Billie Eilish Details Suppressing Tourette Tics on Podcast

Billie Eilish shared candid details about managing her Tourette syndrome during a May 5 episode of the Good Hang podcast hosted by Amy Poehler, explaining the constant effort required to suppress her tics in public settings.

Diagnosed at age 11, the Grammy-winning singer described her vocal tics as mostly quiet noises that she keeps subdued. "I have vocal tics, but luckily for me and for everyone else they're mostly just quiet noises, and I can keep them pretty quiet," Eilish told Poehler. She noted that certain words sometimes become tics, adding to the challenge during interviews. To cope, she employs suppression techniques. "When I'm in an interview, I'm doing everything in my power to suppress all of my tics, constantly," she said. Once out of the spotlight, the built-up tension releases. "As soon as I leave the room, I have to let them all out."

Eilish also addressed her physical tics, which often go unnoticed. Many occur below camera level, such as knee or elbow movements under a table. "If you didn't see me tic today, you're not looking at my knees, which are ticking constantly under the table and my elbows," she explained. She suppresses these to avoid distracting others...