Let’s Talk Tourette’s

Tourette’s Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes a person to have involuntary “tics” which can be catergorized into two types: motor and vocal. Motor tics can be be displayed as arm jerking, shoulder shrugging, rapid eye blinking, back to back squinting and even leg kicking just to name a few. Vocal tics are involuntary sounds that can include humming, barking, beatboxing, throat clearing, snorting and even the yelling out of certain phrases or curse words. A person can have motor tics, vocal tics or both and the tics can be simple or complex depending on the individual.

So why am I talking about Tourette’s Syndrome on my blog? It is because I have a sister with Tourette’s Syndrome and I have seen how deeply it has impacted her life and those of us who care deeply about her. My sister has both motor and vocal tics and her are tics are complex. She was diagnosed around the age of eight years old and her life has been both rough and rocky since that time. Growing up, she had to endure bullying and exclusion because the teachers, students and others around us saw it as something to make fun of or shy away from instead of educating themselves about this neurological disorder. Tourette’s Syndrome is not dangerous nor is it contagious. Most people with Tourette’s Syndrome suffer with anxiety and depression because of how they are often treated and my sister is one of them. Not only did she struggle with depression and axiety, but she also battled with suicidial thoughts.

It breaks my heart to see my sister and others with Tourette’s Syndrome made fun of because this neurological condition can be brutal and unforgiving at times. If the world was more educated and understanding when it comes to Tourette’s Syndrome, those living with it would be able to thrive more in society instead of hiding themselves away. As my social media platform continues to grow on TikTok and Youtube, I am going to make it my aim to not only spread awareness about this neuroloigical condition, but to also use it as an opportunity to give my sister a voice. I can talk about Tourette’s Syndrome and how it has affected her, but she can do it much better that I can and I am aiming to let her do that and more.

Stay tuned…

🧠-Anita