I Have Tourette's, But It Doesn't Have Me!

Hey, y'all! It's Twitch, a Fight Like a Warrior Ambassador.

I have a neurological condition called Tourette Syndrome. This causes me to make involuntary movements and sounds called tics. I don't want to get into much detail about tics and the different types, but if you're interested, feel free to do your own research or reach out to me.

Many people take this condition and assume that all people with TS curse. That, in fact, is not true: only 10% of cases have those tics, known as Coprolalia.

I do have a more severe case, and the media likes to focus on the more dramatic side of TS.

What does someone with Tourette's look like? It looks like me. It looks like you. It looks like any other person in this world. There are no "criteria" to look like a person with TS.

Here's the catch, it's an invisible and visible disability!! You only see the tics, the outward appearance. What you don't see is the constant pain and inner battles we go through. Imagine yelling, "I'm a donkey" over and over, and at the same time, thump your chest. You lose your voice, but your mind won't stop. You bruise your sternum, but your hands continuously do it against your will. It hurts.

It's not just the tics that we deal with, we also deal with the comorbidities. These can include but are not limited to ADHD/ADD, depression, anxiety, OCD, SPD, and so much more. This is the invisible aspect of TS. For more, reach out to me.

TS can be hard to live with, but we manage.

Growing up with Tourette’s for me was quite a struggle. Not everyone was accepting and encouraging. We went to many doctors and had countless tests done.

To parents, you always want what’s best for your child. No parent wants to hear the words, “You kid has _______” or “Your child’s diagnosis is______.” And worse, “There is no cure for this condition.” These words stick out you. No cure? As in, no amount of medications, therapies, or even procedures can cure this? It sucks.

But as chronic illness warriors, we can get through anything, We will have flares, we will have our downs. But sometimes toxic positivity helps, and that’s okay. It is okay to not be okay. We are all fighting battles, and no one should invalidate yours because you experience it differently.

For more, follow Twitch on Instagram: @Hannah.currie.21