I first posted this at Hollywoodistas.com, but it's such a culturekitchen topic to discuss that I just had to cross-post it.

I hate it when I get beaten to a story. For days now I have been researching the possible cause of Britney's meltdown ... and effing TMZ.com beat me to it by a day. URGH!

TMZ has learned Britney Spears' troubles may have little to do with substance abuse. Sources say doctors at her rehab facility think the underlying reason for her trouble may be post-partum depression.

Sources tell TMZ that Britney's doctors have two operating theories -- either that she suffers from post-partum depression or bipolar disorder. The doctors strongly believe post-partum is the problem.

I am not a doctor, so I cannot give a technical assesment of the pop tarts' situation, but as one of the many women who've been felled at one point or another by post-partum depression, I can tell you that what Britney's going through is way more extreme than your run-of-the-mill PPD.

Hers may be a case of post-partum psychosis.

There is actually quite a lot written about post-partum depression, easily available with the click of a google search. What seems still to be a subject of taboo is the idea of post-partum pyschosis, thanks in part to the Andrea Yates multiple infanticide case.
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