Halsey Opens up About Diagnosis for Multiple Illnesses, Struggle for Doctor to Take Them Seriously
Halsey talked openly about their struggle to find a diagnosis for several long-term illnesses. "Bad at Love" singer follow-up Instagram post on Wednesday to a Tuesday Instagram Story in which they revealed doctors had finally discovered the cause of their sickness."I just want to clarify, for the benefit of friends of friends who may have any of the diagnosis [sic] that I recently shared, I didn't 'just get sick.' I've been sick. For a long time," Halsey wrote. "My sicknesses just have their names now."
"I went to doctors for 8 years. Trying to figure out what was wrong with me," they continued. "I was called crazy and anxious and lazy amongst other things. I changed my entire lifestyle. When I wasn't working I was essentially confined to my home for fear of how I'd feel when I woke up each morning."
Halsey noted, "It took me a long time to get to even having a diagnosis so I'm celebrating!! Don't roll your eyes at your sick friends. They could be fighting a battle that they haven't named yet. Ya know?" In Tuesday's Instagram story, they revealed that "Basically, after seeing a hundred thousand doctors, I got diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome [and] POTS [postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome]."
The Ehlers-Danlos Society describes Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as "a group of hereditary disorders of connective tissue that are varied in the ways they affect the body and in their genetic causes," including the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls. Sjögren's Foundation characterizes Sjogren's syndrome as "a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Along with symptoms of extensive dryness, other serious complications include profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies and lymphomas."
Healthline identifies mast cell activation syndrome as "a condition in which the mast cells in your body release too much of a substance that causes allergy symptoms." The outlet also described POTS as "a group of neurological conditions" that can cause people to "feel fatigued or dizzy when they stand up from a sitting position." According to WebMD, other health conditions, such as Sjogren's syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos, may increase the possibility of POTS.
Halsey explained that they are still seeking answers as to what the root cause of some of these problems might be. " It could possibly be another type of autoimmune disease." Their autoimmune issues have been exacerbated since having a child, they explained. "I think I've had them for most of my life, especially when dealing with endometriosis," they added. The singer said they decided to make the post for their fans because "I don't want anybody to be worrying."
They said they're undergoing treatment right now before revealing they are "in rehearsals" for their upcoming "Love and Power" tour, which begins next week. "I'm really excited and really confident that I'm going be able to do it in a way that's healthy where I can perform my best for all of you."