Mental Health Journalist of the Year: Winner

Throughout this article, we shall explore the different effects of Tourette’s on mental health,  including the rise of ‘Tourette’s’ during lockdown: 

Throughout this article, I shall include my personal tics I experience whilst writing. They will be shown in brackets, to give insight into how difficult small tasks can be.

So what is Tourette’s?

Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder causing involuntary movements words and sounds. These are called motor and physical tics. Around 10% of people with Tourette’s experience coprolalia, the use of obscene language as tics. (beans)

Co-disorders and their effects

People that suffer with Tourette’s syndrome (you look like my mum) are also significantly more likely  to develop ADHD, FND, or seizure related disorders. Even influencing mental health disorders such  as depression, (huuhaaa) anxiety and schizophrenia. (head jerk)

My point?

People with (tartar sauce) such disorders can feel this constant judgement (tartar sauce) and fear of  what everyone else things. There are also (hit back key) large stigmas claiming people fake the tics and make suggestions such as ‘exorcisms’ with a clear lack of knowledge and understanding. As well  as not being in control of your own body not knowing what will happen next will forever be daunting  and cause panic, wishing for anything else to happen. (heehee) People suffering can receive (whistle) funny looks and comments creating (hit back key) social anxiety and not wanting to leave the house  due to this. No one quite seems to understand how severely this effects your mental well-being as  even any recent or future plans could be destroyed or become impossible as the disorder becomes  more severe and with a lack of research into Tourette’s syndrome there is also no hope yet for a  cure and very few ways to make tasks more accessible. (tartar sauce)

Tourette’s during lockdown

During the first lockdown (you’re a fish) many teenagers came forward explaining they are  experiencing sudden tics to the point it was classed as a ‘tic crisis’. Towards the end of 2020- January  2021 hospitals (growling) have been receiving 3-4 referrals a week were as before only 4-6 a month.  And if the rise is to continue the cases could rise by 150-200 a year. 

This rise in tics was quickly blamed on (heehee) people already experiencing Tourette’s in particular  ‘tik tok’ influencers that were spreading awareness about their experiences with the disorder.  (it’s the end of the world) Again, this causes more effect on their mental health for being blamed for  something they really had no part in and were only trying to bring awareness and educate others, which many stopped doing as the claims had such a negative effect on them.