Preface
I have mild Tourette Syndrome (TS) and wrote this article in hopes of educating people, helping those who have Tourette Syndrome, and as a form of treatment for myself. I hope that this can do what I’m seeking out to do for high schoolers at our school. Please go in with an open mind.
What is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that develops during the development period in a human life. It is first noticeable in young children around ages 5-10. Although it is rare, TS (Tourette Syndrome) is hereditary. TS symptoms are often more present and dominant in males than females.
Tourette Syndrome is typically easy to identify due to its clear symptoms and traits. The disorder's most noticeable trait is “Tics”. Tics are a sudden jerk, twitch, movement, or reflex that can either be voluntary or involuntary. Although it is not always voluntary, it is always an urge that is very hard to resist. It can be best described as having a cough. You can hold in a cough but when you do it builds up and becomes very uncomfortable. Eventually, you will have to cough. That is the typical nature of tics.
There are two main types of tics that come from Tourette Syndrome, motor and vocal. Motor tics are body movements or facial movements. Common motor tics consist of eye blinking, jerking an arm, and twitching. Vocal tics consist of examples such as clearing the throat, making audible sounds, or shouting. Some motor and vocal tics happen at the same time in a person. However, this is not always the case. Everyone has unique combinations of tics.
Tics are unique but they do follow a pattern. Tics can be more present when a person is either stressed, excited, or even sometimes when a person is feeling most calm. However, tics can be reduced when a person is focused or distracted in any moment.
For a person to be diagnosed with TS they must at least have two tics, one motor and vocal. Although, it is most common to have two motor tics and one vocal tic. The person must have had tics for at least a year or more. They do not need to happen every day, but it is common to be off and on. Tics typically develop when people are children, so you need to develop a tic before at least age 18 to have TS. The person must also not be having tics due to any medications or drugs.
The Stereotypes and Statistics of Tourettes and Tics
When people think of TS and tics, they more often than not think that it means a person shouts or curses uncontrollably. This is a type of TS but it is very rare. It is so rare in fact that only 10% of people with TS experience that symptom.
Studies show us that TS is very rare and often mild. The total number of children who have TS only consists of 0.6% (1 out of every 162) of all children. However, more than half of children who have TS are undiagnosed.
When someone sees someone with TS they often assume the person is mentally ill, this is not always the case. TS is a neurological issue, however, 6 out of 7 kids with TS also have a type of mental illness. People with TS most commonly also have anxiety, OCD, or ADHD.
How to Treat it
The majority of people with TS do not require treatment as it often does not interfere with daily functions. For anyone with TS, simply talking about TS can sometimes prove effective as a form of treatment. However, therapy has proven to be wonderful treatment for people with TS. Some treatments consist of medical drugs, but this is only for very extreme cases. Like some mental illness, some medication will be beneficial but it doesn’t work for everyone.
Most people with TS simply grow out of it. During a person’s 20s, it is common for TS to become milder or completely go away.
My Experience
The first time I developed symptoms for TS, I was around 9-10 years old. The most present tic I developed was constantly clearing my throat (something I still experience today, although very mild). For me, all of my tics are voluntary, however, they are almost impossible to resist. When I first developed a tic, my family took notice and was concerned. They did not know what TS was, as many parents don’t. I visited my local doctor about it since my family was concerned something was stuck in my throat. My parents and doctor would ask the then 10-year-old me what was going on and the only thing I could think to say is “I don’t know, I just feel like I have to.” I would later see a more specialized doctor and he would state it is likely TS but he could not diagnose me.
Throughout the years, I have developed more tics. However, I am so grateful for the fact that I have very mild symptoms. Not only are they mild but I, like many people, have learned how to conceal them.
I wasn’t comfortable speaking about my TS until recently. It has been very therapeutic for me to do so. Sometimes speaking about it has made my tics more mild in the moment but it has also done the opposite. Tics are complicated and unique for everyone.
How to Treat People with Tourette Syndrome
If you know someone with TS, it is very important to educate yourself on how to act around them. You may not even know if you have a friend who has it, so it is important to be sensitive always. If you see a friend constantly do something that may be a tic DO NOT call them out when they are doing it. Do not call out a tic when it has just happened either. It will only make the tic much worse at the moment. Never say “why are you doing that” to someone who looks like they are acting out a tic.
However, it is okay to talk to a friend about their tics (as long as they are comfortable). It is important to be respectful and sensitive. If you feel embarrassed being around someone with TS, imagine how they feel when acting out a tic in front of you.
You Are Not Alone
I wrote this in hopes that someone with TS, who doesn’t know they have it, might see it. It is okay to act the way you do. It doesn’t make you weird or ill. It’s not your fault. It IS NOT just a habit. Some days it doesn’t even seem like it’s there, some days it seems uncontrollable. Regardless, you will overcome it. You are strong enough to get through it. It is okay to talk about it. It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay if you don’t need help either. One thing I hope you take away is that you are not alone. You will never be alone.
Works Cited
Hasan, S. (Ed.). (2016, October). Tourette Syndrome (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tourette.html
Kurlan, R. (2014, January). Treatment of Tourette syndrome. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3899474/
Learn About Tourette Syndrome. (2020, August 25). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/index.html
TOURETTE SYNDROME ASSOCIATION - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://211la.org/resources/site/tourette-syndrome-association-southern-california-chapter
Wolchover, N. (2011, July 12). Why Does Tourette's Make People Curse Uncontrollably? Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43728511
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