There’s nothing as unnerving as a tiny creature that can crawl onto your body, dig itself into your skin, drink your blood, and then leave without ever being something that even registers on your radar. As die-hard lovers of all things spooky and spine-tingling, one thing horrifies us beyond reason: ticks.
Yes, you read that right; those creepy tiny creatures scare us more than any spooky film, poem, novel, or video game ever could. The reason why? They can wreak havoc on your system without you ever knowing it, leading to months and even years of painful symptoms, untraceable disease, and debilitating illness that — if found too late — can be devastating. When a recent TikTok user @Sheena asked why so many celebs seem to get Lyme disease, user @richardjosephjordan responded with a response that makes a lot of sense.
Why does it seem like many celebrities have battled a Lyme disease diagnosis?
Richard Jordan offered an explanation alongside a brief history lesson about where Lyme disease originated and why that likely plays a part in a celebrity diagnosis. You might be wondering why Jordan felt compelled to respond to the TikTok and why people are responding to his video as he’s not a medical professional.
Jordan offers up the fact that he, too, has had Lyme disease, and those with rare diseases know how impossible it can seem to find information on the illness, ways to combat it, and support for those who will suffer from debilitating side effects for some time.
Jordan first shows a photo of a deer tick (and if it made you nauseous, you’re not alone) before explaining that this particular type of tick is one that bites animals and humans, spreading Lyme disease.
He then notes that Lyme disease was first discovered in Lyme, CT, in the mid-1970s. At first, no one could pinpoint the reason patients were presenting with symptoms of Lyme disease, but it was eventually linked to tick bites.
Jordan then shows a map of where cases of Lyme have been diagnosed (although it’s believed that many people have Lyme disease without a proper diagnosis), and many correlate with the northeastern US, specifically in the area near — you guessed it, Lyme, CT.
The Hamptons is a popular vacation spot for celebrities across many genres; entertainment, sports, music — it’s a place to relax and get out of the spotlight. It’s a high-value attraction for them, and the area there is prime for ticks. There’s a lot of sand and tall grass, which ticks often cling to. In fact, Hamptons Mouthpiece even has an informational piece about the presence of ticks in their area and the diseases they’ve seen more of in the years since the discovery of Lyme.
Bella Hadid, Justin Bieber, Ben Stiller, Shania Twain, and Avril Lavigne, among many others, have been open about their Lyme disease diagnosis and how the awful symptoms and side effects have caused many things in their lives to change.
The CDC reports that around 30,000 cases of Lyme are reported each year. However, with other surveillance methods, some believe the number is closer to 476,000.
As someone who suffers from tick-borne illness myself, the literature out there for those of us who struggle is hard to find. A current Alpha-gal syndrome diagnosis and a history of Lyme disease have riddled my body, and awareness of the illnesses is so important. It took months in both cases to find out the reason behind so many scary symptoms, and if you were to ask anyone you know with Lyme disease or read stories about those who have it — they’ll often say the same.
It’s necessary to know where ticks live, what they can do to you, how to protect yourself from a tick bite, or what steps to take if one has already bitten you. Even on the beaches of the Hamptons, with beautiful sand and tall grass, it’s important to remember to use bug spray and wear clothes that help make tick bites less frequent.