Amanda Bynes' Parents Thrilled With Her Progress
Amanda Bynes has been placed in psychiatric care. REUTERS

Actress Amanda Bynes has been placed in involuntary psychiatric care after posting a series of disturbing tweets in which she claimed her father had put microchip in her head.

The former Nickelodeon star, who has been at the centre of controversies surrounding her bizarre behaviour, appeared to be publicly unravelling as she posted comments suggesting her father had abused her as a child. She then retracted the comment adding that her erratic behaviour was as a result of a microchip he had placed in her head.

Bynes wrote: "My dad never did any of those things. The microchip in my brain made me say those things but he's the one that ordered them to microchip me."

She was driven to hospital and reportedly taken under a psychiatric hold after being tricked into flying to California by controversial manager Sam Lutfi.

She is now being held at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena under section 51510 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code.

Under California law it is permissible to hold anyone with a mental illness who is classified as a danger to themselves or others against their will for mental health evaluation for up to three days.

The troubled teen was previously placed under psychiatric care after she allegedly started a small fire in front of a Los Angeles home.

As recently as last Sunday she was arrested on a misdemeanour charge of driving under the influence of drugs in Los Angeles. She was released from jail after posting $15,000 bail.

Her parents Rick Bynes and Lynn Organ have visited the actress at the California hospital, with her mother issuing a statement through the family lawyer saying she is "heartbroken" at her daughter's plight.

Tamar Arminak said: "My clients are heartbroken by these false accusations. Their older children [Jillian and Tommy] are also horrified at the situation."

Bynes first came to fame at the age of 13 when she starred in her own comedy show on the television network Nickelodeon.

Amanda is expected to be held at the hospital for 72 hours, but the hold can be extended for a further 14 days.

It is expected that her parents will try to get another conservatorship.