Debby Ryan Opens Up About Her Life‑Altering Brain Injury

When you picture Debby Ryan, you probably picture the bright‑eyed teen from Disney’s “Jessie” or “The Suite Life on Deck.” A few years ago, however, the actress found herself in a far darker place – dealing with what she calls a “life‑altering brain injury.”

In a candid chat for Mythical Kitchen’s “Last Meals” series, Ryan described a “hellish” stretch of months filled with pounding migraines that left her feeling like a warrior on a battlefield. “I had a pretty crazy brain injury a few years ago,” she said, “and I was out of commission for like six months.” During that time she checked into a neurological rehab center, where she spent half a year relearning basic things most of us take for granted.

She also mentioned trying a “fringe‑science” treatment that sounded straight out of a sci‑fi movie. “I went and did this fringe science treatment that was really crazy, and I’ve done it a couple of times,” she explained, hinting at experimental protocols that helped her “get back online,” even if some parts of her brain never quite returned to their pre‑injury state.

The root of the trouble? Five concussions, the last of which sent a jolt of shaking through her brain for over a minute. “Specifically, after the fifth concussion, the brain injury made things significantly worse,” she said, drawing a line between the cumulative blows and the “pre‑incident Debby” versus the “post‑incident Debby” she now lives as.

One of the strangest side effects she notes is that she actually sees and thinks better when she closes her eyes. “The world is really loud and too bright,” Ryan explained. “The visual data I’m taking in can be so distracting and so loud, and the migraines get significantly worse because of that.” In other words, the less sensory input she receives, the more she can focus on feeling okay.

Through it all, Ryan credits an “amazing team” of doctors, therapists, and loved ones for reminding her who she was and for holding space for her to heal. “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,” she said, her voice soft but resolute.

Off‑camera, the actress is also a mother, sharing a child with husband Josh Dun, the drummer for Twenty One Pilots. While the injury reshaped many aspects of her life, Ryan says she’s learning to navigate this new reality one day at a time, grateful for every small victory.