Last Updated on January 28, 2023 by Lori Geurin
Pop star Justin Bieber announced this week that he was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease. Apparently, he has been battling it for the past year, but doctors just recently figured out what was wrong with him.
Justin Bieber Has Lyme Disease
On Wednesday the 25-year-old Canadian native posted to his Instagram account that he’s also been fighting chronic mono and dealing with depression. Bieber said that his health issues have impacted his “skin, brain function, energy, and overall health.”
Bieber said he’ll be sharing more about Lyme in his upcoming YouTube docu-series, Justin Bieber: Seasons beginning January 27.
“These things will be explained further in a docu series I’m putting on YouTube shortly.. you can learn all that I’ve been battling and OVERCOMING!! It’s been a rough couple years but getting the right treatment that will help treat this so far incurable disease and I will be back and better than ever NO CAP.”
Bieber’s wife, Hailey asked those who were minimizing the severity of Lyme to educate themselves.
Avril Lavigne and Lyme Disease
Singer Avril Lavigne has dealt with her own Lyme diagnosis since around 2014. Since then she has been a Lyme advocate and started The Avril Lavigne Foundation which supports people with Lyme, serious illness, and other disabilities. Thursday she shared the following to her Instagram,
“Today @JustinBieber shared that he has Lyme disease. There are too many people that have this debilitating disease! People I love and care about and many friends and fans I have crossed paths with. To everyone affected by Lyme, I want to tell you that there is HOPE. Because Lyme is a daily struggle, for the better part of two years, I was really sick and fighting for my life.”
@AvrilLavigne
Lavigne also reached out to the Biebers on social media…
Justin Bieber’s Net Worth
As a teenager, he was already a multi-millionaire. And, according to insider.com, the Biebs brings in a whopping $80 million per year. Much of this is from his concerts. And don’t forget the documentaries, endorsements, and last but not least… his music.
All total, JB is reportedly worth $265 million.
which leads me to…
Justin Bieber Has Lyme: The Ugly Truth
If a celebrity like Justin Bieber, who makes a whopping $80 million per year and has access to all the doctors and resources money can buy, goes a year struggling with serious health problems, undiagnosed…imagine what it’s like for the average person who is dealing with this devastating disease. On an average paycheck. Or none at all because they are too sick to work.
This is what happened to me when I had to resign from my teaching job after become so sick with untreated Lyme and tularemia that I could barely walk and was bedridden for months. And this is what is happening to hundreds of thousands of Americans every year.
Related: Everyone With Lyme Disease Has A Story
According to globallymealliance.org, Lyme is a debilitating disease that affects an estimated 427,00 new cases in the U.S. each year. And, per a new study by scientists at Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) and Brown University, by the year 2020,
“more than two million people in the United States could suffer profound disability from post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLD)”
BMC Public Health
The fact that it has taken so long for wealthy celebrities like Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Yolanda Hadid, and others to get an accurate diagnosis of Lyme only highlights the desperate need for:
- a cure for Lyme
- more accurate Lyme testing
- more Lyme and tick-borne disease research
- effective Lyme treatments
- medical insurance coverage for Lyme testing and treatments (because many of the tests and treatments are not covered)
I created a Lyme resource to help answer your questions. The guide provides you with:
- more details about Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
- valuable information on diagnosis and testing
- where to find financial help for Lyme patients
- prevention tips
- instructions for how to properly remove a tick
- and more…
all based on research. Simply click below to check it out.
How You Can Protect Yourself From Lyme
The best ways to prevent Lyme disease (and other tick-borne diseases) is prevention. Here are some tips to help protect you and your loved ones.
- Avoid tick habitats. They love piles of leaves, grass, bushes, and logs. If you’re going for a hike be sure to stay on the cleared trail and away from grasslands.
- Dress to protect your body and make ticks easy to spot. Wear socks, long pants tucked into tall boots, long sleeves, and light-colored clothes.
- Spray your exposed skin and shoes with tick repellant. DEET, lemon eucalyptus oil, and picaridin have been proven most effective against ticks.
- Check yourself and your children for ticks. Pay close attention to the warmest parts of the body because this is where ticks tend to migrate. Armpits, back of knees, belly button, scalp, groin, etc.
- Take a shower as soon as you come inside and feel for any bumps that could be embedded ticks.
- Throw your clothes in a hot dryer for 10 to 15 minutes before washing them to kill hidden ticks.
- Don’t forget to check your pets for ticks every time they come inside. You can talk to your vet about appropriate tick prevention products.
Additional Lyme Resources
After Justin Bieber shared his Lyme diagnosis earlier this week I read several news articles and noticed there are many things being reported as facts that are dangerously false. This is really concerning.
Below are a few more resources to give you quick, research-based information about Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
- 16 Facts About Lyme Disease: A National Epidemic
- Symptoms & Stages Of Lyme
- New York Times, This Is Lyme.
- Quick List Of The Most Common Tick-Borne Diseases
- 21 Strategies To Fight Lyme Disease Naturally
- Undiagnosed & Suffering With Lyme Disease: I Felt Like I Was Dying
- Top 10 Ways To Prevent Lyme Disease (And Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
This includes information on how to remove an embedded tick.
Summary – Justin Bieber Lyme Disease
I’m always saddened when I hear someone is struggling with Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. And, although I would never wish this disease on another person, I hope that Justin Bieber’s struggle with Lyme will help shed light on the challenges of living with this disease and bring much-needed awareness.
I hope you’ve found this article helpful and would love it if you could share it with your friends and family.
Do you know anyone with Lyme or tick-borne disease? How are they coping with it? Any thoughts on celebrities and awareness?
Share your thoughts below…I’d love to hear from you!
It’s always sad when someone has a debilitating and painful condition like Lyme disease, but I’m glad to see that Justin is taking his struggle and using it as a platform to inform and educate. Awareness is key when searching for a cure.
This post points out that the need for earlier testing is very much needed in the fight against Lyme disease. Hopefully, there will be a better path forward for other diagnosed soon.
Thank you so much for sharing your story! Anyone who has this disease is incredibly strong. There isn’t enough education on this and hopefully, with his correct diagnosis, more light can be shed. Thank you for the tips as well! I like to take my dog on hikes and need to know what to do to keep us safe.
Thank YOU, Courtney! I appreciate this soo much!!! It’s great that you’re aware of keeping yourself and your dog safe. This is so important!
He is lucky to be able to get the treatment he needs. So many people who suffer don’t have the means.
That’s true, Heather. There are many who can’t afford necessary treatments because insurance won’t cover them…And, unfortunately, when it comes to borrelia (Lyme) when treatment is delayed like this, even after people are treated they can continue to have debilitating health problems for years.
Lyme disease is incredibly serious and I think we all know at least one person that struggles with it. While I’m sad he has it, his celebrity may be much needed awareness to it and more money being donated to help find a cure.
Exactly, Nicole. It is extremely serious…There are so many misconceptions about it too, especially on the internet.
I’m also hoping he is able to use his platform to bring awareness – It seems like he’s already doing so. I’m interested to see what he shares on his upcoming YouTube documentary. We need a cure! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!