Justin Timberlake has joined a list of celebrities who have publicly shared their experience with Lyme disease, a condition he described as “relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.” The singer’s announcement came this week on Instagram, where he explained his “shock” diagnosis after battling health issues behind the scenes during his two-year world tour.
Lyme disease is caused by borrelia bacteria, which are typically transmitted to humans through a tick bite. The Mayo Clinic notes that the risk is highest in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, particularly in the upper Midwest and the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states of the U.S.
Timberlake’s candid revelation brings attention to an illness that has also affected a number of other well-known figures:
Shania Twain: In her Netflix documentary Not Just a Girl, the country singer shared how a tick bite in the early 2000s impacted her vocal cords, causing her to experience scary symptoms like dizziness and “millisecond blackouts” on stage.
Amy Schumer: The comedian and actress revealed her diagnosis in a lighthearted Instagram post in 2020. She mentioned she was taking doxycycline, a common antibiotic for the disease, and humorously asked her followers for advice, including whether she could “have a glass of wine or 2 on it.”
Justin Bieber: In 2020, the pop star opened up about his diagnosis on Instagram, addressing public concerns about his health. He explained that he had been battling the disease for a “rough couple years” and was finally getting the right treatment.
Alec Baldwin: The actor experienced severe symptoms, including sweats and a high fever, after being bitten by a tick more than two decades ago. At one point, the illness was so bad that Baldwin admitted to thinking he wasn’t going to survive.
