Ariana Grande says she did not mean to startle people with her “brain thingy.” On Thursday, the 25-year-old pop star alarmed fans when she posted on her Instagram Story photos showing scans of a healthy brain and her brain, showcasing what she suggested was damage from post-traumatic stress disorder, which she has suffered from since the deadly terrorist bombing at her 2017 concert in Manchester, England.
“Didn’t mean to startle anyone with my brain thingy,” Grande wrote on her Instagram Story on Friday. “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.”
“I love science and seeing the physical reality of what’s going on in there was incredible to me,” she continued. “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 / learning how to process pain (aren’t we all). Everyday is different but I’m doing my best.”
She added, “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. (That’s why her hair’s so big, it’s full of trauma…k ariana, log off) Love u.”
Grande made her comments two days before she is set to take the stage as a headliner at the 2019 Coachella festival.