Comments on: New Series: How To Have Tourette’s

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:22:27 +0000

Thank you Janine, it was a blast. The video you refer to is part 7 of this very series. I would love to do more speaking. I can’t believe how much fun I had and how many wonderful people I met.

By: Janine Almquist

Janine Almquist — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:43:24 +0000

You did a great job speaking at the Pacer Conference. You should consider doing this more often. Is the video you shared in the breakout session available to view on-line?

By: Stuart Atkins

Stuart Atkins — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:45:42 +0000

Hi Josh. It’s been awhile. Sorry, I have been a busy guy these days. I trust you are well? Keep the great writing coming. Also, I hope the Kindle obsession is wearing off so you can get more sleep. Kindle + Less Sleep = More Tics. At least it would with me. All the best to you!

By: Stuart Atkins

Stuart Atkins — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:43:21 +0000

I was eating out the other night with my wife and son. Tacos and tics, you might say. A 10 year old girl and her mom were eating inside and facing us as we ate outside. The 10 year old noticed my occasional jerks and started copying them in a “hmmm, what does that feel like” fashion. After a few mirrored tics, I got up, calmly walked inside and introduced myself. I told the mom and daughter what I had and that I was just a normal guy with a normal life with a not so normal condition. The girl “got it” and learned from it. The mom even thanked me.

Not all public tic events go over this well, but kind and calm education goes a long way. Just the fact you catch them off guard with you communication usually gives you the upper hand, surprise advantage. They often listen

By: Cory Morgan

Cory Morgan — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:42:25 +0000

I believe lighter is better. People will make fun of it no matter what so I say… Laugh at it too. Do not let it get the better of you! If someone makes fun of a twitch you say back to them yeah hey it does look funny doesn’t it, just like you… whatever. If a joke is made laugh at it (because honestly it is a bit funny when you watch others with Tourette’s). If someone slips a snide comment, laugh at their ignorance.

By: Harry

Harry — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:36:07 +0000

Dear humanity, I have been living with Tourette’s now for nearly 25 years – I feel that it is certainly a case of “till you’ve walked a mile in a man’s (or lady’s) shoes…….” My mother (dad has TS) and my closest of friends simply have no idea what we have to put up with every day – I agree with the comment from the author that people with Tourette’s simply need people to understand – people who are close to you and should understand come out with the most nieve and ill informed bile sometimes (something we can change through education).
As for the young 14 year old who left the comment concerning this “beautiful thing”, I’m glad you can take it on the chin, young wippersnapper, coz there came a point in my adolecense were the incesant twitching and being called a ‘spastic’ everyday pushed my to the point of suicide (loved my family too much and didn’t have the gonads) – I do not jest. Having said that I do recognise that there are certain benefits to the syndrome, how many people do you know who can drive around central London at rush hour, skinning up whilst on the mobile phone? (don’t try this at home – or in central London) Peace out to all the spastics out there! One day everyone else will catch up…….

By: Cory Morgan

Cory Morgan — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:33:04 +0000

WITHOUT ABNORMALITY WHAT IS TO DEFINE SIMPLISTICALLY NORMAL??

Wow whew finally.. made.. to… bottom (lot of comments).

First of all (naturally) thank you so much for writing this, truly inspirational and thank you for putting an audio (so much easier than trying to force meself to read it).

I would like to say that it appears you and I have similar senses of humour from this one I have read and there are quite a couple of points I think were very interesting. I am 14 years old and have Tourette’s. But I choose to look at the lightewr side. Of course nobody does it justice but at least it’s getting a bit more recognised and sure without would be nice but would I choose to give it up? Nope. . It’s quite a beautiful thing when thought about. I quite liked going through and so to say “repeating” the tics you mentioned. . You seem like a very intelligent man and I hope that you and I can have a good chat some time.

And always remember… A FLOWER CAN NOT BLOSSOM BEFORE A CRUEL WINTER (which is just a poetic way of writing things have to get worse before they get better.

P.S. I particularly like your idea on the specialists and your comment about the sneezing and clock. I would describe it as like a weird itch almost and to perform these things gets rid of it. “Stupid Clock”.

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:45:40 +0000

Hi Dana, I’m glad to hear that it’s going so well. It sounds like you both have a great attitude about it. I think that my parents did the right thing by not really getting stirred up until the questions forced themselves on us later as the tics worsened. If she’s happy, what’s to complain about?

By: Dana

Dana — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:32:29 +0000

Hey Josh,

My daughter (age 7) has Tourettes. She’s had it since she was 3, but wasn’t diagnosed until she was 5 1/2. Most people don’t seem to notice it, because she is young and energetic. I actually home educate her and her siblings, and her tics don’t seem that bad, even though I notice them.

The first movie I saw about TS was “Front of the Class,” the story about Brad Cohen. I also read his book. You have probably already heard about him and his camp in Georgia, “Camp Twitch and Shout.” It made me feel hopeful, and even positive about her TS, and we just take it in strides. She has never been bullied by anyone for it, and is happy and confident. If people notice her tics, we just explain to them, and she is fine. I don’t think she is old enough, or has the desire to stop her tics yet, but I am glad that that I read your article, and will have something to try if she ever feels like she needs some help. Thanks.