Jamie Lynn Spears to Open Up About Her Mental Health in New Book: 'I Had to Pretend to Be Perfect'
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Jamie Lynn Spears' new memoir Things I Should Have Said is around the corner.
On Monday, the actress and singer shared that she had "finally finished writing" her book, which she started writing shortly after her daughter Maddie's "life-changing accident" in 2017. (Maddie, now 13, nearly drowned after falling off an ATV when she was 8 years old.)
"I felt a strong conviction to share my story, but there was a lot of personal work and healing that had to happen before I could share my truth the proper way," Spears, 30, wrote on Instagram Monday. "I've spent my whole life believing that I had to pretend to be perfect, even when I wasn't, so for the first time I am opening up about my own mental health, because this process challenged me to have to be painfully honest with myself, and face a lot of hard things, that I normally would have just glossed right over, like I was taught to."
The new book is set to delve into Spears' experience growing up in a famous family and what it was like for her to become a teen mom. (Along with Maddie, 13, whom she shares with Casey Aldridge, Spears is mom to Ivey Joan, 3, with husband Jamie Watson.)
Courtesy Hachette Book Group
"I owe it to myself, my younger self, and to my daughters to be an example that you should never edit yourself or your truth to please anyone else," Spears continued in her Instagram post. "I know I still have A LOT of learning to do, but I feel like finishing this book gave me closure on this '30-year-long' chapter of my life, and hopefully helps anyone else out there who forgot their worth, lost their voice, or is trying to break an unhealthy cycle in their life."
Spears then announced that a portion of the proceeds of her new book will go to mental health organization and nonprofit This Is My Brave, "because I know how scary it can be to share personal struggles, especially if you don't feel you have the support or a safe space to do so."
The organization focuses on helping others to share their experiences with mental health openly.
"Last but certainly not least, I want you all to know, YOU matter, YOUR story matters, YOU are enough, and don't ever let this world try to convince you otherwise," Spears ended her post.
The day before she announced the book's release, Spears shared a photo for World Mental Health Day as she called the occasion a reminder to "prioritize our own mental health" and to "have conversations about it" to get rid of the stigma surrounding it.
"I hope you all did something good for yourself today, and hope you all know how important and special you are," she wrote. "Take that nap, Go for a run, eat that chocolate, binge watch that show. You deserve it🤍"
Spears' new statement about her book comes at a pivotal point for the Spears family. Just several weeks ago, Jamie Spears was suspended as estate conservator in Britney Spears' conservatorship. And on Nov. 12, a judge will decide whether to remove Britney from her conservatorship.
