When I was first diagnosed with Tourette’s at the age of 13, I was confused, scared and downright uncertain. I thought my friends would look at me different, not want to talk to me, or think of me as the weird kid. However, I was lucky my friends were very understanding. I wasn’t ignored or called “that weird kid” like I thought I would be. By the time I turned 14 and I started high school all my fears came back. I would be at a new school with kids I didn’t know, “how would they act around me?”, “what would they say?”, “what would I do?” Somedays during school I’d be so nervous I’d throw up. When it got bad enough my mom took me to see my neurologist, where she told me I have anxiety and to see a Psychologist, for my OCT (obsessive compulsive traits), anxiety. This was only more bad news, or what I thought, I would tell myself,” I’m a freak”, “I’m Weird”, “I’m Different/why me”. This was a new beginning for me.
With the help of my psychologist Ben, I was able to work on my anxiety and OCD, and even eliminate most of my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. After about a year of progress I switched psychologist because Ben moved, and I started fresh with my current doctor. When my anxiety was almost void I started comprehensive behavioral intervention for TICS (CBIT) to prepare myself for college. I have had a lot of progress in CBIT and reduced many of my tic’s. Although I sometimes have breakthrough tics I know how to control them, so they don’t become an issue. I’m currently near the final stages of CBIT training. I have come a long way since I was that scared little 13-year-old, I’ve had my ups and my downs. If I could tell myself one thing back then it would be,” everything works itself out”.