Ariana Grande PTSD | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Ariana Grande Is Bringing Much-Needed Attention To PTSD, It's Time We All Learn What It Really Is

"not a joke."

202
Ariana Grande

This week, Ariana Grande posted a picture on her Instagram that wasn't your typical selfie or self-promotional snapshot. She uploaded a picture of a comparative brain scan and her brain scan side by side to show what her PTSD looked like on the biological level. The picture was accompanied by the stark caption, "not a joke."

It isn't just her. Survivors of school shootings have repeatedly shared stories about the grief and stress they experienced after watching their friends die at the hands of gunmen. Studies have shown that PTSD can occur in anyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. It is no longer the sole purview of shell-shocked soldiers returning from distant wars. It is affecting everyone from celebrities to school children. So what exactly is it?

PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a psychiatric disorder that can occur when people experience or witness traumatic events, which in Grande's case was the shooting at her Manchester concert in 2017. She herself has said so.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual or Mental Disorders, or DSM for short, is America's (and to a close extent, Europe's) handbook of mental illness. According to the DSM, symptoms of PTSD include intrusive thoughts such as repeated flashbacks, distressing memories, or nightmares of the event. People with PTSD also actively avoid reminders of the event, such as associated people, places, objects, or situations. They may have general feelings of fear, anger, or sadness, as well as hopelessness. They may have memory problems, sleeping issues, irritability, and begin to distance themselves from friends and family as a result. It is a terrible condition and one that can lead survivors of traumatic events to suffer long after.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with the disorder in their lifetime.

Many more who have it will not, whether it is because they don't want help or cannot afford it. Women are also twice as likely to have PTSD than men. Whether this is because of the pervasive fear and threat of violence women live with, or other reasons, I will refrain from commenting. Causes of the disorder include physical assault, sexual violence, gun violence, abuse, accidents, and natural disasters, amongst others.

Of course, the rumor mill has started to dredge up other sordid details from her past, trying to piece together a timeline of her trauma and gauge whether or not her condition was "real enough." But it is useless and even dangerous to toss around armchair theories like this. Trauma means different things to different people and trying to make value judgments is not remotely a good idea. It also adds to the stigma surrounding mental illness, when sufferers continuously doubt the validity of their condition and may refrain from seeking help because of this self-doubt.

One of the most important factors in helping people with PTSD is to support them. Social support can make a huge difference in recovery and whether people develop the condition in the first place. Of course, someone can have the most supportive family in the world and still develop the condition. As Grande's post demonstrates, PTSD is a hard biological reality that can take anywhere from years to a lifetime of recovery.

As with much of psychology, it can be tempting to dismiss it as a lack of resilience or turn it into a zeitgeist buzzword. But sticking our heads into the proverbial sand isn't going to help anyone. Neither is dismissing the very real trauma of violence by ad hominem attacks describing the survivors as moody-sensitive-weak-immature or whatever term the oldsters like to use these days. Much like the soldiers before them, they have seen people gunned down in front of their eyes while they were filled with a dread fear for their own lives.

Social media means we can no longer turn a blind eye to the pain so many of our peers are living in. So we must face it, head-on. We must support those who are suffering and reduce the stigma and self-doubt that keep survivors from accessing the help they need. We can start by listening to their stories and sharing information. In the words of Ariana Grande's Song "get well soon," "you shouldn't be alone," and you are not.

A good start is talking to your doctors or other health care providers. If someone you know and/or love has PTSD, support them. If you yourself have it, try and find a counselor or therapist to get help. If you feel conscious of being the focus of attention, there are support groups for trauma survivors, and even for the relatives of people with PTSD. The National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services also has a number that you can call for further information for yourself or someone else at 1-800-487-4889.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

552
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

475
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

1160
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

2421
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less
student thinking about finals in library
StableDiffusion

As this semester wraps up, students can’t help but be stressed about finals. After all, our GPAs depends on these grades! What student isn’t worrying about their finals right now? It’s “goodbye social life, hello library” time from now until the end of finals week.

1. Finals are weeks away, I’m sure I’ll be ready for them when they come.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments