Britney Leaves Rehab ... Not for Long!

46. She is SMILING because she is getting the attention she so desperately needs! Why no AA meetings in the rehab facility??? And notice the wedding ring? PR at it's best.

Posted at 11:10AM on Mar 1st 2007 by I HATE stupid people

47. I thought she had Post Partum depression??? Why would you go to an AA Meeting for that? Dont they have PPD meetings????? Do you think - is it possible - that the Post Partum Depression was perhaps just more Brittney B.S.??

Posted at 11:07AM on Mar 1st 2007 by mary

48. GOOD FOR BRITNEY!!!! I LOVE POSITIVE THINGS. GOOD START TO A NEW BEGINING!!! ITS TOUGH OUT THERE. YOU GO.

Posted at 11:09AM on Mar 1st 2007 by ABBY

49. Thats the first sign of attention from the paparazzi she's gotten in almost a week. Of course she's smiling.

I still dont understand why people have to leave rehab to go to AA meetings. Is there something Im missing?

Posted at 11:11AM on Mar 1st 2007 by amy

50. SOOOOOOOO WHUUUUUUUUT!!!!!!!!!

Who cares....not ME!!!!!!!

Come on TMZ...give us something orginal and interesting!

Posted at 11:13AM on Mar 1st 2007 by ROBIN

51. What a beautiful smile. She looks like the old Britney. Good for her, and I support her all the way as this is the best thing that could happen to her.

Posted at 11:10AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Seattle

52. Why an AA meeting off the grouds? I'm sure there are enough people there to have a meeting.

Posted at 11:12AM on Mar 1st 2007 by WTF

53. Her smile should only wear off while she fights her demons through the healing process. I know individuals who have gone through rehab and their smiles are larger and brighter than ever before! Good luck to you Britney!

Posted at 11:13AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Vic

54. At least she doesn't have that "glazed over" look anymore. I don't care if she never sings again...she needs to just get better and live her own life and take care of those boys.

Posted at 11:14AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Laura

55. must be a slow news day since the ANS issue about burial has been settled.

Posted at 11:17AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Kat Logan

56. Alcoholism and Depression
(from:http://www.usnodrugs.com/alcoholism-and-depression.htm)

Mental health professionals who treat alcoholism and depression have long known that these two problems occur together more often than not. In fact, it is quite common in medical settings for people to seek treatment for either of these conditions. Not only is it true that in this setting the sensitive health care provider identifies the presence of the other problem, but it is also known that the earlier in one's life that either of these two disorders develops, the greater the chance the other will also surface.

Alcoholism and depression appear to go hand in hand. Each can lead to or reinforce the other. Depression is a common cause of alcoholism as the depressed person seeks a way out of their problems or a relief from insomnia. Unfortunately, alcohol is itself a depressant, so the problem is only compounded. Anxiety can be temporarily relieved by alcohol, but this may lead to repeated intake and addiction. Without adequate attention to the mental health needs of a person with alcohol dependence, little progress will be made. Often alcoholism remains unsuspected even by the doctor, and it may come to light only when medical tests are done for other reasons.

A national team of investigators led by psychiatric geneticists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified a gene that appears to be linked to both alcoholism and depression. The study, published in the September issue of the journal Human Molecular Genetics, is the first to identify a specific gene associated with both depression and alcoholism. Principal investigator Alison M. Goate.s team found that the gene was strongly associated both with alcoholism and depression. The association was strongest in those individuals who had both disorders. .It looks as if this might be a susceptibility gene that puts a person at risk for developing both depression and alcoholism,. she says.

Alcoholism can be defined by numerous different symptoms. Here is a list of the most common:
# Inappropriate use of alcohol that was harmful to oneself.
# Trouble functioning on the job or in social situations
# Developing tolerance, which was defined as the need to drink steadily increasing quantities of alcohol in order to achieve a desired feeling - such as relaxation or a «high».
# Experiencing withdrawal, which consisted of a range of symptoms that a person experienced when unable to drink. These symptoms typically occurred over a 24-72 hour period after a person the last drink. They included feeling 'hung over'; shakiness; increased heart rate; and sweating.
# In more serious situations, withdrawal can lead to dangerously high blood pressure, seizures, visual hallucinations or the sensation that bugs are crawling on one's body.

Depression can also be defined by numerous different symptoms. Here is a list of the most common:
# Weight or appetite changes - either wanting to eat more or less than usual
# Sleep disturbance - either wanting to sleep more or less than usual
# Decreased interest and pleasure in one's daily activities
# Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
# Low energy, fatigue
# Difficulty concentrating or thinking
# Feeling slowed down physically, like 'walking through quicksand'
# Thoughts of ending one's life

A study of the coloration between alcoholism and depression was recently done at the Harvard School of Public Health and a Harvard affiliated hospital. The authors used data from a large survey that studied 14,480 people from 5 cities. In order to be included in the analysis, subjects could not have had a previous diagnosis of either major depression or alcoholism.

The results of this study pertaining to alcoholism showed that both men and women were at risk of developing alcohol dependence at one year with only a few symptoms of depression. However, there was an even more interesting finding. It appears that risk for women developing alcohol dependence is far greater. And as the number of depression symptoms increase from having only a single symptom to 3-7 symptoms, so did the risk of developing alcohol dependence. The presence of some alcoholism symptoms increased the chances of developing major depression at one-year follow up. These findings were true for both men and women alike. However, women who had a greater severity of alcoholic symptoms were far more likely to experience depression compared to women who had lesser degrees of alcoholism. More important, the severity of symptoms of depression or alcohol misuse at the start of the study «predicted» the severity of the other, one year later.

Posted at 12:11PM on Mar 1st 2007 by miapocca

57. whatever. She thinks she's all good, and everything's forgotten.
She is a stupid bitch

Posted at 11:58AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Pretty Me

58. Go Brit, I'll always luv ya. She looks good, sure feels good and is ready to make an awesome comeback!!

Posted at 4:00AM on Mar 2nd 2007 by Andile

59. I'm rooting for Britney! Young women like her, who are trying so hard, is the reason I do what I do!!!!!

Posted at 11:25AM on Mar 1st 2007 by Catherine

60. i think she looks great!!!!!!!.......keep up the good work.........ev1 falls every now and to have the courage to pick yerself up and move on is HUGE!!!!!!!!...this world needs more strong women!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:23AM on Mar 1st 2007 by tricia