What Can Britney Expect Over The Next Few Days?

The following italicized article is from www.x17online.com:

X17online spoke to a former UCLA psych ward resident, who's painted a grim picture of what Britney Spears will be going through at the medical center over the next few days.

According to the source:

· Britney will be held for at least 72 hours, and up to 14 days if the LA County officer deems her a danger to herself and others.

· Britney will be supervised around the clock by nurses and security, unable to even bathe by herself.

· Over the first few days, Britney will be encouraged to sleep as much as possible, and will be administered sleeping pills, as well as Ativan (an anti-anxiety medication) to help her do so. Meds are doled out three times a day.

· Visitors are allowed to come one hour a day during the week, between 6:30 and 7:30, but on the weekends the stay is extended from 1-3. Visitors are allowed to bring food (although our source says UCLA's food is pretty decent!) but they cannot keep it or any other contraband (sharp objects, razors, etc.) in their rooms.

· The psych ward consists of two wings, with 10 rooms each. Although there are 2 beds per room, it's doubtful that Britney is sharing with anyone. None of the rooms have televisions, although there is a tv in the common area.

· The patients are divided into two categories: addicts and bi-polars, with the highest risk patients restrained by wristbands in their beds.

· Our source said that most of the patients are from 18-50 years old, with at least half of the residents were considered high risk, and therefore restrained.

· The ward is an extremely "tough" environment to live in, with patients getting quite agitated and screams being heard all hours of the night. Our source said there were also many fights that broke out in the common area, due to general paranoia, not to mention the fact that many patients are detoxing.

· After the first few days, Britney will most likely be put on Depakote Seroquel and Lithium for the bi-polar, and Ativan for anti-anxiety.

· A doctor will pay Britney a visit once a day, asking her questions like "are you able to sleep?" "Are you hearing voices?" "Are you paranoid?" "Do you feel like harming yourself?" "Do you think about committing suicide?"

· Britney will not be allowed outside during the first 72 hours, after that, she'll be allowed to visit an outdoor court for one hour a day, at 3pm.

· There are several different groups to keep patients busy throughout the day, including Arts & Crafts, as well as a group called "Journal", where patients are encouraged to read the newspapers to keep up on current events and life on the outside.

· She's allowed to be in her own clothes, with a green, hospital issue robe worn on top, and nothing else but a wristband that contains her social security number and her date of admittance.

It sounds like an extremely tough environment, but probably the best thing for Britney at the moment. Mariah Carey showed drastic improvement after her month-long stay back in 2001!

Poor Britney - hope she gets better soon!

Source: X17

EXCLUSIVE: Hospital Treating Britney Spears Specializes In Bipolar Disorder

The following italicized article is from www.usmagazine.com:

Britney Spears' inner circle, including her estranged mother Lynne, chose to admit her to the UCLA Medical Center because of its experience with treating bipolar disorder, a source tells Usmagazine.com.

"Her lawyers and doctors have been working with UCLA," the source tells Us. "They were ready and had everything in place."

The facility, the source says, is better prepared to treat the troubled singer than L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she was hospitalized for less than 48 hours earlier this month.

"When she went to Cedars they weren't ready for her," the source says.

"They have a much stricter unit at UCLA and treat bipolar cases regularly," the source adds. "This is a serious unit she's on."

(It was reported that singer Mariah Carey was treated at the same facility in 2001 following her highly publicized emotional breakdown.)

Before the intervention, Us reported that Spears hadn't slept since Saturday — a sign of suffering from bipolar disorder, says one expert.

"You can go all night without sleeping," psychiatrist Pauline Wallin tells Us.

Another sign: Spears has extreme highs (known as manic episodes) followed by intense lows (this past Monday, she sobbed on a curbside after a fight with pal Sam Lutfi).

"Her pattern of behavior indicates that she doesn’t have a lot of self-control when she gets upset," Wallin says. (Read what other experts had to say about her state here.)

For now, Spears is at UCLA under a "mental health evaluation hold" – commonly known as a "5150" – meaning she can be held there for up to 72 hours if a medical professional deems her a danger to herself or others.

After the 72-hour treatment, her family can seek a 14-day extended evaluation or patients can decide to seek further treatment, according to ABC News, citing the California Department of Mental Health.

"Because it was planned there's a much higher likelihood they'll be able to extend her stay beyond the 5150," the source tells Us.

Source: US Weekly

BRIT AT UCLA MEDICAL CENTER

BRITNEY HAS ARRIVED AT UCLA MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE MARIAH CAREY RECEIVED TREATMENT FROM THE PSYCHIATRIC WARD IN 2001.

Source: X17