I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream”including Britney Spears, apparently. Who wouldn’t want to scarf down a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after having your private hell turned into a media circus? But with her every move scrutinized, meltdown-mode Britney can’t even self-medicate and chill out with a scoop of Chunky Monkey in the psych ward without getting picked on by PETA, whose founder, Ingrid Newkirk, felt compelled to send a “friendly” letter to Britney’s parents:

Dear James and Lynne: On behalf of everyone at PETA, please accept our best wishes for Britney, and I hope you’ll allow me to share some information that could be helpful to you in your admirable efforts to look after her mental and emotional health. The media have speculated that Britney might be suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. I certainly realize that the media’s reports might have no basis in fact, but I’d rather send this information than not”just in case it could help.

We also have heard that Britney asked for ice cream while she was in the hospital. There could, in fact, be a connection between her diet and her mental-health problems. Numerous reports indicate that in bipolar patients who have hidden dairy sensitivities (a fairly common condition), the disorder can worsen if the patient consumes dairy products.

Newkirk goes on to discuss “the relationship between mental disorders and the consumption of meat, dairy, and other animal products” and concluded that “a higher national dietary intake of ” dairy products predicted a worse two-year outcome of schizophrenia.” She adds that eating beans has been linked to improvements in mental health, and encloses a copy of PETA’s free “Vegetarian Starter Kit.”

Thanks for sharing, Ingrid. Here’s Britney, as trapped as an animal in a zoo, and PETA’s decided to exploit her misfortune to promote their agenda. Ecorazzi got it exactly right:

We cover PETA consistently on this site and respect the efforts they take to make the world a better place for animals. However, this is one of those actions that only invites ridicule and senselessly exploits the troubles of another individual to push forward an agenda. This is over the top, plain and simple.

I have no doubt that the standard Western diet is undermining our mental health”as well as our physical health–in a hundred different ways. But using Britney to publicize this problem is insensitive, boneheaded, and counterproductive. Where’s PETA’s legendary compassion for caged creatures now?

For a non-vegangelical take on the issues surrounding mental health, check out Mental Health America’s website.