Justin Bieber Says He Was Battling Lyme Disease When People Said He Looked Like He Was 'on Meth'

Justin Bieber is breaking his silence on his Lyme disease diagnosis.

On Wednesday, the 25-year-old singer shared an Instagram post that featured screenshots of a recent TMZ article reporting that he has been quietly suffering from Lyme disease. In the caption, Bieber addressed the misconceptions about his health over the last few months.

“While a lot of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like s—, 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.

Bieber continued: “These things will be explained further in a docu-series I’m putting on YouTube shortly.. you can learn all that I’ve been battling and OVERCOMING!! It’s been a rough couple years but getting the right treatment that will help treat this so far incurable disease and I will be back and better than ever.”

The pop star’s famous friends supported him in the comments of his post, including Patrick Schwarzenegger, who wrote, “?????? Keep going brother ??????.”

Avril Lavigne, who has also been open about her battle with Lyme disease, commented, “Sending you love and strength ??.”

On Wednesday, TMZ reported that Bieber’s upcoming 10-part YouTube Originals docu-series, Justin Bieber: Seasons, reveals that he has been suffering from Lyme disease — an infectious disease spread by ticks.

The outlet reported that sources who have seen the docu-series say Bieber and his family discuss some of the symptoms he was experiencing throughout 2019 before doctors were able to diagnose the disease.

The “Yummy” singer reportedly went undiagnosed until late last year, receiving countless treatments in the process that only made his symptoms worse.

Common signs of Lyme disease in its initial stages include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash called erythema migrans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It can typically be treated after several weeks of antibiotics. However, if left untreated, symptoms can develop into facial palsy, irregular heart beat, nerve pain and even inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Bieber’s wife, Hailey Baldwin, supported him after the news broke on Wednesday, tweeting, “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.”

Throughout 2019, Bieber was often open with his fans about his struggles and treatment for mental health issues, which was the cause of the singer’s own four-year hiatus from his solo music career.

In February 2019, a source told PEOPLE that the singer was going through a rough patch, but that he was “receiving some treatment” to get better.

“Justin seems down and tired. He has been struggling a bit,” the Bieber source said.

Ahead of the new year, the pop star seemingly bounced back and announced a slate of new projects, including an upcoming album, a tour and his documentary series.

The first episode of Justin Bieber: Seasons airs at 12:00 p.m. EST on YouTube on Jan. 27. The episodes will air on Mondays and Wednesdays.