Model Bella Hadid has said she is “so grateful” for the support from her fans after posting an emotional message about a flare-up of her chronic illness.
Hadid, 29, was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease in the early 2010s, a bacterial infection carried by ticks, which can cause tiredness and a loss of energy, according to the NHS.
Hadid posted a tearful selfie on Instagram on Thursday and said she was “unable to shake off” the flare-up, which left her “out of breath walking to the kitchen”.
She said she had slept for 11 hours but continued needing naps, adding: “Took every protocol from any and every doctor I’ve seen. Still nothing helping.”
She also said she felt as though her brain cells were not working, but that she had managed to shower without fainting which felt like “a really big accomplishment”.
She posted an update on Instagram on Friday, telling her 59.3 million fans: “Hi. I’m sorry if I worried anyone.
“I know it sounds jarring, but in full truth it’s my reality so it’s something I’m able to cope with to a capacity now.
“I’m sorry if I startled anyone. This truly is an everyday ebb and flow for me, for the past 15 years.
“I just had an overwhelming amount of emotion over not being able to do the things my mind is capable of setting, but my body is not capable of doing.”
Hadid said she hoped for a better day tomorrow, adding: “Thank you for all your support. I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m truly grateful. I love you guys so much.”
She has discussed how unpredictable flare-ups can be and how they affect her life, and has often spoken about the difficulties of struggling from an invisible chronic illness.
Hadid was diagnosed with the disease with her mother Yolanda, who starred in US reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and her brother.
According to the NHS, most people who are diagnosed will recover – however, a small proportion will continue to have symptoms, such as tiredness, aching and loss of energy, which can last for several years.
Hadid has appeared dozens of times on the cover of Vogue, and was voted model of the year by the British Fashion Council in 2022.
In 2023, she was named in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
Her sister Gigi, 31, is also a model, who was herself voted model of the year by the British Fashion Council in 2016.
