Bella Hadid opens up about 'real' medical anxiety amid chronic illness

Bella Hadid is speaking candidly about her ongoing struggle with chronic illness.

The 28-year-old model shared two Instagram Story posts on Friday about living with Lyme disease. In the first, she reposted a meme that joked about the constant symptoms of chronic illness.

Her second post, a share from influencer Alexandra Wildeson about the “duality” of chronic illness, included a more personal note. “The medical anxiety is soooooo real,” Hadid wrote. “Thank you for putting every one of my thoughts and daily situations into one swipe. The truuuuuth!”

In September, she posted photos from a hospital bed while receiving treatment, showing IV bags and monitoring equipment. Days later, she shared a picture from a gym treadmill, calling it her “first day in the gym in a long time.”

Despite the setbacks, Hadid returned to the runway soon after, walking for Saint Laurent during Paris Fashion Week and later appearing in the Victoria’s Secret 2025 fashion show.

Hadid was first diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 at age 16, alongside her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and her brother Anwar.