Ariana Grande Reveals Struggling With Mental Health In The Past; Says ‘They Were Dark Times…’

Ariana Grande recalls going through multiple mental health issues and how music served as a remedy at the time.

Written by Sakshi Shelke , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Feb 05, 2025 | 12:23 PM IST | 5.6K

Ariana Grande (CC: Getty images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to depression and anxiety.

In a very honest conversation, Ariana Grande opened up about experiencing multiple mental health problems in the past and how making music in a way assisted her in dealing with them. The singer talked about it in the episode of The Hollywood Reporter Podcast Awards Chatter.

After the Manchester bombing incident in 2017, Sweetener, which was released the next year, ended up becoming the first piece of work since the incident that reportedly killed 22 people and injured many. Her ex-partner and rapper, Mac Miller, passed away less than a month after the album was out, per People magazine.

In February 2019, Grande released Thank You, Next, which was something that she reportedly “needed” to do during that period.

On the podcast, the singer shared that she did a lot of therapy and dealt with “PTSD and all different kinds of grief and depression and anxiety.”

The vocalist stated that she treated that in a serious way and her music being a section of that “remedy” contributed to saving her life.

The songstress added, “They were dark times, and the music brought so much levity and so did the experience. But it poured out with urgency, and it was made with urgency, and it was a means of survival.”

Grande shared that her label did understand her need to create more music but the company hesitated to move ahead from her 2018-released album very soon, as during that time, that was not something that individuals did, unless it was hip-hop or rap music, but it was not a common thing.

The songstress mentioned not caring about the “formula.” She expressed not wanting to “play by the rules at this moment because this is what I need from my soul.”

The singer shared about it feeling like it healed and liberated her. The vocalist said, “It was just such a beautiful moment of connection.”

Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.