Adrian often suppresses his tics, but this can be draining (Picture: Adrian Reynolds)

Since I first developed physical and verbal tics aged nine (I’m now 37), public awareness of Tourette’s has increased substantially. But I didn’t receive a diagnosis until I was 16 – my parents, teachers and doctor had never heard of the condition.

I didn’t get any support before the diagnosis and was often in trouble for my symptoms, at home and at school. Everyday I would be told to stop the movements and noises I made and I couldn’t understand why it proved impossible. It was all I knew, so I assumed it was my fault.

Doctors are now able to diagnose Tourette’s syndrome more easily while schools and teachers often offer understanding and support. When I was younger, I always felt extremely alone and I’m glad that won’t be the case for so many people growing up with Tourette’s today.

Sympathetic Holly and Phil hear story of brave man’s struggle living with Tourette’s syndrome

Through charities such as Tourette’s Action, and a growing community of people discussing their experiences online, a strong support network has developed for people with the condition.




However, there are still severe misconceptions about Tourette’s. It has shifted from obscurity to part of popular culture for the wrong reasons – for example, only around 10% of sufferers swear or shout abusive words involuntarily, yet this symptom has often been used for entertainment.

I try to laugh about my Tourette’s. And I don’t mind people I know laughing at it, or even doing impressions of me. But jokes about Tourette’s that focus on swearing are draining, in part because it’s simply not true that everyone with the condition swears, but mainly because it’s such a tired joke – and I say that more as a comedy fan than a Tourette’s sufferer.

Tourette’s is a challenging and complex neurological condition that can be exhausting and isolating. The lack of understanding and the assumptions made continue to make life harder for many with the condition.

My tics have never involved swearing. Instead, my vocal tics are random noises or coughing, while physical tics occur all over my body. While they aren’t completely involuntary, they’re about as easy to control as avoiding blinking for five minutes, while juggling. My physical tics have ranged from thousands of small movements that go largely unnoticed, to more violent and painful movements that can cause muscle strains and injury.

I’m lucky enough to be able to suppress the majority of the tics for long periods of the day so that many are imperceptible. In fact, for many years I didn’t tell most people that I have the condition. Despite this, there haven’t been many days of my life when someone hasn’t noticed.

I don’t suppress the tics due to embarrassment, but simply as it’s the best way to get through the day. They will come out at some point, but the more I’ve pushed myself to control it, the better I’ve been able to function.

But successfully hiding my tics can make me feel more alone and it doesn’t help to increase people’s understanding of the condition. On a good day at work, when no one can see any tics, the vast majority of my energy is spent on controlling them. Losing this energy can make it difficult for me to focus and be as productive as I would like, which affects my career and relationships.



It has been an isolating condition for me, and this can affect my mental health – Tourette’s is often associated with depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Anxiety has been a particular issue for me as, with Tourette’s, you never know how much control you’ll have over your body or how you’ll function in a given situation. I also experience migraines and sensory issues, with crowds or fast-paced and noisy environments overloading my vision or hearing to the point where it’s all I can do to remain standing.

Tourette’s has driven me to challenge myself and live outside my comfort zone, but it’s important to acknowledge it can sometimes just be really hard. I’m grateful for the perspective it has given me – I know that everyone has a world beneath the surface we may not be aware of.

While the continuing research into managing and treating Tourette’s is vital, removing the misconceptions and boosting public awareness is just as important.

Thursday 7 June is Tourette’s Awareness Day, find out more about the condition from Tourettes Action.

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