Tourette Syndrome is a two-sided coin. One side is that of the individual with the disorder, the point of view from which he sees the world. Then there’s the other side, the perspective of all those who are close to that individual.
Tourette can be an awkward thing to talk about. It’s gotten easier for me as the years go by, but when I was younger, it was the last thing I wanted to admit to myself, let alone other people. And yet, sometimes it’s just the elephant in the room, something you can’t just ignore. As a friend, it’s important to know how to address your friend’s Tourette delicately and honestly. It can strengthen your friendship, and it can build your friend like little else can.
Here is the fourth of 6 ways to love on your friends with the neurological disorder, Tourette Syndrome (TS), as told by someoneone with Tourette:
If You’re Close to Someone with Tourette…
Believe me, your friend is probably very aware of his or her new tic, and probably isn’t very happy with its arrival. Pointing out a new tic is like saying, “Look, Buddy! You’re doing a new weird thing!” Instead of being grateful, your friend will probably just get irritated. Believe me, this is not the way to start a conversation.
