Santa’s not the only person making Naughty or Nice lists–and here’s how to stay off of at least one of ’em!
I gotta admit, I’m new to the Tourette syndrome (TS) community. My experience with it is very limited – a few childhood stories got passed around and I have a couple of friends who have unusual tics who I suspect have TS… and then there’s the episode from Curb Your Enthusiasm, which brought it back to light.
But after reading a post by a young woman who has TS, I have a better understanding of the condition—and more compassion for those who suffer from it! OMG, I wish I’d had this information, oh, like years ago!
[Source: Pixabay.com]
Go, Girl, Go!
This gal rocks with her 10 things she wishes people knew about TS, she flays that sucker left and right, she kills it, grills it, and serves it up straight. Diagnosed with TS when she was 17, she’s had it for most of her life and wants to help others in and out of the community by raising awareness.
The 10 Takeaways About TS:
- Don’t be all, swearing in my face, B-i-o-t-c-h! – “Coprolalia” is a stodgy word for bouts of uncontrollable swearing and while it has gained tons of attention in the media, it’s actually RARE!
- Ain’t No Stopping Us Now – While a cool song, it also reflects that people with TS can’t just snap out of it! As annoying as it may be to some, when the urge comes, it’s nearly impossible to suppress it.
- Oh the pain! Perhaps one of the biggest surprises is that TS can be extremely painful—especially when you can’t control the urge to run into objects. It’s possible to injure your joints and, somehow, TS tics become concentrated in that area. With repetitive movements, people can injure themselves.
- S#!t storms are a reality! Sometimes tics take over people like a sudden storm affecting various areas of the body – motor and verbal.
- Laugh Your A$$ Off Only When It’s Cool Peeps with TS are VERY aware they’re having a tic. So laugh only when they’re laughing.
- Would you like fries with that?! Sadly, people with TS have company – other chronic conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder and Asperger’s.
- With Age Comes Wisdom, But… Sometimes that’s not all you get! While sometimes people grow out of TS in their late teens, that’s not the case for thousands of people.
- Shake Your Groove Thing Some activities like running, playing a musical instrument, or playing computer games can lessen the urge to act out on tics.
- It Just Ain’t Fittin! aka, Mind Your Manners! Don’t point out other people’s tics. It just ain’t right.
- Effective treatments are lacking; there’s no cure in sight 🙁 Wake up Big Pharma! Whatcha waitin for? Oh? MONEY?!!! Some people choose not to take treatments because the side effects outweigh the actual benefits, so they choose to just deal as best they can. Would YOU want to live like that, Mr./Ms. Pharma CEO?
