American supermodel Bella Hadid periodically shares glimpses of her battle with chronic illness on Instagram. In a slideshow from September 2025, she is shown receiving various treatments at a specialized medical facility. Another post from August 2023 depicts Hadid with an intravenous catheter connected to her arm, revealing her struggle with Lyme disease for over 100 days and almost 15 years of silent suffering.
This post received approximately three million likes and 19,000 comments, with many users offering support and sharing their own experiences with chronic Lyme. While Lyme disease is a recognized infection causing symptoms like pain, fatigue, and muscle aches, some celebrities, including Hadid, Justin Timberlake, and Justin Bieber, claim to have chronic Lyme disease, a condition not acknowledged by mainstream medicine.
Chronic Lyme disease is a controversial term used by alternative practitioners to describe persistent symptoms attributed to a lingering Lyme infection. Despite lacking validation, some individuals turn to this diagnosis in search of answers and better treatment options. However, experts caution against unregulated private testing and treatments, warning of potential risks involved.
Lyme disease, transmitted by infected ticks, leads to symptoms such as rash, fever, and joint pain. The disease has been increasingly reported worldwide, including in Canada, where cases have risen steadily since 2009 due to factors like climate change and heightened awareness among the public and healthcare providers.
Most people with Lyme disease recover with early antibiotic treatment, but some may experience lingering symptoms post-treatment called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The cause of PTLDS remains unclear, making treatment challenging. Misconceptions around chronic Lyme, PTLDS, and Lyme disease can lead to unnecessary treatments and financial exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
Testing for Lyme disease in Canada follows a two-step process, though these tests are not foolproof. Private clinics offering alternative tests and treatments outside the country may promote misleading information and unproven therapies. Such practices can be harmful and may divert attention from diagnosing actual medical conditions causing symptoms.
The chronic Lyme industry thrives on selling hope to individuals seeking relief from unexplained symptoms. However, pursuing unverified treatments can have serious consequences, as seen in Feile O’Connell’s case, where an unproven treatment in Mexico led to life-threatening complications. The lack of comprehensive healthcare and research in chronic illnesses exacerbates patients’ struggles, emphasizing the need for improved understanding and empathy from medical professionals.