Billie Eilish says she does ‘everything I can’ to suppress Tourette syndrome tics | Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish has said she is “doing everything I can” to suppress her Tourette syndrome.
The singer-songwriter, who was 11 when she was diagnosed with TS, spoke about how frustrating it can be when others don’t understand the condition.
According to the NHS website, TS causes involuntary, repetitive sounds or movements called tics, which can be triggered by different things, including stress, excitement or fatigue.
Speaking to Amy Poehler on her Good Hang podcast, the 24-year-old singer opened up about living with the condition and said: “I have Tourette syndrome and I have vocal tics but, luckily for me and everyone, they’re mostly just noises and I can keep them pretty quiet.
“I go through phases where words become tics, but there’s something called suppression, if you’ve ever heard of it.
“When I’m in an interview, I do everything in my power to constantly suppress all my tics. And as soon as I leave the room, I have to let them all out.”
Poehler, known for starring in the hit TV series Parks and Recreation, then spoke to the singer about intrusive thoughts, which the NHS defines as unwanted and often shocking thoughts and images.
Eilish said: “Imagine these intrusive thoughts, but your mouth has to speak them out loud, right? It’s Tourette syndrome.”
“I think what’s troubling about the way people don’t understand what Tourette syndrome is is that if I start having a tic attack, like a lot of tics in a row, people say to me, ‘Are you okay?’
“It’s totally normal. It’s like you didn’t see me twitching today, you weren’t looking at my knees, which are constantly twitching under this table, and my elbows which are like… I’m clenching my arms all the time.”
The chart-topping singer added: “It’s because I’m currently on camera and having a conversation, and I’m trying not to be distracting.
“I really do this all the time – as fun as it is – I do everything I can to suppress every visible tic, from the top of my head to the top of my head. [my waist].”
The singer, known for hits such as Birds of a Feather and Bad Guy, added: “This is how we, as people with Tourette’s, spend our days. Some people don’t even have the privilege of being able to suppress them at all. Not understanding that is really frustrating, as a person with Tourette’s.”
Eilish rose to fame at the age of 14 after the release of her hit song Ocean Eyes, and has since had two UK No. 1 singles and three chart-topping albums.
The singer has also won numerous accolades, including 10 Grammy Awards, two Oscars and three Brit Awards.
