Thursday, September 13, 2012

Opening Up About Tourette's In College

So over the past few days I've really been opening up more with my new friends about my Tourette's. I figured that pretty much all my friends i've made so far have noticed my tics and it's always easier to explain it sooner than later. Basically, i've been taking opportunities in casual conversations to just mention it briefly and for the most part I try to mention it is a nonchalant way so it's not a huge deal.

Lucky for me, talking about the lab I'm working at in the med school is an easy way to bring TS up. I mention that i'm excited to start working in the lab again next Thursday and then whoever I am talking to is always curious about the lab. I then mention that it's a neuroimaging lab that focuses on movement disorders like Tourette's Syndrome and explain I got involved with it through my neurologist and that I see a neurologist because I have Tourette's too. Pretty easy way to bring it up.

Another way i've been bringing it up is by talking about my documentary that I made about Tourette's. This is a good way to bring it up too because I can explain how I wanted to make the documentary to educate people about Tourette's because it's really amazing how few people know what it really is and that it's not just all about swearing.

So far when I mention it, it seems like my friends aren't too surprised for the most part. They've seen my tics and are happy to get an explanation. They sometimes ask a few questions too. So far the questions i've gotten from my friends are:

"Is there a cure?"
"Do they know what causes it?"
"Do you have vocal Tourette's?"
"Do you know when you're doing it?"
and some other ones.

I've been trying to answer the questions the best I can, but every time after I answer them I always feel like I didn't answer them in the best way and that I could have explained it better! This really bugs me! Maybe it's my OCD, but I always have to go over what I said in my head and then I always get kind of mad at myself because I think I could have answered the question better than I did. Anyone feel like this sometimes when you explain TS to other people or try to answer their questions?

1 comment:

  1. when I'm telling people things i have set answers on, it's fine, but when they ask something I'm not expecting i tend to downplay my symptoms too much out of fear they'll think I'm exaggerating. i'm getting better at it though! Practice, practice!

    btw, Tourette's: Let Me Entertain You is up on youtube now!

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