Bella Hadid apologises after tearful Lyme disease posts worry fans: 'I'm sorry if I startled anyone'

Bella Hadid has responded after fans expressed concern over a series of emotional Instagram posts about her ongoing battle with Lyme disease, saying she did not mean to alarm anyone and thanking followers for their support.

The 29-year-old model explained that the emotions she shared reflected the reality of living with a chronic illness, something she has dealt with for years.

Bella Hadid apologises after fans express concern

Addressing the reaction to her posts, Hadid said while her updates may have sounded alarming, they were an honest reflection of what she experiences.

“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,” she wrote. “I'm sorry if I startled anyone. This truly is an every day, 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.”

She also thanked fans for reaching out with messages of support.

“Every day is a new day and tomorrow I'm hoping for, God willing, a better one. I love you guys so much thank you for all of your support. I wasn't expecting it, but I'm truly grateful. I love you guys so much.”

In her earlier posts, Hadid described some of the challenges of her latest flare-up, saying she was "out of breath walking to the kitchen" and that taking a shower without fainting felt like “a really big accomplishment.”

“Haven't been able to shake off this flare up... Slept 11 hours. Again... Took every protocol from any and every doctor I've seen. Still nothing helping,” she shared.

She also wrote, “I don't think there's a singular brain cell in there working and my last two are beefing with each other so I'm sorry if I ever told you on a bad day to journal I take it back and I'm sorry."

In another message, Hadid said talking about her condition remains “intimidating and difficult” because “nothing feels certain” now that treatments and protocols that previously helped are no longer working.

Bella Hadid on living with chronic illness

Earlier this week, Hadid also reflected on the mental and emotional impact of living with Lyme disease in a series of Instagram Stories.

Diagnosed with the tick-borne illness in 2013 at the age of 16, she spoke about the “hardships” of managing chronic illness, including “severe isolation and depression.”

“I wish it wasn't so intimidating and difficult to explain the pain / exhaustion / fatigue / anxiety / brain fog / insecurities that come with chronic illness / co-infections / mental health trauma etc.,” she wrote.

Alongside the updates, Hadid shared a few moments from her day, including a fuzzy poncho and gifts from a friend, before posting a tearful selfie.

“Slept 11 hours. Again… Took every protocol from any and every doctor I've ever seen. Still nothing helping,” she captioned the photo. She added that she was “out of breath walking to the kitchen,” and joked that her "last two" brain cells were “beefing with each other.”

She also noted a small achievement, writing, “I took a shower without fainting tho… so again, if you know you know … that felt like a really big accomplishment for me today.”

Hadid has spoken publicly about Lyme disease on several occasions, saying it causes symptoms including severe joint pain, anxiety, brain fog and extreme fatigue. In September 2025, she shared hospital photos on Instagram with the caption, “I'm sorry I always go MIA I love you guys.” Her sister, Gigi Hadid, commented that she hoped Bella would soon feel "as strong and good as [she] deserve[s]," while their mother, Yolanda Hadid, described her as a “Lyme warrior.”