Billie Eilish 'incredibly offended' by people's reactions to her Tourette's syndrome
Billie Eilish has spoken up about how she lives with Tourette's syndrome and the struggles she faces on a daily basis. The 20-year old 'Lovely' singer was diagnosed with the syndrome when she was just 11 years old. She spoke about this neurological disorder after she experienced a tic on camera while interviewing with David Letterman.
During the filming of Netflix's 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction' with Letterman, Eilish said, "If you film me for long enough, you’re gonna see lots of tics." She said that people are not aware of her condition and often have an insensitive response to her tics.
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The Grammy Award winning artist said, “The most common way that people react is they laugh because they think I’m trying to be funny…and I’m always left incredibly offended by that." As she experiences the world more and more, Eilish has learnt that the disorder is way more common than she realised. "What’s funny is so many people have it that you would never know," said Billie.
She added, "A couple artists came forward and said, ‘I’ve actually always had Tourette’s,’ and I’m not gonna out them because they don’t wanna talk about it, but that was actually really interesting to me." She explained how some of her tics have subsided over time but the subtle ones are very much still a part of her daily life. "These are things you would never notice if you’re just having a conversation with me, but for me, they’re very exhausting," said the 20-year old artist.
The 'Bury a Friend' singer also revealed, "When I’m moving around, I’m not even ticcing at at all," as she explained how she does not experience tics while performing. During her interview with Letterman, she said she has gained confidence and although she does not have all the answers, she is "very happy talking about it." She added, "I really love answering questions about it because it’s very, very interesting, and I am incredibly confused by it. I don’t get it."
What is Tourette's Syndrome?
Tourette's syndrome, also known as tourette syndrome, commonly starts early during childhood. It is a disorder that involves patterns or repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, better known as tics. These actions, movements, and sounds are undesirable and cannot be easily controlled. The exact cause of Tourette's is undertermined but experts seem to believe it is a combination of genetic and environmental factors.