People with Tourette syndrome, like Billie Eilish, use everything in their power to suppress tics. This exhausting process is key to treatment.

Billie Eilish performs at Avicii Arena on April 23, 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Imagine trying not to blink, resisting the urge to sneeze or refusing to scratch an intense itch. For a short time, you can probably succeed, but the effort becomes increasingly untenable until the urge eventually wins.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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