Britney's plight is not surprising if you've been a psychiatric patient in Ireland

We encourage people to ask for help if they are in distress, but we rarely hear about what happens when they enter the mental health system, says Zoe McCormack

The Britney story isn’t a case of a bad guardian – it is a systemic problem. It is a result of the paternalistic way we respond to people in emotional distress. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The news about the details of Britney Spears conservatorship has shocked many people. For those of us with experience of the psychiatric system, it isn’t shocking, just relatable.

In Ireland, we talk a lot about mental health; the problems in accessing our mental health system, the long waiting lists, encouraging people to reach out when we can’t cope.