Bella Hadid shared an emotional update about the physical and mental toll of a recent chronic illness flare-up.
The 29-year-old model posted a series of Instagram Stories on Thursday, June 25, describing pain, exhaustion, anxiety, brain fog and isolation tied to her Lyme disease diagnosis.
Hadid has spoken for years about living with Lyme disease and chronic illness.
This update focused on what a difficult day can look like when symptoms return without warning.
Hadid Said Flare-Ups Can Make Everything Feel Uncertain
In the Stories, Hadid wrote that it can feel intimidating to explain symptoms including pain, exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, infections and trauma.
Those symptoms, she said, can lead to long stretches of isolation and depression, especially after she has tried different routines or treatments and then feels set back again.
Hadid described the frustration of having a few better days, thinking she may have found the right protocol or routine, and then suddenly feeling unsure again when a flare-up comes back.
She Said Basic Tasks Felt Difficult
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Hadid later shared a tearful selfie and said she could not “shake off” the current flare-up. She wrote that she had slept for 11 hours and still needed naps.
Her symptoms also affected ordinary parts of the day. Hadid said she was out of breath walking to the kitchen and joked that she did not think “a singular brain cell” was working.
She also said taking a shower without fainting felt like a major accomplishment that day.
Hadid Shared a Message for Others With Chronic Illness
Hadid told followers who are struggling that there is still hope, even when it is hard to see. She reminded herself that “healing isn’t linear” and told others living through difficult seasons that they are loved, needed and have purpose.
She also tried to focus on small sources of comfort. In one follow-up Story, she posted herself in a Star Wars-themed robe and wrote that the kids’ poncho made things feel a little better.
Hadid also thanked the people helping her with Orebella, her perfume brand, saying her team had helped keep her afloat.
She Has Spoken About Lyme Disease for Years
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Hadid has previously said she was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a teenager. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and brother, Anwar Hadid, have also publicly discussed Lyme disease diagnoses.
In 2023, Hadid shared a lengthy Instagram post about undergoing more than 100 days of treatment. She wrote at the time that she was “finally healthy” after years of invisible suffering.
The CDC describes Lyme disease as a bacterial infection spread through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic rash, and untreated infection can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system.
The CDC also says some people can have prolonged fatigue, body aches or difficulty thinking after treatment, while noting that Lyme disease is only one possible cause of those symptoms and patients should work with healthcare providers to evaluate them.