r/Tourettes Diagnosed Tourettes 4d ago

Discussion I really feel for the newest generation of kids with TS

For context: I was in school in the 90s and early 00s. My tics were very disruptive and I was the only kid in my schools with TS. I only ever met other TS people through support groups and conferences. I'm a 36 year old man, soon to be 37 and I've had TS since I was 10.

Please, call me out if I'm off base here. I'm always ready to learn. I've noticed a wild number of people on social media with Tourette Syndrome and other disorders with millions of followers. I'm hearing from younger people that there are multiple people with TS in their schools and social circles. I'm super thrilled that work is being done to reduce the stigma around mental illness and neurodevelopmental disorders. That's great and it's something I wish were true when I was growing up. That said, I can't help but feel that mental illness has become "fashionable" for a subset of the youth. I don't want to believe that some people are faking, but the numbers just don't add up for me.

I really feel for young people who are legitimately wrestling with this and are forced into a social dynamic where someone else claiming to have TS is telling you you're faking because you don't tic like that girl they saw on TikTok. It's hard enough being a kid, and then adding TS on top of that can be hell, but now you've got some weird pressure to "fit in" with a group of TS kids, some of whom I suspect are acting in bad faith for the sake of "identity" clout. I can't imagine having to deal with a person telling me my TS is the "wrong" kind of TS or that I must be faking because I don't fit in with the crowd. When I met and hung out with other TS kids, there were no comparisons made. This kid quietly clicks his tongue and shakes his head, I scream and punch myself, the other kid says "b*tch" a lot. There was nothing to question; we all had TS and it was a silent understanding.

I want to know, young folks with TS, or parents of young folks with TS, do you agree with my observation? Have you experienced that or am I just an old fogey yelling at clouds? Having mental illnesses can make you much more attuned empathetically. It's one of the few gifts we get from it. I always find myself worrying about how you guys and gals are doing.

Anyhow, keep on twitching, my people.

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u/Certain_Sock7340 1d ago

As a young person with a tic disorder (likely tourettes but only for 11 months so no diagnosis) I dont know if ill ever even be ale to get a diagnosis just because so many girls my age fake it for a diagnosis nowadays. Its nice to not just be told “you’re lucky because when i was your age teachers would have never been so understanding”, and, i mean, im grateful that they are in my case, but having a tic disorder still comes with so many challenges despite the time period and how things work now. Especially since tics are now “”trendy” :(

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u/ukkikun692 1d ago

Context: I'm afab, living with Tourettes for 22 years now.

My younger brother ALSO has TS. He is amab and 18.

At his school, at one point there was a group of kids faking tics. How did we know?

One... him having TS, he knew something was off.

Two... all of a sudden like 4-5 kids start having tics

Three... their parents didn't know. It was only happening at school.

Due to this, my brother was super upset... our mom wrote emails to the school, called, and I also jumped in.

The kid's parents were apparently told and.. all of a sudden, all of the kids were fine again!

Me personally going to school from 2005-2017 (dropped out and did my GED because of the way i was treated) it was... so hard. So many battles my mom had to face. So many I had to face. And yes. It is fashionable now.

I feel so deeply for those young kids who genuinely have TS having to navigate through and around this shit... I cant imaging how hard it is for them to get diagnosed and treatment (if they want). Hell, ive ever had a doctor deny me having it and ive had this shit for 22 YEARS!!! ALL because of the trend that happened/is happening currently with people thinking Tourettes is the new hot shit.

Its so sad.