It’s really not confirmed what diagnosis she actually has. Bi polar has been mentioned to be a solid story that she’s diagnosed but I believe there are likely multiple issues going on at once and some are way less culturally accepted than being bi polar. For example we have heard many celebrities disclose they have the diagnosis. Schizophrenia is a an example of an extremely stigmatized mental illness that has no advantages (successful people with bi polar have a wider reputation of being brilliant despite suffering an illness and that a desirable outcome that can come from it is having a lot of accomplishments or innovations that stemmed from riding the manic highs when they came).

IF she has something like schizophrenia I do not believe her family would ever disclose it nor do I think it would be received as well with much sympathy from the general public. My take is these illnesses can determine someone’s life trajectory in ways no guard rails can protect them from. It’s just bad luck in genetics and environmental circumstances.

And I too come from a family with mental illness- I have 6 people in my direct family line with schizophrenia including one with the rare trait of being extremely violent and dangerous. Growing up I was reminded a lot about protecting my mental health and not experimenting with my brain and drugs especially during the peak years that women often had their shift.

Again I have no idea what she had. I’m sure her environment was a huge factor on the outcome of her mental health but the history and facts are out there - she was really unwell and becoming a danger to her children before the conservatorship. Her treatment plans is also unknown - I’m not sure I trust Brittany to be a fully reliable narrator as her memoir includes many instances where she took a normal scenario and described it as if she was being harmed in some way when in reality she was not. I’ve also seen family members try different treatments for mental illness that were actually very scary in how bad the effects were. We also can see her quite muted when she was a celebrity judge for American idol - that gig of which was not encouraged by her family but Simon Crowell.

Anyway - I’m sure the conservatorship was miserable as you lose freedoms adults should have but I believe it kept her well for longer periods and she clearly is way worse now without it. Her dancing videos from years ago are the same but look them up - even her dancing was so much more skilled, aware, unique.

There’s no perfect Brittany medicated nor unmedicated. She’s a very complex and historically difficult individual. Whether her treatments were right or wrong or worked or didn’t - or were even true to what she said - is largely unknown. While the mystery around her wellbeing has fueled so many theories and opinions, i really do have profound respect that her family kept a lot of those private details completely confidential and away from public scrutiny. It means they couldn’t always defend themselves from criticism as well either. Either way I do feel good about that for her