{"id":4312,"date":"2015-03-27T07:30:54","date_gmt":"2015-03-27T11:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/?p=4312"},"modified":"2015-03-27T07:30:54","modified_gmt":"2015-03-27T11:30:54","slug":"4-things-someone-with-tourette-wants-you-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/4-things-someone-with-tourette-wants-you-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"4 things someone with Tourette wants you to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

EDITOR’S NOTE: This blog entry was originally posted by Brittany Hays<\/strong><\/a> to ThoughtCatalog.com<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure at some point in our lives we have all come into contact with someone who has Tourette Syndrome. For those of you who haven\u2019t, well, you have now. I have Tourette. I was diagnosed around age 9 in the fourth grade. Talk about trying to fit in. I never did \u2018fit\u2019 in, but looking back I\u2019m glad that I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

To me, being able to live your life without the worry of upsetting a specific group of friends makes more sense, and quite frankly involves much less drama. I hate stereotypes, mainly because they give off false information that aggravates the person or group that you are stereotyping.<\/p>\n

One stereotype that I get put into for having Tourette is that I cuss and say swear words. I have never done that. Tourette isn\u2019t about cussing. In fact only 10 percent of people with Tourette actually cuss involuntarily (it\u2019s called coprolalia):<\/p>\n

1. If Tourette\u2019s was only about swearing, I think I might actually enjoy it more.\u00a0Getting to say whatever is on your mind simply because you cannot help it seems awesome, right? Well, it\u2019s not. Try applying for a job. Who is going to want to hire someone who says “f— you” every two minutes? Not many. It\u2019s not fun or funny. It\u2019s humiliating. Tourette\u2019s is about acknowledging society\u2019s ignorance, and accepting that people are people. Now, I am not saying that I don\u2019t ever catch myself stereotyping or judging people because I do. I mess up, and act impulsively, just like you because…well\u2026.I\u2019m human also.<\/p>\n

2. Have you ever been told to stop sneezing? Probably not, because most people know that you cannot control it.\u00a0Imagine getting asked that when you go to order food at a restaurant because you are constantly sniffing, or are shopping in the local mall and you smack your lips all the time. It gets frustrating, but Tourette is about realizing people question everything, and that\u2019s okay because it\u2019s human nature. Honestly, if people didn\u2019t question what I was doing, then I would get worried. It shows me that it\u2019s human nature to be curious. By asking what I am doing, it lets them learn something new, and hopefully they can pass it along to others.<\/p>\n

3. To me, Tourette is about learning to laugh at yourself and acknowledging that doing so is acceptable.\u00a0If you can\u2019t laugh at yourself, then people are going to assume that your Tourette is a weakness for you. Yes, at times I would enjoy a little break, but in the end I am a stronger, more intelligent person because of my ability to embrace what would be considered a weakness.<\/p>\n

4. My Tourette has allowed me to appreciate differences in people.\u00a0It\u2019s taught me to not only be more accepting of myself, but also of others. You never know what anyone is going through until you have been in their shoes. Having Tourette has given me a way to see the world in different ways. I aspire to learn about others, so that I can learn about myself. Aren\u2019t we all connected? Don\u2019t we all deserve dignity and respect?<\/p>\n

You see, I don\u2019t want sympathy from people, or to hear,\u00a0I\u2019m sorry, that must suck.\u00a0<\/em>Yes, at times it does suck but you know what? I am alive. I have a house, and wonderful parents who have provided me with a life of happiness, so if the worst of what I must go through is to have this disorder which in turn has only made me a stronger individual, then I am grateful. I am grateful that I do not have to wake up in a hospital bed, or out on the streets. I\u2019ve been blessed, even if that blessing seems hidden at times.<\/p>\n

Embrace your differences. If each of us were the same, this world would be dull and boring. Be curious without being cruel.<\/p>\n

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