How to Deal with Tourette Syndrome As an Adolescent
Learn to deal with hard-to-control symptoms., Help to explain your symptoms to others., Learn how to respond to teasing or ignorance about Tourette's., Feel more confident in your condition.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn to deal with hard-to-control symptoms.
While you may want to suppress or ignore your symptoms, it's important to recognize what you're doing.
Rather than seeing your symptoms as weird, just understand it's part of your Tourette Syndrome.Tics, or certain involuntary body movements or noises, can happen fast, and feel out of your control.
Understand that these tics come from changes in your brain's development and structure.
Tourette's isn't harmful to your body, but it's a neurological condition that needs to be monitored.
Understand that your tics may occur more often when stressed, anxious, excited, or nervous.
Try focusing on how to stay relaxed and comfortable.
Some kids with Tourette's will suppress their tics, but then find that those tics will build up later and become "a tic attack." By keeping your tics in, they aren't necessarily going away but could just be stored up for later.
Be aware that anger and behavior issues such as a lack of focus or hyperactivity are associated with Tourette's.
Talk with your parents, teachers and adults who you trust about any of these concerns. -
Step 2: Help to explain your symptoms to others.
While you may feel like you don't want to talk about your condition, sometimes it can help others to understand and be more mindful of what you're going through.
While telling others is your personal choice, it may make it easier in the long run.Consider first talking with your parents, trusted friends, or teachers about your concerns, and that you want to talk with others about your symptoms.
Explain to other kids about your symptoms and how they are involuntary.
Explain how there are lots of people who have conditions like yours or other disabilities.
Help others to see that your condition just makes up one piece of who you are.
Tell them about the other qualities that make you interesting.
Name things that you enjoy or you're good at. , If you're a teen with Tourette Syndrome, you may feel different or excluded.
The teen years can be hard as you try to feel more accepted by your peers.If people seem to tease or not understand you, try being their friend if possible.
See if there is a way to turn them from enemies to friends.
Find other people at school or elsewhere that make you feel accepted and included.
Spend more time with those who respect you.
Avoid feeling guilty about who you are.
It's okay to be different.
Don't pay attention to people at school who put you down in order to make themselves feel better.
That's a sign of their insecurity, not yours.
Consider walking away or ignoring them if they bother you.
If the teasing or bullying persists, talk with school staff or your parents to address this issue.
Everyone has a right to feel safe at school. , Avoid isolating yourself because of your condition.
While not everyone is going to like you, the same is true for anybody, regardless of their condition.
Avoid feeling like you can't or won't fit in, and instead be easier on yourself.Often the worst critic is yourself.
Most people aren't as worried about what you do or how you act as you are.
Try being more easy-going, rather than worried about what others think.
When other people react to your condition, make it seem like it's no big deal. -
Step 3: Learn how to respond to teasing or ignorance about Tourette's.
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Step 4: Feel more confident in your condition.
Detailed Guide
While you may want to suppress or ignore your symptoms, it's important to recognize what you're doing.
Rather than seeing your symptoms as weird, just understand it's part of your Tourette Syndrome.Tics, or certain involuntary body movements or noises, can happen fast, and feel out of your control.
Understand that these tics come from changes in your brain's development and structure.
Tourette's isn't harmful to your body, but it's a neurological condition that needs to be monitored.
Understand that your tics may occur more often when stressed, anxious, excited, or nervous.
Try focusing on how to stay relaxed and comfortable.
Some kids with Tourette's will suppress their tics, but then find that those tics will build up later and become "a tic attack." By keeping your tics in, they aren't necessarily going away but could just be stored up for later.
Be aware that anger and behavior issues such as a lack of focus or hyperactivity are associated with Tourette's.
Talk with your parents, teachers and adults who you trust about any of these concerns.
While you may feel like you don't want to talk about your condition, sometimes it can help others to understand and be more mindful of what you're going through.
While telling others is your personal choice, it may make it easier in the long run.Consider first talking with your parents, trusted friends, or teachers about your concerns, and that you want to talk with others about your symptoms.
Explain to other kids about your symptoms and how they are involuntary.
Explain how there are lots of people who have conditions like yours or other disabilities.
Help others to see that your condition just makes up one piece of who you are.
Tell them about the other qualities that make you interesting.
Name things that you enjoy or you're good at. , If you're a teen with Tourette Syndrome, you may feel different or excluded.
The teen years can be hard as you try to feel more accepted by your peers.If people seem to tease or not understand you, try being their friend if possible.
See if there is a way to turn them from enemies to friends.
Find other people at school or elsewhere that make you feel accepted and included.
Spend more time with those who respect you.
Avoid feeling guilty about who you are.
It's okay to be different.
Don't pay attention to people at school who put you down in order to make themselves feel better.
That's a sign of their insecurity, not yours.
Consider walking away or ignoring them if they bother you.
If the teasing or bullying persists, talk with school staff or your parents to address this issue.
Everyone has a right to feel safe at school. , Avoid isolating yourself because of your condition.
While not everyone is going to like you, the same is true for anybody, regardless of their condition.
Avoid feeling like you can't or won't fit in, and instead be easier on yourself.Often the worst critic is yourself.
Most people aren't as worried about what you do or how you act as you are.
Try being more easy-going, rather than worried about what others think.
When other people react to your condition, make it seem like it's no big deal.
About the Author
Susan Rogers
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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