Tragic Details About Millie Bobby Brown's Health

Millie Bobby Brown has achieved a great deal in her career, and she's done it all while navigating a couple of health issues. Between becoming a fan favorite on Netflix's uber-popular "Stranger Things" and the host of other leading roles she has won, including "Enola Holmes," the Gen-Z star (who's now a married mother of one) has totally taken Hollywood by storm. Unfortunately, Brown's work has sometimes been affected by one of her health challenges: hearing loss.

Brown first opened up about her hearing issues with Variety in 2017, revealing that she had suffered from hearing loss on one side since birth. Even at the start of her career, she was determined to not let her hearing issues impede her love of performing. "I just started to sing, and if I sound bad I don't care, because I'm just doing what I love," shared the then-teenager. "You don't have to be good at singing. You don't have to be good at dancing or acting. If you like to do it, if you genuinely enjoy doing it, then do it."

And while Brown definitely doesn't dwell on her hearing loss, she did explain how it has impacted her in an interview with "Call Her Daddy" host Alex Cooper. For example, loud chewing doesn't bother her because, when she eats, she can only hear herself chewing her own food. Beyond that, her husband, Jake Bongiovi, whom she made it official with in 2022, jokingly claims she has "selective hearing," when in reality, everything sounds "muffled underwater." Brown added, "I do miss very important things in my life." An example she shared was hearing directors yell "action" or "cut."

Millie Bobby Brown is also among the celebs who have spoken openly about their mental health over the years — specifically, her experience with anxiety. "Personally, I struggle with anxiety and in some ways, this has hindered it," Brown shared with Glamour during an August 2020 discussion about how the mental condition had impacted her experience in the public eye. "When I'm having a bad day or I'm feeling very anxious, some things like when people say, 'Oh, you looked bad at this award show because you looked like this or you looked like that,' those things make me a little bit more anxious and that hinders me a little bit more." Fortunately, the then-16-year-old found ways to channel her anxiety through her creative hobbies, including songwriting and dancing. "I get really anxious when I feel like I don't have a creative outlet," she said. Surprisingly, Brown revealed that driving has also helped ease her anxiety, even though she thought "it would heighten it."

Years later, in 2023, Brown opened up again about her anxiety. While delivering her acceptance speech at Glamour's Woman of the Year Awards, she revealed that anxiety was still present in her life. "The influence of social media and the press had a negative effect on my mental health and anxiety is still a huge battle I'm dealing with today," Brown admitted (via People). "Luckily, with the love and support from my friends and family, I feel strong enough. I do not feel alone anymore." Unfortunately, she noted that social media has also taken a toll on the mental health of many people her age. "Mental health is not a taboo topic," she added. "It's a necessary one. Remember, we are human beings."