Kathy Griffin Reveals ‘Extreme’ PTSD Diagnosis

Kathy Griffin has decided to reveal something to the world that she has “never talked about publicly.” On TikTok this week, the comedian shared her post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis (PTSD). “This is going to sound, whatever, you can laugh or whatever, but I’ve been diagnosed with complex PTSD,” Griffin said. “They call it an extreme case.” PTSD can include symptoms where a person experiences “recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event,” and complex PTSD can also lead to difficulty, “cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships, and interfere with the ability to go about normal daily tasks.” according to the Mayo Clinic. “I have lots of tools, but it is extremely intense,” Griffin, 62, wrote in the caption. “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life.”

In her video, after asking her followers for tips to help cope with depression and anxiety, she explained, “If any of you know my story, you’ll understand that this really started for me about five and a half years ago. Wink. You know, the cancer didn’t help.” Griffin revealed in August 2021 that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, despite not having ever smoked. The actress later had half of her left lung removed and declared herself cancer-free in December 2021. During an April 14 video, Griffin, who spent Easter this year getting an MRI, explained that she had an eight-hour “attack” on April 13, which she described as “eight hours of freaking writhing in pain in the bed.”

“Today, I felt like one might be coming on,” the Emmy winner shared. “So, I’m on my walk now, and I’m outside and looking at the ocean, which is helpful. And I’m sort of almost like mid-anxiety attack right now. It feels good to be walking my way through it. I just keep telling myself it won’t last forever.” Her next step will be to seek professional help by trying eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to put her mind at ease, she wrote in the comments section. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “This method involves moving your eyes a specific way while you process traumatic memories. EMDR’s goal is to help you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences.” Meanwhile, Griffin said one of the best things she’s ever done is to keep her four dogs by her side, telling one user, “They are my healers.”