A Friend of Mine Has Tourette’s
By: Rory Evern
Tags: Brain, Awareness, Tourette Syndrome, Mental Health

While looking for ideas for a new article to write, I went to a group of friends and asked them what they think I should write about. A friend of my piped up and asked if I could write about Tourette’s Syndrome.

As someone who does not have this syndrome, I was a bit hesitant to write about it. I didn’t (and still don’t) want to come off as someone who is looking to appropriate Tourette’s or “preach” about something I’ve never experienced, so I decided to interview my friend and a very nice stranger.

But first…

What is Tourette Syndrome?

According to the CDC, Tourette’s (TS) is..

a condition of the nervous system. TS causes people to have “tics”.

But…what are tics? The CDC compares tics to the hiccups. Although you might not want to hiccup, it still happens and it’s out of your control. Here’s more on tics from the CDC:

Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People who have tics cannot stop their body from doing these things. For example, a person might keep blinking over and over again. Or, a person might make a grunting sound unwillingly.

The Interview

I asked my friend and a very nice stranger with Tourette’s to answer these questions. I hope that these answers give you insight and understanding to what it is like to live with Tourette’s.

How do you define Tourette’s?

I define it as an itch, because when you get an itch, it won’t go away until you itch it. It’s the same with tics, it stays in the back of your mind and only gets stronger until you do it. — My Friend, Ryn To me, it’s basically like always being conscious about the movements my body makes, being aware of almost every single one of them and how people may perceive them. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

How would you describe tics to someone who’s never experienced them?

I’d describe it as your mind making a habit of doing things, and just clinging onto that habit. — My Friend, Ryn I usually feel like there’s something wrong with certain parts of my body, so I have to tic until it feels right again. It could also be described as an itchy feeling that won’t go away until you scratch it. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

What is a common misconception about Tourette’s that you would like to eliminate?

That everyone has the same tics, while there are common tics and formations of tics, everyone is different. — My Friend, Ryn That Tourette’s is just coprolalia (obscene vocal tics). — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

What is the hardest part about having Tourette’s?

The hardest part about having Tourettes is that you can’t change it, you can’t change what triggers it, you cant rewire your brain to stop it, you just have to live with it. — My Friend, Ryn I think it’s the pain that comes with it. It can hurt your body, make you feel tired, stressed, anxious and a lot of other things. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

For the sake of positivity, what is the best part about having Tourette’s (if anything)?

That’s a hard question, but the best part about it, in my opinion, is that in a bad situation you might have a tic that can save you. — My Friend, Ryn I think that having tourettes made me a more patient and understanding person. I really just want everyone to feel safe and not guilty for being the way they were born. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

If a reader knows someone with Tourette’s, what can they do to support them?

Find things that calm the person down, make sure to comfort that person. — My Friend, Ryn Never tell them to stop ticcing or say it’s something they are doing because they want to, because they are not. Just be there for them, be supportive and non-judgemental. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

Any last thoughts or things you want the world to know about Tourette’s?

Having Tourettes is not a joke or funny, its hard to deal with and you can’t just stop it. — My Friend, Ryn It’s very important to raise awareness about Tourette’s Syndrome, it helps people be more understanding of what’s happening to others and creates a safe environment for everyone. — A Very Awesome Stranger, Gie

What did you learn? I hope something! I think it’s easy to see that these awesome people are just like anyone else can be, awesome and human.

A big thank you to Ryn and Gie for helping me out with this article!

And remember, just because someone has a disability/impairment doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings or are “weird”. We are all human. Love everyone for who they are, not what they have. Stay safe, everyone. ❤️