Ariana Grande Suffers From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After Manchester Bombing: What Is PTSD?

Pop princess Ariana Grande opens up about dealing with the aftermath of a suicide bombing during one of her concerts last May 2017.

The bombing attack in Manchester Arena in United Kingdom killed 22 people and injured dozens more. Victims of the tragedy included children as young as 8 years old.

Grande On PTSD

In the July issue of British Vogue, Grande talks about suffering from PTSD a year after the tragic event.

"It's hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it's a real thing," Grande admits to the magazine. She adds that she knows that the families of the victims and her fans felt the tremendous trauma of the incident as well.

While the singer says she's finding ways to deal with the trauma.

"Time is the biggest thing," she continues. "I feel like I shouldn't even be talking about my own experience — like I shouldn't even say anything. I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry."

On the anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing, Grande took to Twitter to commemorate the "challenging day."

What Is PTSD?

According to National Institute of Mental Health, post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in people after experiencing a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. The agency explains that it's natural to be fearful following a traumatic event, since the "fight-or-flight" reaction helps humans be safe in the wake of danger.

Most patients recover naturally, but those who don't may be diagnosed with PTSD. Those who suffer from PTSD can get afraid despite the absence of danger.

Symptoms include frightening thoughts, bad dreams, and flashbacks that can cause physical symptoms such as sweating and a racing heart, among others. Avoiding reminders or thoughts of the trauma can also be considered a symptom.

These symptoms can manifest in people in varying frequencies, but it usually begins within three months of the traumatic event. However, it can also appear after years. The symptoms may last for over a month and be severe enough to disrupt work or relationships of the patients diagnosed with PTSD.

How To Deal

Treatments vary, since PTSD affects each person in a different way than it does to others. However, it often includes medication, psychotherapy, or both.

Recovery also varies among patients. While some can recover in six months, others deal with it for much longer and there are incidents when the PTSD can become chronic.

Anyone who may be suffering from PTSD should seek treatment from a mental health provider with experience in this particular disorder.