Jameela Jamil shows off her 'elastic' skin to shine a light on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
'The Good Place' actress's viral video shows how serious the rare condition is and how important it is to get a proper diagnosis.
Jamil was diagnosed at 9 years old with the rare tissue disorder.
Jameela Jamil might be best known for acting roles on shows like “The Good Place” and “She-Hulk,” but she has made a secondary name for herself as an outspoken advocate on social media. Though she touches on a wide range of civil rights issues, health is often a major theme.
Recently, Jamil used her platform to discuss her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)—a group of inherited disorders that affects connective tissue, primarily the skin, joints and blood vessel walls. While very rare, EDS causes significant problems, especially for those without a proper diagnosis.
In a video posted to TikTok, Jamil is seen stretching out her cheeks while quipping, "Jesus Christ, that is not an app, that is not a filter, that is just my face. Look how elastic that is." This stretchiness, she explains, is a symptom of EDS.
Technically, Jamil has hEDS, which makes her hypermobile. Bending her elbow backwards, she noted that “nothing bends the right way.”
Though she joked that "yes, that is very sexy, thanks for asking," her post was a genuine attempt to raise awareness on EDS’s more severe effects. “It’s a really serious condition and it impacts every single part of your body, and even your mind.”
@jameelajamil♬ original sound - Jameela Jamil
No kidding. Jamil listed that it causes major bleeding, bruising, clumsiness, joint swelling and dislocation, gut issues, fainting and migraines, and that it severely complicates wound healing, childbirth and dental work, and that those with EDS are predisposed to neurodivergence and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which she said leads to “random allergies that just come and go for no reason.”
Having received a diagnosis at the age of 9, Jamil was able to avoid things that could put her at a further risk. For example, she never pursued contact sports, doesn’t smoke, drink or do drugs, and carries an EpiPen with her everywhere she goes.
But for others, going through life with undiagnosed EDS is, as she put it, “dangerous,” especially as those with it might appear very healthy or to have symptoms related to other conditions.
In her caption, Jamil added that she hadn’t talked much about her condition due to being made fun of for her other health issues, which made her “suicidal for a while.” However, she wrote, “I’m done not talking to the people who MATTER about this hugely important subject because a bunch of people lucky to have good health, have no souls. Let's raise awareness on this subject together, and save some motherfucking lives!"
Clearly her candidness is doing just that. One person on Instagram shared, “I have hEDS too! And I got diagnosed because of something you posted a couple of years ago and it joined the dots on all of my various ailments. Thank you !! Without you mentioning it, I would have never fully understood myself.”Because it can affect the entire body, EDS is very hard to diagnose. But Jamil recommends going to a rheumatologist or geneticist. Though there is no cure, there are treatments available to manage symptoms and avoid further issues.
"Now your fishes will be warmed."
"To have one’s eyes lined with ham."
"To lay your head in water."
"Repetition teaches the donkey."
"I only understand train station."
"To speak directly from the liver."
"Horse horse, tiger tiger."
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Medusa image of giant squid in Gulf of Mexico off of Mississippi Gulf CoastPhoto credit: 
Sign warning against feeding alligators next to alligator in Mississippi marshlandsCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
Mississippi Gulf Coast beach in BiloxiCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
2009 photo of giant squid caught in Gulf of Mexico near Mississippi GulfPhoto credit: 
Thank goodness this story has a happy ending.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."