Ariana Grande posts 'terrifying' brain scan showing her PTSD

Taryn Ryder
Updated

Ariana Grande always keeps it real with fans, but she's rattled some with a recent health update. The "7 Rings" singer shared photos of a scan of her brain that appears to show severe levels of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 'Sweetener World Tour.' (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande)
Ariana Grande performs onstage during the Sweetener World Tour. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande)

On Thursday, Grande shared a picture on her Instagram Story of a "healthy brain" compared to one with PTSD, that highlights affected areas. She then posted four shots of her brain with multiple areas lit up, similar to the one showing PTSD.

“Not a joke,” she captioned the screenshot, writing, "hilarious and terrifying."

It's unclear when the scans were taken, but the 25-year-old Grammy winner has been open about dealing with severe trauma following the 2017 terror attack that occurred at her concert in Manchester, England.

“It's hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it's a real thing,” she said last year of how she's coped with symptoms of PTSD. “I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing. I feel like I shouldn't even be talking about my own experience — like I shouldn't even say anything. I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry.”

She continued, "I think a lot of people have anxiety, especially right now. ... My anxiety has anxiety… I've always had anxiety. I've never really spoken about it because I thought everyone had it, but when I got home from tour it was the most severe I think it's ever been."

In a separate interview with Elle, Grande opened up more about the physical ailments she experienced after the Manchester bombing.

“When I got home from tour, I had really wild dizzy spells, this feeling like I couldn’t breathe. I would be in a good mood, fine and happy, and they would hit me out of nowhere,” she told Elle. “I’ve always had anxiety, but it had never been physical before. There were a couple months straight where I felt so upside down.”

Getting back on stage and creating new music — like her two hit albums, Sweetener and Thank U, Next — have helped Grande cope. She's getting ready to perform at Coachella this weekend, becoming the youngest female artist ever to headline the festival.

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