Billie Eilish, the popular American singer and songwriter who debuted with her single “Ocean Eyes”. Being a 21-year-old seven times Grammy Awards winner and breaking two Guinness World Records, she has been in the spotlight since early days. She also has a history of contributing to various causes and being vocal about issues such as mental health, climate change and women’s equality. Being such a highly popular figure comes with a burden of its own.
From having to deal with instant fame, scrutiny of public eyes, work pressure, rumours and having to meet social expectations, Billie is no stranger to mental health struggles. She has talked about her struggles with anxiety, body dysmorphia, depression, and Tourette syndrome. So how did she face such symptoms and what suggestions does she give to others who are experiencing their inner battle? Let’s find out.
Childhood Separation Anxiety
According to Billie Eilish, she shared a bed with her parents up to the age of 11 because of her constant separation anxiety. I had to stay close to my folks. The star remarked that she was scared about what would happen to them, what would happen to me, and she was worried about being forgotten.
Regarding their sleeping arrangement, Billie said to the Sunday Times Magazine: “I couldn’t sleep by myself. I would scream till my parents arrived at the door if I woke up and they weren’t in bed and the lights were off. Additionally, I was unable to leave the bed in the dark because I was positive that scorpions were scuttling across the floor.”
The celebrity was open about her continued dislike of being alone and the fact that she still spends more time at her parents’ house than in her own in Los Angelos.
Panic Attacks During Tours
Due to her rigorous touring schedule, Billie Eilish has also admitted she experienced daily panic episodes for a full week. Billie Eilish stated in one of her interviews that every night that week, she suffered from a panic attack. And every night, she cried for two hours because of it. It was terrible experience for her. She went on to say that the cause of her anxiousness was that she felt unprepared for her tour schedule; during mid-2020 when Eilish has live performances planned all over the world. And she recalled during that time lying in the bathroom thinking of things to look forward to. She thought of something to motivate her but found nothing.
She also mentioned that due to her history of self-harm she often felt unsafe being on her own. But she was able to deal with this situation with the help of her mother who manages her and finds dates during the tour when her friends can to visits. According to her, this was something she could hold onto
Body Dysmorphia
“I simply despised my body,” Billie says in a Vogue interview. She would have done anything at that time to be in a different one. She further elaborated about her experience, “I felt short and overweight, and I dreamt to be a model. I began to grow up quite young. By nine, I had breasts. At age 11, my menstruation arrived. Thus, my body was moving more quickly than my mind. It’s amusing since young children have no concept of their bodies at all. You suddenly look down and are like, “Whoa.” What can I do to get rid of this?”
Tourette Syndrome
During the interview with David Letterman about the Netflix series “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction”, Billie Eilish disclosed her multiple small physical tics which were officially diagnosed at age 11. She reported that although the tics come and go, they are never totally gone. According to her, the primary tics were wiggling in her ears, raising eyebrows, clicking of her jaw and flexing of her both arms and muscles. These tics and behaviors often go unnoticed by people conversing with her, but she admitted the tics to be exhausting.
She claimed that she nearly never experiences tics while performing and that they lessen when she is focused on activities like singing or riding horses. When asked about how others react to her tics, she says that they think it’s a funny move and laugh which she felt offended by or ask her what it is which she follows that she has Tourette.
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