Bella Hadid's hospital pics spark debate over Lyme disease and Anorexia: How are the two different?

Model Bella Hadid recently sent the internet into a frenzy after she posted her latest photo dump on September 17. The 28-year-old posted a carousel that ran from serene rainbow pics to pictures of her hooked to IVs, bedridden in a hospital and with an oxygen mask. “I’m sorry, I always go MIA. I love you guys,” she wrote in the caption.


As is the case with everything on the internet, people took to making assumptions and sharing advice quickly. “It’s not chronic Lyme, it’s kidney disease from long-term anorexia. She’s literally going to need dialysis,” wrote one.


“It’s sad because the honest truth is probably that most of her health symptoms come from being too skinny, and instead her crazy mom convinced her she has chronic Lyme disease or whatever,” added another.

While many of her fans came to her rescue, asking people to stop diagnosing her through their screens, the internet remained divided on the model's diagnosis. What exactly is the difference between the two? Let's find out.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia, spread by the bite of a tick. The symptoms of the disease show up in stages and sometimes people don't have the symptoms at the early stage.

Early symptoms include rash, fever, headache, extreme fatigue, joint stiffness, muscle aches and pains and swollen lymph nodes.

In stage 2, the symptoms are more serious when rashes spread to different parts of the body, neck pain, muscle weakness, irregular heartbeats, pain in hands and legs, swelling in the eye and more.

Then comes stage 3, where in the United States the most common condition is arthritis in large joints.

The thing about Lyme disease is that it can be treated with antibiotics early enough but many are not aware that they are going through its early symptoms and only seek diagnosis years after they first contracted the disease.

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia, known as is defined by the restriction of nutrient intake related to requirements, which leads to low body weight. Patients with this eating disorder have a fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image.

The symptoms of the disorder include irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure, dry skin, fainting, swelling in arms and legs, stomach pain and dehydration.

Because of the way it affects the brain, people with anorexia might not want to be treated. This is because a core feature of the disorder is that people don't see how serious their situation is.

While the internet might be coming up with new theories, Bella along with her family has confirmed multiple times that she had Lyme disease. Though she wasn't diagnosed until she was 16, she revealed in her Instagram stories that her symptoms began two years prior. Additionally, her mother and younger brother Anwar Hadid also have the disease.

In August 2023, she shared on Instagram, that she was "finally healthy" following a decade of struggling with symptoms of Lyme disease. However, two years later she was hospitalised again.


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