary patient, so her case went to hearing. She told the judge she wasn't a threat to her self or others, and he or she let Britney go. I see this happen all the time. We let very sick people back out on the streets in an effort to protect their civil rights. Unfortunately, they eventually end up harming themselves or someone else. The system is crazy.

Her parents are fighting a broken system in their efforts to protect their daughter.

MJ

__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana.

http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com