Bella Hadid Opens Up About Her Battle With Lyme Disease

What Is Lyme Disease?

Before we dive into Bella’s story, let’s understand what we’re talking about. Lyme disease is an illness you can get from the bite of an infected tick — those tiny bugs that can attach to your skin, often for at least 24 hours. It can make you feel extremely tired, cause pain, and affect your whole body.

Important Point: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease can very rarely pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, but this is extremely uncommon.

Bella Hadid’s Honest Moment

Supermodel Bella Hadid is going through a really tough time right now. On Thursday, June 25, she shared an emotional update with her fans through her Instagram stories.

Here’s what she told us:

• She’s currently experiencing a flare-up — that means her Lyme disease symptoms have come back strongly, and she hasn’t been able to "shake it off."
• Even after sleeping for 11 hours, taking daily naps, and following every treatment from every doctor she’s seen, she still couldn’t find relief.
• She shared a photo of herself lying down and crying, which was a raw and powerful moment.
• She joked sarcastically that she’s now "diagnosed herself with 12 other things," showing she uses humor to cope with the frustration.

The Emotional Toll of Chronic Illness

Bella was very honest about how Lyme disease affects more than just the body:

• She explained that her symptoms often lead to "severe isolation and depression," especially during long flare-ups.
• She poked fun at the well-meaning but sometimes unhelpful advice people give, saying:
  • "Today is not the day to tell me to journal."
  • "Yes, I drank water."
  • "No, I didn’t go on a walk because I was out of breath walking to the kitchen."
  • She even apologized to anyone she’d given advice to on a bad day, saying: "I take it back and I’m sorry!"
• Despite everything, she found a win for the day: "I took a shower without fainting" — something she called "a really big accomplishment" and joked that someone should send her a cookie.

Important Point: What Bella is showing us is that when you live with a long-term (chronic) illness, even small daily tasks like taking a shower can feel like climbing a mountain. Every accomplishment matters.

A Condition She’s Lived With for Years

Here are some key facts about Bella’s journey with Lyme disease:

1. She was first diagnosed as a teenager in 2012.
2. She has lived with this condition for the past 15 years, describing her experience as an everyday "ebb and flow."
3. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and her brother, Anwar Hadid, also live with Lyme disease — it runs in her family.
4. She has been open about her diagnosis in recent years, helping to raise awareness.

Major Hospitalizations

Bella’s journey hasn’t been easy at all. She has faced some very serious health crises:

• In 2023, she was hospitalized and required treatment.
• In 2025, she faced another major hospitalization.
• After recovering from both, she was strong enough to return to the runway — her beloved modeling career — showing her incredible determination.

Reaching Out and Connecting

During her recent flare-up, Bella shared some videos (Reels) from comedian Oliver George, who also lives with chronic illness. These videos talked about what it’s like to make plans when you never know how your body will feel — something Bella clearly relates to.

Reassuring Her Fans

The next morning (early Friday), Bella posted again to calm any concerns. Accompanied by a sweet photo of a deer outside a window, she wrote:

• "I’m sorry if I worried anyone."
• She acknowledged that her words may have sounded alarming, but she emphasized that this is her reality and something she’s learned to cope with.
• She chose a photo of a deer, which is a meaningful symbol since deer are commonly associated with Lyme disease (as ticks often live on deer).

Saying Thank You

Bella expressed deep gratitude to her supporters:

• She wrote about feeling overwhelmed by emotion — not being able to do the things her mind plans but her body simply can’t handle.
• She reminded herself and her fans: "Every day is a new day."
• She said she was hoping for a better day tomorrow.
• She shared that she wasn’t expecting all the love and support but is truly grateful for it.

Celebrating the Small Wins

One of the most important things to take away from Bella’s story is this:

When you live with a chronic illness, a "good day" might look very different from what most people expect. Taking a shower, getting out of bed, or even walking to the kitchen can be a victory worth celebrating. Bella teaches us that acknowledging these small wins — and even going easy on ourselves about the advice we give others — is part of living with compassion for ourselves and others.

Summary

Let’s wrap up the key points from Bella Hadid’s story:

• Bella Hadid, 29, is battling another flare-up of Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness she was first diagnosed with in 2012.
• Despite extensive treatment, rest, and doctors’ protocols, she’s struggling to find relief.
• Lyme disease has caused her severe isolation, depression, and two major hospitalizations (in 2023 and 2025).
• She uses humor and honesty to cope with the frustrations of living with chronic illness.
• She reassured fans that this is her everyday reality and expressed deep gratitude for their support.
• Her mother and brother also live with Lyme disease, making it a family experience.
• Even small accomplishments — like taking a shower without fainting — are big victories when living with chronic illness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Lyme disease?
A: Lyme disease is an illness caused by bacteria that spread to humans through the bite of an infected tick. It can cause fatigue, joint pain, headaches, fever, and many other symptoms. The longer the tick stays attached (usually at least 24 hours), the higher the risk of infection.

Q: How long has Bella Hadid had Lyme disease?
A: Bella was first diagnosed in 2012 when she was a teenager, meaning she has lived with the condition for approximately 15 years.

Q: Can Lyme disease run in families?
A: Lyme disease itself is not directly inherited, but Bella’s mother (Yolanda) and brother (Anwar) also have it. People in the same family can be exposed to the same tick-prone environments, and according to the CDC, transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy is possible but extremely rare.

Q: What does a "flare-up" mean?
A: A flare-up is when the symptoms of a chronic illness suddenly become worse after a period of feeling better or having mild symptoms. For Bella, it means her Lyme disease symptoms have come back strongly and are harder to manage.

Q: Are other celebrities affected by Lyme disease?
A: Yes! Several well-known stars have publicly shared their struggles with Lyme disease, including Justin Timberlake, Shania Twain, and Justin Bieber (who also deals with other health conditions). Bella’s openness has helped bring more awareness to this challenging disease.