Bella Hadid Opens Up About Health Struggles
Bella Hadid has offered a deeply personal look at her ongoing struggle with Lyme disease, revealing that a recent flare-up has once again disrupted both her health and daily life.
The 29-year-old supermodel teared up as she shared a series of emotional Instagram Stories on June 25, describing the physical pain, mental exhaustion, and isolation she continues to experience more than a decade after first being diagnosed with the tick-borne illness.
Bella Reveals Agonizing Flare-Up
Hadid said the latest flare-up has left her battling severe fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and persistent pain that makes even routine activities unpredictable.
She explained that living with the illness often means she cannot plan because she never knows how she will feel from one day to the next. During the most difficult periods, she said she struggles with overwhelming isolation and depression as others fail to understand what she is experiencing.
The model also revealed that some days are so physically draining that she cannot even shower without feeling faint. Despite the challenges, she encouraged others living with chronic illnesses to remain hopeful, reminding them that difficult periods do not last forever.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013 at the age of 16 after years of unexplained health problems. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and younger brother, Anwar Hadid, have also publicly disclosed that they were diagnosed with the disease.
Over the years, Hadid has described experiencing an extensive range of symptoms, including chronic fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, chest pain, headaches, memory problems, sleep disorders, and anxiety.
Lyme disease is caused by infection with Borrelia bacteria, which are typically transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States and can affect multiple organs if not treated promptly.
Although several members of the Hadid family have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, medical experts note that the illness is not hereditary and cannot be passed down genetically.
From Hospital Bed to Fashion Week
Hadid’s latest update follows one of the most serious periods in her health journey.
In September 2025, she underwent an intensive month-long course of treatment after being hospitalized during a severe flare-up. At the time, her mother shared emotional messages describing Lyme disease as an invisible neurological illness that had taken an enormous emotional toll on their family.
The hospitalization forced Hadid to miss New York Fashion Week, but she made a triumphant return later that month by walking in Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week.
Her comeback was widely celebrated as a testament to her resilience after weeks of intensive medical treatment.
The Symptoms That Won’t Go Away
Lyme disease often begins with symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches before progressing to affect the nervous system, joints, and heart if left untreated.
Some patients continue experiencing debilitating symptoms even after completing standard antibiotic treatment. These lingering problems can include persistent fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cognitive difficulties, and sleep disturbances.
Hadid’s recent update reflects many of those ongoing challenges, particularly the unpredictable flare-ups that can interrupt both work and everyday life despite years of treatment.
The Debate Over “Chronic Lyme Disease”
Hadid has frequently described herself as living with chronic Lyme disease, a term that remains the subject of medical debate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discourages using the phrase because it suggests that persistent symptoms are caused by an ongoing bacterial infection, something that has not been conclusively established.
Instead, physicians often use the term Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) to describe patients who continue experiencing symptoms for six months or longer after completing recommended antibiotic treatment.
Researchers are still working to understand why these symptoms persist. Clinical studies are currently investigating therapies aimed at reducing fatigue, cognitive impairment, and chronic pain in patients with long-term post-treatment complications.
A Message of Hope
Despite another difficult chapter in her health battle, Hadid ended her latest posts on a hopeful note.
“As so many have said..I have to remind myself that healing isn’t linear…I believe God puts before us, somehow, only what we are capable of carrying, even when we don’t understand why at the time,” she wrote, saying there’s a “deeper purpose to all things in life.”
More than a decade after her diagnosis, Hadid continues to use her platform to raise awareness of Lyme disease while sharing the realities of living with a chronic condition that remains largely invisible to others.
