Recently, A close friend of mine asked me if I had been following the latest escapades of singer and celebrity Britney Spears. Seems as if every news outlet in the world made the shaving of Britney's head a top news story.

Well, I told my friend that I hadn't been closely following Britney's career but that I watch the news like most folks over 25:), and noticed that she had been making a downward spiral in her career and life.

Now I have no direct connection to Britney Spears -- nor her physician -- so I could not even begin to state for a fact what she is dealing with or not dealing with, but I know that it is very possible that she could be suffering from postpartum depression in a big way. And this is why...

1. While much of the world and media didn't agree with her choice of husbands -- Britney did appear to be happy when she met and married Kevin Federline. The real "problems" seemed to have begun after the birth of her first child.

2. So if we assume that Britney might have suffered from the "baby blues" after the birth of her first son, let's also assume that it was left untreated. That she either tried to "medicate" herself happy. Or just waited for things to get better on their own. Or maybe even blamed her new husband and his actions for how she was feeling.

3. Let's add on top of that the fact that she did not have the same body post-baby -- and that the entire world was watching this. This was an extremely stressful situation -- making her a prime candidate for postpartum depression.

4. We can continue with the media pressure of getting photos of her and her new baby -- to show her "lack of fitness" as a mother. Britney almost dropped the baby. She had him in an open convertible seated incorrectly. Etc.

5. Then we should tack on the fact that no matter how you slice it - Britney (like most mothers) had to spend much more time with the baby then the father. Kevin Federline was back in the clubs - drinking and partying. Probably leaving Britney feeling isolated and stressed out. Once again -- predictors for a bout of postpartum depression.

6. Finally, let's add on the birth of another baby within a very tight 17 month time frame and a dissolving marriage -- and that's just icing on the cake. Not to mention whatever other outside pressures she may have been getting from her parents, record label, and others who depend on her for their living.

Add all that up together, plus the fact that you can suffer from postpartum depression within a year after giving birth - and I would have to say that she is actually a prime candidate for a serious postpartum depression episode. One that she may be trying to medicate with partying and alcohol etc. Which hopefully she will soon see - does not work.

Like Britney Spears -- if you are feeling overwhelmed with stress etc after a pregnancy, talk to your physician or mental health professional in your area about what's going on. If you are diagnosed with postpartum depression - whew! Now you know what's going on and there are various options available to you for treatment.

Additional Reading:
Baby blues vs. Postpartum Depression

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Lisa Angelettie, "GirlShrink" is an online advice authority. Her site GirlShrink.com is the #1 "Advice & Counseling" site on the web and contributing author of "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life". Instantly get a FREE Bonus when you sign up for her free Better Choices Ezine. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful mental health resources. Subscribe below.