Meaning of “My Strange Addiction” by Billie Eilish

As the title implies, this song is about Billie Eilish’s unusual dependency on someone or something.  The reason it might be someone is because she addresses the object of her addiction as “you”, implying that she is talking to a person. At one point of the track she also insinuates that she is referring to a romance. However, ultimately what she is actually addicted to is unclear due to the ambiguity yet complexity of some of the lyrics.

What can be gleaned is that Eilish is definitely hooked on something. Doctors don’t seem to have an explanation for what it is she is addicted to. And Billie herself doesn’t seem overly intent on breaking it, rather expressing an appreciation for the feeling it brings despite simultaneously acknowledging its potential harmfulness.

This song heavily samples an episode of the television sitcom “The Office”. Eilish is known for being a big fan of the show, and as such, some have speculated that the “strange addiction” she is referring to is her habit of watching this program. However, it is difficult to ascertain what can be so alarming about continually watching episodes of “The Office”.

What is more-plausible is that she is actually referring to a lover.  This is made evident by a line of the song which reads “put your lips on my skin”.  Yes, this could be symbolic of a substance rather than a person.  In fact she also mentions the words “gin” and “glass” in a somewhat positive light, which may lead some to believe that she is referring to alcoholism. But Billie Eilish is known for being a singer who does not advocate recreational drug use, which is why she also dropped the line “I don’t self-medicate” in this track.  As such, the chances of her being an alcoholic are unlikely. So if she is singing about some sort of drug addiction then she is likely doing so not based on personal accounts but rather to empathize with those who are dealing with such issues.