Singer Ariana Grande has revealed she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after undergoing a brain scan.
The BAFTA nominated actress, who is up for the Best Supporting Actress gong, and singer, 31, previously shared a photo of a brain scan to her mass following of fans on Instagram – showing the shocking impact that trauma has had on her.
The newest Glinda shared an image of her brain scan on her Instagram story in 2019 which shocked her fans, despite the singer’s attempt at light humour, captioning the pics as “hilarious and terrifying”. The singing star’s post demonstrated the image of a ‘healthy brain’ vs a brain of someone with PTSD – which had a few small areas highlighted.
Alongside the demo image she shared an image of her own brain scan, which had significantly more areas highlighted than the previous image that showed a brain with PTSD. She added that the post was “not a joke” – but clearly demonstrated her shock over the extent trauma has impacted her brain over the years.
According to the NHS, PTSD “is a mental health condition caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.”
Fans shared concern for the Thank U, Next singer after she shared her brain scan on Instagram and she later took to the platform again to reassure fans. In a statement she wrote: “Didn’t mean to startle anyone with my brain thingy. it just blew me away. i found it informative and interesting and wanted to encourage y’all to make sure you check on your brains / listen to your bodies / take care of yourselves too.
“i love science ands seeing the physical reality of what’s going on in there was incredible to me. i mean i feel it all the time, but seeing it is totally different and super cool. someday, when i’m feeling ready or when i’m more healed up, we can talk more about it.”i am constantly working on my health / learnign how to process pain (aren’t we all). everyday is differeny but i’m doing my best.” She continued: “just know i will continue showing up and giving as much of my energy as i can and do my best even tho my brain looks like a world map. (that’s why her hairs so big it’s full of trauma….. k ariana, log off) love u.”
Ariana has suffered a number of traumatic incidents over the years including the disturbing suicide bombing during her Manchester concert in May, 2017 which tragically killed 22 people and injured 1,017 people. Since the Manchester attack, Ariana’s life took a turn for the worse when her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller tragically took his own life in September, 2018. During her ‘years of hell’, Grande began opening up about her struggles with mental health and her experience with PTSD.
In an interview with British Vogue in July, 2018, the singer said she felt like she would never know how to talk about the attack without crying. She revealed after returning home from the tragedy, is when she began experiencing symptoms of PTSD – but the star struggled to discuss it.
She told the publication: “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.”
Fans took to Twitter to show their support the star as one wrote: “I just hope she doesn’t overwork herself and drain herself anymore mentally/physically”. Another said “honestly, she needs a break. A very long one. Just to fully heal and take in everything that has happened to her”.
The pop princess made headlines for her heartbreak over Miller’s death and has often broke down during interviews at the mention of the beloved rapper. Honouring her long-term relationship and friendship with her ex, she dedicated a line to Mac in her hit song Thank U, Next which listed several of her ex-boyfriends as life lessons after her split with comedian Pete Davidson. The line said: “Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, ‘Cause he was an angel”.
Though it has been over six years since the rapper died following an overdose, fans claim the now Oscar-nominated actress still grieves over the passing of her ex. In a more recent music video for single We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love), released in March 2024, Grande took inspiration from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind where she opts for the fictional procedure that removes her memories of a previous relationship with the aim to overcome her heartbreak.
Though the singer did not confirm – and some fans suggested the video could be referring to her relationship with ex-husband Dalton Gomez – others have claimed there was a deeper link to rapper Mac, as he was said to be an enthusiastic fan of the film and worked closely with Jon Brion, who composed the film’s soundtrack, on his last two albums.
Additionally, within the video, Ariana asks to keep a necklace that her ‘fictional’ ex gifted her. However, after losing her memories, the necklace transforms into a pink collar for her dog. A TikTok post later highlighted how Ariana had adopted Mac’s dog Myron after his passing and that the collar is remarkably similar to Myron’s own.
Another link to Mac is the teddy bear that features in the video, closely resembling the bear in Mac’s own music video for track Who Ate All The Caviar. Grande has never shied away from making references to her rapper ex, including him in her more emotional songs such as Ghostin’, Imagine and Off The Table.
Following Mac’s accidental overdose, Ariana has entered three public relationships, all of which made messy global headlines. Ariana was with Pete Davidson for a total of 10 months, five of which they were engaged to be married.
Grande then got together with Dalton Gomez in 2020, who she was then married to for two years – the pair separated in July 2023 and filed for divorce two months later. Ariana is now in a relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater after growing close filming together on set. However, since going public with their love, both Ethan and Ariana received a wave of online hate, labelling the Glinda-star as the homewrecker to Ethan’s family with ex-wife Lilly Jay.
Lilly spoke out in an interview with the Daily Mail about Ethan’s new romance with Ariana, in which she said: “My family is just collateral damage.” She added: “I am focused on rebuilding a life for our son and rebuilding a life for him. This is what I am trying to do, and this is my only focus.”
Ariana appeared to hit back in the lyrics of a new song, titled Yes, And?, in which she sings: “Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose d**k I ride?”
During the filming of Wicked, the actress was subject to constant trolling over her appearance, many targeting her over her weight, which only worsened as the press tour began. During the tour, Ariana has spoken on her efforts on maintain a healthy balance and mentality whilst working in the public eye. In one particular interview, she told French journalist Salima Poumbga: “I’ve been doing this in front of the public and kind of been, you know, a specimen in a petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17. So, I have heard it all. I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it and then it’s wrong for different reasons. There’s a comfortability that people have commenting on that, that I think is really dangerous.”