‘Orion’ Star Debby Ryan Opens Up About “Life-Altering” Brain Injury and Ongoing Migraines

Debby Ryan, the former Disney Channel star known for “Suite Life on Deck” and “Jessie,” has spoken publicly about a serious brain injury she experienced several years ago and the lasting effects it has had on her life.

Ryan, 33, made the disclosure during a September 15 appearance on Mythical Kitchen’s “Last Meals,” hosted by Josh Scherer. She described herself as a “migraine warrior,” explaining that sensory input can become overwhelming: “Quite often the world is really loud. It’s really too bright, it’s too — there’s a lot going on.”

Ryan said she has suffered five concussions over the course of her life. While the first four resulted from isolated incidents, she described the fifth as involving “sustained shaking over a minute of time” and said it left her with a “life-altering brain injury.” “I had a pretty crazy life-altering brain injury a few years ago, and I was out of commission for like six months, and I went to this neurological rehab for like six months,” she said.

When the neurological rehab proved insufficient, Ryan said she pursued what she called a “fringe science treatment” — something she described as “really sci-fi and crazy” — which she has since undergone multiple times. She said the treatment helped bring her “back online,” but added that recovery was incomplete: “There are some things that just did not come back.”

Ryan said the experience has led her to think of her life in two distinct periods — “pre-incident Debby and post-incident Debby.” She described ongoing sensory sensitivity connected to her migraines, saying she often thinks and sees more clearly with her eyes closed because visual input can be overwhelming. She credited the people around her for helping her through the change: “I feel really fortunate that I have an amazing team of people around me who sort of reminded me who I am and was and also held a lot of space for that to change, potentially permanently, and love me through that.”

Coverage of the interview noted a supportive reaction from fans online, with several commenters saying they appreciated her describing the injury and its effects in serious, medical terms rather than downplaying it.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!