The singer shared his medical condition on Instagram and directly addressed derogatory comments about his appearance and health.
“While a lot of people kept saying justin Bieber looks like shit, on meth etc. they failed to realize 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 wrote.
He added that he was “getting the right treatment” after a “rough couple years.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, Lyme disease “is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks” and can usually be treated with antibiotics.
Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and skin rash. Left untreated, the disease can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system.
Bieber mentioned in the Instagram post that he will be discussing his health struggles in a new YouTube Originals docuseries, “Justin Bieber: Seasons.”
Both the series and the announcement come on the heels of “Yummy,” his first solo single in four years, according to CNN.
Also on HuffPost
Avril Lavigne
The Canadian singer revealed that she has been struggling with the disease for almost a year.
Jamie Lynn Sigler
The actress, most well-known for her role on "The Sopranos," contracted Lyme disease in 2000. Her feet began tingling and eventually her legs became paralyzed. Doctors were stumped for five days as to the cause, the New Jersey Star-Ledger reported. "It was such a life-altering experience," she told the paper. "I realized it could all be taken away in a moment" She recovered completely after taking antibiotics.
George W. Bush
In 2007, the annual report on the president's health revealed that in August of 2006 Bush had been treated for Lyme disease. A White House spokesman said the president likely was bitten during a bike ride. He noticed a rash that doctors treated, and he had no other symptoms or any recurrence, according to CNN. "I wouldn't expect any problem at all for the president," Gary Wormser, chief of infectious diseases at New York Medical College and an expert on Lyme disease, told the Washington Post. "He won't be impacted by this infection in the future."
Parker Posey
The actress was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2009. "I had the opportunity to approach it both with conventional medicine (antibiotics) and homeopathic remedies and supplements," she said in a statement. "The first round of antibiotics did not destroy all the bacteria and I made a decision not to take them anymore and instead approach it purely holistically -- through the help of my homeopathic doctor who guided me with my diet and gave me the natural supplements to bring my body back to its vitality."
Daryl Hall
Duo Hall and Oates was forced to cancel performances in 2005 when Hall was diagnosed with Lyme disease, USA Today reported. A publicist told E! Online that Hall had the trademark bull's eye rash and flu-like symptoms. "We are so sorry to disappoint our fans, but we promise to make it up to them," he said in a statement. "This illness made it impossible for me to give my best effort to our audience, but now that it's been identified, I'm looking forward to a complete, quick recovery and to get back out there with John as soon as possible."
Amy Tan
The author most famous for her hit novel "The Joy Luck Club" suffered mysterious hallucinations, confusion, neck and joint pain, numbness and insomnia for more than two years before she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. By that time, she had consulted 11 different doctors and paid $50,000 in medical bills, People reported. After researching her symptoms on the Internet, Tan told the magazine that everything clicked -- she had taken many hiking trips in parts of California where Lyme disease is common and she even remembered pulling ticks off of her dogs. While her symptoms were advanced, her doctor told People, antibiotics helped, and she started a charity organization called Lyme Aid4Kids to help raise awareness for the disease.
Christie Brinkley
It's not clear if model Brinkley ever had Lyme disease -- but she's certainly taken a strong stance against ticks. In the early '90s she made headlines for raising guinea hens, birds thought to eat deer ticks, at her home in East Hampton, New York, according to TIME. She reported the deer-tick population had fallen on the grounds around her home since introducing the hens, the Philadehlphia Inquirer reported.
Alec Baldwin
Few details are known about the actor's Lyme disease, but he told the New York Times that his symptoms are chronic and return annually. "At the same time of year, I get really tired," he told the paper.
Clark set the Indiana Fever’s franchise record for turnovers (10), shot 5-of-15 from the floor and struggled with the Connecticut Sun’s physical defense.
The atmosphere was electric for Clark's home debut and there were brief flashes from the Fever, but it's clear they've got plenty to work on before they can compete with the WNBA's elite teams.
Yahoo Sports NBA draft expert Krysten Peek is back for another season of On the Clock with Krysten Peek. Krysten just spent the week in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine and kicks off draft season joined by CBS Sports' Kyle Boone.
Gottlieb's repeatedly courted controversy in his media role and will reportedly continue to host his nationally syndicated radio show while coaching Green Bay.
