Ariana Grande Health: What Happened To Her—Was It Antidepressants And Stress?

Pop megastar Ariana Grande has stepped back into the spotlight with a message that is as personal as it is vital, addressing renewed speculation about her weight during the global promotion of Wicked: For Good.

In a resurfaced video she first posted in 2023 — and re-shared in late 2025 — the singer made a striking admission: the body fans once praised as 'healthy' was, in reality, her 'unhealthiest version.'

She explained that at the time she was taking multiple antidepressants, drinking alcohol alongside them, and eating poorly, all while navigating grief, anxiety and professional pressure.

Her decision to revisit the subject now is a direct response to escalating commentary around her appearance, and a plea for empathy in an era where celebrities are scrutinised down to the pixel.

Ariana Grande Says Her 'Old Body' Was Built on Medication, Stress and Survival

In her now widely-circulated video, Grande dismantles the myth that outward thinness or fullness reflects genuine health.

'The body you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body,' she says — a statement she has repeated to combat ongoing body-shaming online.

She confirmed that during that period, she was relying heavily on prescription antidepressants to manage PTSD and anxiety, a combination she paired with alcohol and irregular eating. According to medical guidance from organisations like Mayo Clinic, antidepressants can alter appetite, weight and emotional regulation — making her admission credible and clinically consistent.

Grande stressed that she is now focused on intuitive eating, emotional stability and sustainable health, rather than shaping her body to public expectations.

Her message reframed the debate entirely: what fans celebrated as 'healthy' was actually the product of trauma, medication overload and burnout.

PTSD, Trauma and the 'Petri Dish' Pressure of Fame

Grande's mental health journey is inseparable from the tragedies she endured.

Following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, she publicly confirmed experiencing PTSD, panic symptoms and physical manifestations of anxiety. Later, the 2018 death of her ex-partner Mac Miller deepened the emotional strain.

These traumatic events unfolded while she remained under aggressive public visibility. Grande has long described fame as being treated like a 'specimen in a petri dish' — every fluctuation debated, dissected and reposted.

The resurfacing of her 2023 video in 2025 served as a gentle warning to her followers: comments on appearance are rarely harmless, and often land hardest when someone is already battling unseen struggles.

A Call for Empathy and Self-Care

Grande's enduring plea for the public to adopt a more empathetic stance towards bodies is likely the most enduring part of her commentary.

Her willingness to discuss her struggles with medication and lifestyle choices during her 'unhealthiest' period provides a vital lesson: that celebrity health is complex, often hidden, and should never be used as a source of comparison.

By choosing to be vulnerable, the pop star transformed the hostile public lens into a platform for genuine dialogue about mental health, trauma, and societal beauty standards.

Grande's message is a powerful testament to the idea that focusing on inner peace and recovery can lead to outer changes that defy conventional public approval, but ultimately serve true well-being.