British actress and model Jameela Jamil struggles with daily living with two chronic illnesses, including an autoimmune disease.

British actress and model Jameela Jamil took to Instagram this week to describe her struggle of living with an autoimmune disease. The 33-year-old suffers from Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which one’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland, causing hypothryoidism (an underactive thyroid). This, in turn, can lead to symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue and depression.



Jamil wrote, “Living with an autoimmune condition is a real pain in the arse, and it irrationally makes you feel like a failure for not being able to “live it up” like other “normal” people. Shout out to all of us who struggle with this, and go through all of the incredible shitty days, and make it through each one. Even if it’s just by the skin of our teeth. We are LEGENDS for our strength of character.”



In addition to Hashimoto’s, Jamil also revealed that she has Ehler’s-Danlos syndrome (EDS) type 3. While this chronic illness is not autoimmune, in causes various painful symptoms, such as joint hypermobility, loose joints, poor wound healing and easy bruising. Like Hashimoto’s, there is no cure for EDS. Jamil confirmed her condition after a fan asked her why her arm was overextended in a photo on Twitter, then subsequently posted a video stretching her skin.



Jamil also described how hard it is to take care of herself, while others around her experience few health problems, even if they don’t care for their health. She wrote on her Instagram page, “Shout out if you are so fucking tired of having to protect yourself in a bubble while so many other people are able to just eat what they want, take drugs, stay out all night, drink a lot, take risks, do sports….etc. But you make one less than perfect choice and your day/week is ruined. The envy is real…I see you. I hear you. I feel you. I’m with you.”



To read more about Jameela Jamil and her fight against Hashimoto’s and EDS, click here.

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