Tourette Syndrome Revealed!
According to the World Health Organization, I have about 450 million brothers and sisters who live with some type of mental disorder.
I offer a ‘lived experience’ perspective revealing how to understand, manage, support and lead people like me who live with Tourette Syndrome and mental illness.
I have lived with the rare neurological disorder Tourette Syndrome for over 40 years. I constantly twitch. I also uncontrollably jerk, shriek, look under my right shoe, cluck like a chicken, moan, grunt and sometimes hop. My body has a mind of it’s own always gesturing wildly.
I am also compelled to knock my elbow three times . . . . not four times but exactly three and no more, otherwise I have to start knocking all over again! Welcome to my life.
If you take a look at what I do – as I have outlined in this website – you might be excused for thinking that I am more than a little crazy. I am not.
I have Tourette Syndrome (TS), which is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary movements and vocalizations.
Tourettes is in many ways different for each of us who struggle to cope with TS. In my case, I have a delightful variety of twitches, including: eye blinking, odd facial movement and shoulder shrugging. Oh, and my head and shoulders jerk entirely at random. If that wasn’t enough, I also vocalize constantly. Strange tones, grunting sounds, repetitive throat clearing and sniffing. Fortunately for me … I don’t swear.
In addition, most of us who suffer from TS also live with high levels of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. We are often Bipolar. Throw in Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and then add in all of the socialization issues that these disorders create means life with Tourettes is never dull.
How To Be Unstoppable
So who better than me a guy who lives with uncontrollably twitches, shrieks and grunts to give you a reality based understanding on this bizarre and commonly misunderstood rare neurological disorder?
Although characterized by verbal and physical tics, newly diagnosed children and adults usually presenting with additional disorders such as ADHD, OCD, Bipolar, sleep/mood disorders and sensory integration disorders. The academic and social impact of Tourette Syndrome and mental illness will be discussed along with immediately usable insights and actions all proven to help people supporting those of us who live with neurological, anxiety based, motor driven and mental disorders.
Train-The-Trainer Videos
Discover secret ‘lived experience’ insights into Tourettes and mental illness with these 4 Train-The-Trainer videos:
Introduction for the newly diagnosed family
Tourettes and bullying
Tourettes is awesome and unique
Understanding the word ‘twitch’
