"Cells at Work!" creator Akane Shimizu revealed that she struggled with several traumatic experiences while working on the manga.
She was diagnosed with depression, hair-pulling disorder and later PTSD. She also revealed that she was a victim of financial exploitation and sexual victimization by relatives and on top of that experienced secondary victimization by her family. She had to cut ties with her younger sister who had inspired her writing.
These incidents remain major wounds for her to this day.