In an interview in May 2022, 20-year-old American singer Billie Eilish spoke out about Tourette Syndrome, a condition she was diagnosed with at the age of eleven.

On the Netflix-produced show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Eilish, who is also a songwriter, said she was glad to be able to talk about it.

She said that people’s most common reaction is to laugh because they think she is trying to be funny by making strange movements but on the contrary, it offends her. Those involuntary tics are exhausting, even though they’ve been reduced.

Eilish also said that there are more artists who suffer from it who have talked about it with her. But they don’t want to go public about it.

Billie Eilish performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2022, in Indio, California. (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Coachella/AFP)

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What is Tourette Syndrome?

Billie Eilish’s case is one of many reported around the world. On many occasions, it is misinterpreted due to the lack of awareness about this condition.

The Tourette Association of America defines it as a neurological disorder that first manifests itself during childhood or adolescence, through motor or phonic tics that usually last for a little over a year and are hard to control because of their involuntary nature.

It was named after its discoverer, the French neurologist Georges Gilles de la Tourette, who diagnosed an 86-year-old French noblewoman in 1885.

The cause of this condition, also known as Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, is still unknown.

However, it’s associated with hereditary and environmental factors, and an alteration in the segregation of chemical substances in the brain that transmit nerve impulses, such as dopamine and serotonin, could be responsible.

It’s also associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, mainly Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 174,000 children between the ages of three and 17 were diagnosed in the United States alone from 2016 to 2019. Five out of six children in that total also had another mental disorder, including learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, or autism.

Symptoms of Tourette Syndrome

The symptoms that help us identify whether a person is suffering from this disorder are as follows:

• Tics or involuntary, rapid, and repetitive movements in the face, arms, or torso (such as blinking, contraction of the nose, and grimaces).
• Complex tics, such as kicking or stamping.
• Vocal tics, such as repeating phrases or words for no apparent reason, as well as using rude words or insults. Also growling, barking, or yelling.

These tics or involuntary movements can vary in type, severity, and frequency, and can worsen if the person is stressed, tired, or very excited.

According to the association, Tourette Syndrome affects more men than women, and the reasons for this predominance are still unknown. The symptoms can also reduce with time, although there is also the possibility of them worsening in adulthood.

How is Tourette Syndrome diagnosed?

The CDC says that to diagnose this disorder, specialists must perform a blood test and study the person’s symptoms to confirm or rule it out.

People with this condition syndrome can lead normal and productive lives, regardless of which industry or sector they work or operate in.

One of the goals of the Tourette Association of America is to educate patients, relatives, and the general public about the stages of this syndrome and thus promote understanding of the people who suffer from it.

Currently, there are drug-based treatments that help manage it on a brain chemical level. Psychotherapy can also be included so that patients learn to cope with it emotionally and socially.