Tourette's Outburst: A Reporter's Personal Struggle

A Canadian reporter living with Tourette syndrome (TS) expresses concerns that his condition may hinder his professional life, often opting for phone interviews to mask visible tics. He recounts learning about his diagnosis in his 30s, previously associating TS with stereotypes of uncontrollable swearing.

He notes that the recent Bafta awards controversy, where John Davidson, who has coprolalia (a severe form of TS), made racist outbursts, has spurred debate on accommodating neurological disorders. This incident highlights public perception versus the reality of TS.

The disorder's motor and vocal tics typically peak during adolescence, a challenging period for self-consciousness. The reporter shares his past need for isolation to manage urges, describing the physical and emotional toll of suppressing tics.

This personal reflection is compounded by the fear of his two young sons inheriting TS, as the condition typically appears around age seven. The Bafta incident has prompted him to confront what he owes to others with Tourette's.

He aims to resist the urge to retreat inward, increasing his public appearances to normalize his tics. He hopes this will show his children, should they develop TS, that the world is larger than oneself and encourage kindness and self-forgiveness.