It always strikes me how Tourette's isn't really considered as a medical condition or a movement disorder or sometimes even a disability. Even when people start to understand that it's not a joke, people tend not to really take it seriously.

Tw: tics

People often think of funny vocal tics and funny faces, but you know what I'm doing right now? My hand is periodically curling up and I can't open it. My foot does something similar, which makes walking a challenge sometimes.

Tw: tics

In fact, sometimes a whole side of my body, for the most part, tenses up and freezes. I also get stomach twitches that jerk my whole body.

You also might think the middle finger is just "haha, swearing tourette's, so funny", but it's actually physically debilitating?

Tw: tics

Like there was a time I basically had to learn to every everyday task while flipping the bird and that might sound really funny (and I'll admit, it is kind of a ridiculous and funny problem), but it was actually extremely difficult and inconvenient and debilitating.

Tw: tics

Tourette's can even do things like close my eyes shut or keep them rolling so much, I can't really see. I have a shortcut to turn on text to speech on my phone because of this and I've had to think about getting a cane in the past.

Tw: tics

Even vocal tics can be debilitating. Sometimes I can't speak very well. Sometimes my tics make me stutter. Sometimes I hurt my voice or cause sores in my mouth from ticcing too much.

Anyways, I just want people to take Tourette's seriously and know that it is a medical condition. It is a movement disorder that can be just as serious as many other movement disorders. It is not a joke.

Yes, most people won't have tics that are incredibly debilitating, but some of us do. And for those that don't, they still often have to deal with the comorbids, symptoms that aren't tics and aren't as easily noticed or paid attention to.

Either way, Tourette's should be taken seriously.