Living With Tourette's

About 5 years ago I started having random and uncontrollable eye twitches. At the time I thought it was just lack of sleep because it had happened before off and on but never this much. As I entered college, it began to get progressively worse to the point where I did not want to go anywhere or see anyone for fear that I would come across as "weird". My condition worsened and I began to display auditory tics that consisted of little noises I would make especially when stressed. A few months into my freshman year, finals week put me in a stressful environment I had never been in before, and then the tics came. They became so intense that I felt as though I was having a seizure. I could not move, talk, or do anything other than lay under my bed spread waiting to stop ticing. At that point I knew something was wrong but continued to go undiagnosed with anything for fear of what the diagnosis would bring. 2 years ago I finally went to a therapist to try and understand what was happening to me which is when I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Since then I have done everything I can to hide that fact away from everyone in my life... I'm tired of pretending and I'm tired of hiding. That is why with the support of the very small group of people that know this about me I have decided to come out about my condition and try to help people understand that it is more than a punchline. With their help and my two guests: Amanda Talty, CEO of the Tourette Association of America and Ben Brown, Host of The Tourette Podcast, I have put together my story so that more people can become aware. I want to say however hard it has been to live with this condition, I am in good spirits! The people around me are kind and have helped me to see it as less of a burden and more of just another part of my life. Thank you for listening and we will see you right back here in Season 3!