there are many misconceptions and stereotypes associated with tourette’s syndrome, and this article addresses them. as you may already know, misconceptions can contribute to misunderstanding and stigmatization, which is why it’s important to combat them.
1. “tics are intentional” or “tics are fake and people do it for attention”
these two harmful rumors go hand in hand; tics in tourette's are involuntary and people with tourette's cannot control when or how their tics happen. tics are physically and mentally exhausting, and no one would want to fake them – as that would be even more overwhelming.
2. “people with tourette’s are hopeless”
similar to the last one, not only is this unfortunately common misconception totally untrue, but totally disrespectful. many tourette’s syndrome warriors lead successful, fulfilling lives, including pursuing education, careers, and personal goals. famous examples of such individuals include acclaimed singer Billie Eilish, and iconic composer Wolfgang Mozart. the condition does not define a person's abilities or potential, which goes the same for all other mental health conditions!
3. “tourette’s is superrrr rare”
tourette's is not as rare as often thought, which is why so many tourette’s case may go undiagnosed or even misdiagnosed as OCD cases. it's estimated to affect around 1% of the population, which is around 70,000,000 people! it’s likely that someone you know or love has tourette’s, which is why it’s important to not assume and be kind always.
4. “tourette’s never gets better”
not only is this misconception misinformative, but pessimistic. the course of tourette's can vary widely among different people. research has shown that symptoms of tourette’s may improve or become less notable in adulthood for some individuals. improvement and healing is always possible, especially with a positive mindset!
5. “those with tourette’s curse a lot”
that is not true. though coprolalia, the involuntary use of inappropriate/offensive words/phrases, is a real symptom of tourette’s, it is rather rare. it is also important to note that even though it does occur, it is out of the control of th individual and should not be a something to judge them on.
thank you for reading about these misconceptions, even if you didn’t believe in them before. please share this article or anything helpful your learned to bring awareness!
thank you to these sources for providing information used in this article:
Comments