Ariana Grande Opens Up About Her ‘Terrifying’ Brain Scan Showing PTSD Symptoms

Ariana Grande took fans by surprise on Thursday when she shared images of her reported brain scan, noting that it showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At the time, she called the scans “hilarious and terrifying.” The next day, the singer took to her Instagram Stories once more to admit that she never intended to startle fans with the images but instead wanted to showcase the importance of keeping an eye on your brain’s health.

“Didn’t mean to startle anyone with my brain thingy,” Grande wrote on Friday, according to E! News. “It just blew me away. I found it informative and interesting and wanted to encourage ya’ll to make sure you check on your brains / listen to your bodies / take care of yourselves too.”

In the initial post, the 25-year-old pop star shared a scan of a “healthy” brain alongside an image of a brain affected by PTSD. Then, she reportedly posted an image of her own brain scan, which she claimed to show severe signs of the disorder. In the caption, Grande assured fans that this was “not a joke.”

The “7 Rings” singer continued on to say on Friday that seeing the “physical reality” of her disorder was “incredible” to her.

“I mean, I feel it all the time, but seeing it is totally different and super cool,” she said.

Grande added that she is not quite ready to talk more about PTSD just yet, but she is improving her mental health every day and she is “doing her best.”

“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 the world map,” she concluded, joking that her hair is so big because it’s full of “trauma” (a reference to a classic Mean Girls line).

Grande has struggled with her mental health since the deadly Manchester Arena bombing during one of her concerts in May 2017, TooFab reported. This was a tragic event where 22 concertgoers were killed. The singer temporarily ceased her Dangerous Woman tour and was afraid to perform until she hosted a benefit concert, called One Love Manchester, the following month.

In July 2018, Grande opened up in an interview with Elle about her experience following the attack. She explained that she suffered from anxiety and dizziness when she returned home from touring, which many people cited as symptoms of PTSD.

“There were a couple of months straight where I felt so upside down,” she said, according to Page Six.

Grande is currently performing on her “Sweetener / thank u, next” tour, where she encourages fans to carry clear bags as a precaution.