Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber has revealed he has been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
“It’s been a rough couple years,” the 25-year-old wrote on Instagram, adding that he was also suffering from a chronic viral infection.
The star said he was aware of social media speculation that he had a drug problem, after he was pictured looking unwell with blotches on his skin.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by ticks.
What did Bieber say?
On his Instagram page, the artist wrote that people had suggested he looked like he was “on meth”, but “they failed to realise I’ve been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, not only that but had a serious case of chronic mono which affected my skin, brain function, energy, and overall health”.
He said he was getting “the right treatment” to help address the disease, and that more would be revealed in an upcoming YouTube documentary series about his life.
“You can learn all that I’ve been battling and OVERCOMING!!” he wrote, telling his 124 million Instagram followers: “I will be back and better than ever”.
The superstar’s wife, model Hailey Bieber, defended her husband against criticism from those “trying to downplay the severity of Lyme disease”.
“Please do your research,” she urged them on Twitter on Wednesday.
For those who are trying to downplay the severity of Lyme disease. Please do your research and listen to the stories of people who have suffered with it for years. Making fun of and belittling a disease you don’t understand is never the way, all it takes is educating yourself.
— Hailey Bieber (@haileybieber) January 8, 2020