HEALTHDisney Star Debby Ryan Reveals Details of 'Life-Altering' Brain Injury and 'Hellish' Migraines
Debby Ryan opened up about her 'life-altering' brain injury and 'hellish' migraines.
Sept. 17 2026, Published 9:53 a.m. ET
Debby Ryan is opening up about the lasting effects of brain injury and “hellish” migraines.
During the September 15 episode of Mythical Kitchen’s Last Meals, she shared, "The brain injuries make things significantly worse. I had a pretty crazy, life-altering brain injury a few years ago, and I was out of commission for six months."
Debby Ryan got candid about details of her 'life-altering' brain injury and 'hellish' migraines.
As the Jessie alum candidly shared, her migraines have worsened over time since suffering five concussions over the course of her life.
Though she insists the first four concussions were “incidents,” Ryan confessed that the fifth one was trauma caused by “sustained shaking over a minute of time.”
"I went to this neurological rehab for six months and did this fringe science treatment that was really sci-fi and crazy," she shared. "I've done it a couple [of] times."
Debby Ryan Divides Her Life as ‘Pre-Incident Debby’ & ‘Post-Incident Debby’
Debby Ryan said her migraines have worsened over time since suffering five concussions over the course of her life.
While the treatment successfully brought Ryan “back online,” there are still “some things that just did not come back,” per the actress’s confession.
Due to this, she has started dividing her life as "pre-incident Debby and post-incident Debby."
"Quite often the world is really loud," the Disney star explained.
"It’s really too bright. There’s a lot going on," she continued.
Besides experiencing sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds and dealing with cognitive changes, the Insatiable actress also added that she needs to close her eyes at times to “think better.”
"The visual data that I'm taking in can be so distracting and so loud," she added. "Then, with the migraines—which are significantly worsened by that—it sort of is too much."
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Ryan is Supported by Her Husband and Daughter
Debby Ryan said she has started dividing her life as 'pre-incident Debby and post-incident Debby.'
Fortunately for her, Ryan still has her husband, Josh Dun, and their 8-month-old daughter, Felix, supporting her.
Ryan tied the knot with Dun back in 2019, and the two welcomed their daughter earlier this year.
Talking about them, she said on Last Meals, “I feel really fortunate that I have an amazing team of people around me who sort of reminded me who I am, and also held a lot of space for that to change—potentially permanently—and love me through that.”
Debby Ryan said she's grateful to have her husband, Josh Dun, and their 8-month-old daughter, Felix, as her strong backbone, supporting her through thick and thin.
This was even more so since Ryan “couldn't imagine being on the other side of it” from Dun’s point of view.
"I couldn't imagine doing it," she added, "going like, 'Wow, I guess that looks like my wife, and she's talking like my wife,' and then suddenly behavior's completely different."
