5 Times Ariana Grande Got Real About Mental Health

"Mental health is so important. People don't pay enough mind to it because we have things to do." That's what Ariana Grande told Apple Music's Ebro Darden through tears in 2018 — but she's certainly not someone who's turning a blind eye to mental health matters. In fact, the singer and actor has been very candid about her own mental health over the years and is a vocal advocate for therapy. "In all honesty therapy has saved my life so many times. If you're afraid to ask for help, don't be," she told a fan in a since-deleted 2018 tweet (via Glamour). "U don't have to be in constant pain & u can process trauma. i've got a lot of work to do but it's a start to even be aware that it's possible," she continued, proving she's committed to getting the most out of her therapy sessions.

Ariana's important therapy message is far from the only time this inspiring star has spoken out to help others. She's also opened up about her experiences with anxiety, PTSD, depression, and more, repeatedly letting fans know they're not alone.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Speaking on "Podcrushed" in June 2024, Ariana Grande spoke about having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition in which sufferers practice compulsive, repetitive behaviors or thought patterns. Grande shared that she experienced serious symptoms as a child, so much so she had to sing a song in the shower three times before she could get out. "It was numbers and certain routine things," she recalled, adding it caused her to be an extreme germaphobe too. "My hands would be cracking because I used so much hand sanitizer," she said.

Grande learned how to better manage her OCD, but still works hard to ensure she doesn't slip into old habits. "It went away when I started working a lot. When I started finding community in theater and finding people and finding casts and distractions and a place to put my feelings and use my feelings. And then when I'm in an offseason or in between projects, I'm like 'Is that thing scary again? Is that thing coming back?'" she shared.

In 2017, a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, killed 22 people. The terrifying incident had a profound effect on the singer's mental health. "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. I've always had anxiety, but it had never been physical before," Grande told Elle in 2018. She explained to British Vogue that year she'd struggled with anxiety for years, but hadn't spoken publicly about it. "I thought everyone had it," she said, showing why it's so important to know when anxiety becomes a disorder.

In a deleted tweet that same year, Grande shared that her song "Get Well Soon" was inspired by her post-attack struggles. "I felt like I was floating for like three months last year and not in a nice way ... [It] was very scary and I couldn't breathe well," she wrote. Grande spoke about her anxiety during "Ariana Grande at the BBC" that year too, explaining she wanted to tell her story to help others. "You have your ups and downs, but the most important thing is to remember that you're the least alone. Everybody has this," she said. After all, feeling anxiety during life's happy moments is totally normal.

Not only did Ariana Grande's anxiety worsen following the Manchester bombing, but she was also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In 2019, the star shared scans on her Instagram Story comparing her brain to what she described as a "healthy brain." Grande's appeared to show serious signs of PTSD and she captioned the upload, "Hilarious and terrifying. Not a joke" (via Prevention). The following year, her former manager Scooter Braun told Mirror (via Daily Mail), "She has PTSD, she's still suffering to this day."

Grande also got real about how difficult she found the aftermath of the attack to be, in an interview with British Vogue. "It's hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, [PTSD] is a real thing," the star explained. "...I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry."

Ariana Grande shared on "Podcrushed" that her experience as a child actor was positive because she had people to talk to, but she made it clear she wanted better mental health care for those who don't. "A lot of people don't have the support that they need to get through ... performing at that level at such a young age, but also dealing with some of the things that the survivors who have come forward [with]. There's not a word for how devastating that is to hear about," she shared. "I think the environment just needs to be made a lot safer all around," she added, highlighting her desire to have therapists on sets for young stars. Grande also praised young actors for sharing their stories and the public for holding anyone who exploited child stars responsible. "I'm glad that this conversation is happening here and also in the world because it's also just kind of a cultural shift that's happening," she said.

Grande hinted to Elle that, as someone who grew up in the spotlight, therapy helped her become a healthy adult. "I've ... spent the past handful of years growing up under very extraordinary circumstances. And I know how that story goes..." she said.

Ariana Grande shared a message about depression in 2019 via a quote from Jim Carrey on her Instagram Stories. "Depression is your body saying, 'I don't want to be this character anymore. I don't want to hold up this avatar that you've created in the world. It's too much for me,'" the quote read in part (via CNN). Carrey noticed the post and sent Grande a heartfelt response, praising her for speaking up. "I read your lovely mention of me and things I've said about depression ... I admire your openness," he responded in part on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a since-deleted post. That same year, Grande's anxiety and depression manifested through panic attacks and she was forced to cancel a meet and greet and soundcheck with fans in Belgium.

Five years later, Grande spoke candidly about her experience with mental health-related medication in a powerful PSA about her body. "The body that you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly," she said in a TikTok video. "[I was] at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that in fact wasn't my healthy," she poignantly added, reminding us all to be a little kinder and more considerate, especially when commenting on someone else's looks.