What is Tourette Syndrome? |
Tourette Syndrome is a commonly misunderstood disorder that is often judged and stigmatized because no one is being taught what it is. Media outlets are often doing the opposite of raising awareness about the disorder, and are labelling it by everything that it isn't.
What Tourette Syndrome isn't: -a swearing disorder -maniacal panic attacks -demon possession -mental retardation Okay, so now we know what Tourette Syndrome isn't, what is it really? Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that is characterized by tics, which are involuntary vocal or motor compulsions that occur sporadically, usually with little warning. What? Having Tourette syndrome is a lot like having lot's of internal sneezes, for lack of a better analogy. Like a sneeze, tics are ultimately unavoidable, and the more you avoid them, the worse they become. These little "sneezes" or tics, come in two major forms, vocal and motor. Vocal tics encompass a variety of forms, from the repetition of everyday words, to the verbal leakage of nonsensical words and sounds. Motor tics consist of physicalities ranging from a head jerks, to eye blinking, to arm twitches. Tics can come in really any form, and no two people with Tourette Syndrome have the same experience with the disorder. Some of my tics include: -eye blinking -eyebrow twitching -face stretching -repetition of heard sounds -slow hiss like a leaking tire Yes, it may sound like quite the disorder, but surprisingly it affects anywhere between 1/100 to 1/1000 children in North America (hard statistical facts are hard to come by and solidify). The reason Tourette Syndrome is so unheard of is because there are so many kids who never speak out about the disorder or their own experiences with it because they are afraid that everyone around them will think they are weird, or a freak. It is because of this that I am striving to make a difference for the disorder, and educate those who don't know about it so they can be understanding and society a safer place for those with the disorder able to open up. |
"Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear."
~Mahatma Gandhi