US singer and actress Ariana Grande shared images of her brain scan that she says show effects of a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the images she posted, a healthy brain is compared to a PTSD-affected one, with a healthy brain being almost entirely dark and the affected one having numerous illuminated areas. Grande's own brain is seen having numerous highlighted areas as well.
"Hilarious and terrifying", she captioned the photo, adding that it is "not a joke".
On a recent Instagram Stories update, Ariana Grande showed the results of her PTSD (a mental disorder that develops after a person is exposed to a traumatic event) affected brain compared to a healthy one. pic.twitter.com/6EVmybMP6l
— Ariana Grande Access (@arianaaccesscom) 11 апреля 2019 г.
"Didn't mean to startle anyone with my brain thingy", she wrote in a follow-up post on Instagram. "I love science and seeing the physical reality of what's going on in there was incredible to me. Someday, when I'm more healed up, we can talk more about it".
Grande says she still experiences post-traumatic disorder after a 2017 suicide bombing that killed 22 people in Manchester as the fans were leaving her "Thank U, Next" show.
After all the controversy around the PSTD topic, Ariana Grande revealed what made her share her brain scans publicity on her Instagram Stories: “I found it informative and interesting and wanted to encourage y’all to make sure you check on your brains / listen to your bodies”. pic.twitter.com/wlrt4AJqhf
— Ariana Grande Access (@arianaaccesscom) 12 апреля 2019 г.
"I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well", Grande said in a 2018 interview, referring to the PTSD. "I feel like I shouldn't even be talking about my own experience — like I shouldn't even say anything".
However, some researchers doubt a brain scan is a reliable way of diagnosing this kind of disorder.
"There is no doubt that PTSD changes the way the brain responds to trauma-related and other emotional stimuli", says Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Texas at Austin, according to CNN report. "However there are not brain imaging tests that are diagnostic of PTSD".
Not dismissing that she has ptsd due to the obvious incident she experienced.. but that scan doesn’t prove ptsd
— petr🇮🇹 (@Petr_949) 12 апреля 2019 г.
I believe it! I have been treating trauma for 10 years and know how much energy it requires of the brain to be so hypervigilant. Anyone who has experienced trauma should look into EMDR therapy, it was created to treat veterans with PTSD and is by far the best!
— Superkirsten1 (@mssocialwelfare) 12 апреля 2019 г.
It is amazing that the scan showed that there was a brain present!
— Joe Mama (@JoeWhiskey273) 12 апреля 2019 г.
