Why Do So Many Celebrities Have Lyme Disease? Let's Investigate

In addition to all being ridiculously rich and good-looking, Justin Beiber, Bella Hadid, and Avril Lavigne have something else in common — they all have or have had Lyme disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Lyme disease is an illness caused by borrelia bacteria. It’s typically spread to humans when an infected tick bites them. If left untreated, some of the most common debilitating and long-term symptoms include fatigue, muscle pain and weakness, and cognitive issues.

So, why do so many celebrities have Lyme disease?

A handful of celebs have had their lives changed by a single tick bite, including:

• Bella Hadid

• Avril Lavigne

• Kelly Osbourne

• Justin Bieber

• Yolanda Hadid

• Amy Schumer

• Alec Baldwin

• Riley Keough

• Ryan Sutter

• Ally Hilfiger

One of the most notable celebs to speak out about their battle is singer Avril Lavigne. In a 2015 People cover story, she shared with the world that the disease left her bedridden for five months.

“I felt like I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t move,” she said. “I thought I was dying.” During this time, she stepped away from the spotlight to recuperate. Simple tasks — such as showering and making coffee — became a physical struggle.

“There were definitely times I couldn’t shower for a full week because I could barely stand,” she said. “It felt like having all your life sucked out of you.”

While there isn't a definitive answer, several theories have floated around. One of these theories is that celebs pick up ticks on vacation in the Hamptons. Yes, the Hamptons, the picture of luxury for affluent celebs.

According to the CDC, “U.S. workers in the northeastern and north-central States are at highest risk of exposure to infected ticks.”

TikTok user Richard Jordan (@richardjosephjordan) shared a map of East Hampton to show that many ticks populate there.

"These are some of the sand dunes in East Hampton with some very long grass, and this is the habitat of the deer tick," he said.

He went on to explain that celebrities who vacation in the Hamptons have an increased risk of getting bitten by an infected deer tick.

As anyone in the U.S. knows, getting tests and check-ups costs a pretty penny. Celebrities, however, typically have the means to advocate for their health if something feels off. This can lead to celebrities getting diagnosed with Lyme disease. However, some people have speculated that doctors may take advantage of celebrities by lying about a diagnosis just to get more money out of them.

“Then they tell people that they have 'Chronic Lyme' and sell them fake treatments for the fake condition,” a user claimed on a Reddit post.

“If the person feels better after the treatment, they take the credit. If the person feels worse after the treatment, they say feeling worse means it's working.”

The final theory is that Lyme disease is all a ruse.

In a Reddit post, a user tossed around the idea that Justin Bieber’s Lyme disease diagnosis was a clever PR ploy to cover up drug use.

"I know this is going to be a very controversial take but I'm gonna say it: I think Justin Bieber is lying about his Lyme disease and using it as a cover up for the fact that he's still on drugs," the user shared. "And I'd even go as far as saying he wanted to 'compete' with the attention and compassion Selena gets for her lupus. I may be totally wrong on this, but I just have this feeling for some reason."

Whether these theories are true or not, it’s important to remember that celebrities are important too. Being rich and famous doesn’t make them immune to disease.