American supermodel Bella Hadid has opened up about the mental toll of living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness she has battled for years.Bella Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013 and has endured an ongoing battle with physical pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog, and associated depression.In a series of Instagram Stories, the 29-year-old model shared about the daily hardships and emotional toll of recurring health flare-ups despite trying various treatment protocols.The supermodel said it is "intimidating" to explain her symptoms of pain, exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, infections and trauma, and how they lead "to severe isolation and depression, especially over long periods of time," People.com reported."Especially when you try anything you can," she said, adding that she has read books and personal stories to better understand her symptoms, yet still experiences setbacks.Bella Hadid On Lyme Disease Flare Ups"You demand answers that no one can find. You fight. You finally have a few good days. You think you've found the right protocol, the right routine, the right treatment... and then a flare-up comes back and all of a sudden nothing feels certain again."Hadid said flare-ups of the chronic illness often force her to cancel plans."You wake up with anxiety already living in your body," Hadid wrote. "Physical pain before your feet even touch the floor....And somehow, still have to find the strength to move through another day in a body and mind that are completely exhausted."Bella Hadid's Hope In God The model said she has learned to mask her feelings."Sometimes it feels like unless you've lived something like this, or loved someone who has, it's impossible to fully understand."She also reminded followers facing similar struggles that "there is light, even if you can't see it today... There is hope," before sharing a message she often tells herself during difficult times."As so many have said..I have to remind myself that healing isn't linear...I believe God puts before us, somehow, only what we are capable of carrying, even when we don't understand why at the time," she wrote, saying there's a "deeper purpose to all things in life."Hadid acknowledged that although it is hard, she believes "every hardship leaves us with a lesson, a deeper compassion, or a strength we never knew we had."What Is Lyme Disease?According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.Every year, an estimated 31 million people in the United States are bitten by a tick. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for Lyme each year. Typical symptoms include:FeverHeadacheFatigueA characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. How to Prevent The best defense against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites. This will reduce your risk of other tickborne diseases as well. What to do after a tick bite:Remove attached ticks as soon as possible. Depending on the type of tick and how long it was attached, antibiotic prophylaxis might help to prevent Lyme disease. Call your doctor if you develop fever, rash, or other symptoms.