4 min readNew DelhiFeb 8, 2026 10:00 PM IST
Billie Eilish once offered a rare and candid look into her life with tics induced by Tourette’s syndrome during her appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, turning a personal reality into a powerful moment of awareness. “If you film me for long enough, you’re going to see a lot of tics,” Eilish told Letterman, referring to the involuntary movements linked to her diagnosis.
“It’s really weird, I haven’t talked about it at all,” she said, before explaining how people often misread her condition. “The most common way that people react is they laugh because they think I’m trying to be funny. They think I’m going [imitates tic] as a funny move. And so they go, ‘Ha,’ and I’m always left incredibly offended by that. Or they go [looks around] ‘What?’ and then I go, ‘I have Tourette’s.’”
Letterman admitted he had once mistaken her tics for irritation. “I just thought, oh, she’s fed up with me,” he said — a misunderstanding that Eilish noted is extremely common.
“That’s what’s funny,” she explained. “So many people have it, and you’d never know… I’m very happy to talk about it. I actually really like answering questions about it because it’s really interesting, and I am incredibly confused by it. I don’t get it.”
Diagnosed at 11, Eilish described how constant, often subtle tics take a toll. “I never don’t tic at all… These are things you would never notice if you’re having a conversation with me, but for me, they’re very exhausting.” Over time, she said she has “made friends with it… so now I’m pretty confident in it.”
The psychological toll
Mental health experts say her experience reflects a larger emotional reality for many people with Tourette’s.
Dr Murali Krishna, Visiting Consultant – Psychiatry & Counselling Services, Aster RV Hospital, explains that Tourette’s causes uncontrollable physical and vocal tics that are frequently misunderstood. “People who lack understanding… interpret [tics] as deliberate actions or funny performances,” he says, which creates emotional and psychological challenges.
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Many individuals become highly self-conscious and anxious in public. “People who try to hide their tics in public spaces experience psychological stress,” he notes — an effort that can actually worsen anxiety and lead to emotional exhaustion.
As of February 2026, Billie Eilish has won 10 Grammy Awards (Image: Instagram/Billie Eilish)
Repeated reactions like laughter, staring, or mockery can deeply affect self-esteem. These responses often trigger anger and hurt because a genuine medical condition is treated lightly. Over time, “repeated public misunderstanding” can create lasting stress, leading some people — especially children and adolescents — to withdraw socially and develop shame.
The emotional toll doesn’t come just from the tics themselves, but from constantly having to explain, manage, or brace for others’ reactions. Supportive, empathetic environments and greater awareness, Dr Krishna emphasises, are essential for emotional well-being and confidence.
By speaking openly, Eilish not only normalises Tourette’s but also highlights a simple truth: what may look unusual on the surface often carries an invisible effort underneath.
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DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
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