Britney Spears took to social media on Tuesday night to assure fans that she is doing well.
“Hi guys. Just checking in with all of you who are concerned about me,” the pop star said in a video she posted on Instagram. “All is well. My family has been going through a lot of stress and anxiety lately so I just needed time to deal but don’t worry, I’ll be back very soon.”
In the caption, Spears explained she was breaking her silence because “things that are being said have just gotten out of control!!!”
She wrote: “Wow!!! There’s rumors, death threats to my family and my team, and just so many things crazy things being said. I am trying to take a moment for myself, but everything that’s happening is just making it harder for me. Don’t believe everything you read and hear.
“My situation is unique, but I promise I’m doing what’s best at this moment. You may not know this about me, but I am strong, and stand up for what I want! Your love and dedication is amazing, but what I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way. If you could do that, I would be forever grateful.”
Spears’ messages came hours after her boyfriend Sam Asghari assured TMZ there was nothing to worry about.
“Her fans are so amazing to be concerned but she’s doing great. Nobody needs to worry. She’s doing amazing. She’ll be back soon.”
Spears has been the subject of speculation and wild conspiracy theories since announcing that she was postponing her new Las Vegas residency show Domination to help care for her ailing father, Jamie.
“We have a very special relationship and I want to be with my family at this time,” she explained, “just like they have always been there for me.”
According to reports, Spears is receiving treatment for mental health issues. In early April, Page Six quoted an unnamed source close to the Spears family as saying: “Britney was having a hard time dealing with her dad’s health issues [and] has some very difficult emotional and mental health issues. She’s gone away to try to deal with her issues before they get worse."
But, some fans have alleged the 37-year-old is being held against her will or that she was struggling to get out from under the control of her father, who has been her conservator since her 2008 mental breakdown.
The theories sparked “#FreeBritney” protests and were fuelled when Spears’ mother Lynne “liked” the Instagram comment: “I really hope you are supporting Britney in trying to end this conservatorship. I really hope your ailing ex husband isn’t keeping your daughter somewhere against her will.”
In California, a person can only be held involuntarily for up to 72 hours if they are placed on a 5150 hold by a peace officer, doctor or registered nurse who believes the person is a danger to themselves or others or unable to provide proper food or shelter for themselves.
A 5150 hold can be extended if medical professionals determine an individual is “gravely disabled.”
Spears was put on a 5150 hold in January 2008 following a dispute over custody of her sons with ex-husband Kevin Federline, when police officers who responded found her to be under the influence of “an unknown substance.”
On Easter Sunday, Spears was photographed leaving the Montage Beverly Hills hotel with Asghari. Several outlets reported that she was on a "day pass" from the treatment facility.