Nearly a year ago, Britney Spears went into a downward spiral that saw her shave her head, enter rehab multiple times, and ultimately lose temporary custody of her children to her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

In happier times.

Now it seems Spears is looking to make the downward spiral an annual tradition.

The troubled pop princess was taken to a Los Angeles area hospital late Thursday night following a bizarre standoff at her home in which she reportedly refused to hand over her two children, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, to Federline's bodyguard as scheduled.

Spears was being held at Cedars Sinai Medical Center early Friday and has been designated as a "special needs" patient, which means "they have either overdosed or tried to commit suicide," USmagazine.com reported today.

Photos of Spears in the ambulance show her both smiling and crying hysterically, and at the hospital, she reportedly screamed, "I'd rather die than let him have my babies."

Spears was taken by stretcher from her home late Thursday. Video footage and pictures of the incident shown on celebrity news Web sites showed a conscious Spears smiling as she was wheeled into an ambulance.

Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jason Lee told Agence France-Presse that Spears was being detained and evaluated in the hospital because officers had found her under the influence of an unknown substance. Police were called to the home by Federline's bodyguard, who was there to pick up the two children as part of the court-ordered custody agreement with Federline.

At around 10:30 p.m., paramedics and an ambulance arrived, and shortly afterward the two children were turned over to Federline after police reviewed court documents, Lee said.