Friday, 15 April 2011

Tics that tickle

Jessica's tics started when she was six and became more serious in her 20s

She was filmed recently by a stranger on the train as she let out a string of expletives. On another occasion, the 30-year-old youth worker was left helpless and tearful after staff refused to let her through the ticket barriers when her pass would not work. Again she was swearing.

But Jessica cannot help it. She is one of more than 300,000 people in the UK with Tourette's Syndrome.

She was diagnosed in 2006 and is one of the 10% of people with the condition who involuntarily use offensive language.

Her outburts - or tics as they are called - also commonly include the word "biscuit", but they can also take the form of complex phrases or sounds.

Since the age of six, Jessica has had tics. They started as little noises, before getting more serious in her 20s.

She remembers her behaviour at school being obsessive and impulsive. Yet the school did not understand that she needed additional support.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteI have said so many funny, strange things and I want to celebrate them.”

End QuoteJessica Thom Now Tourette's dominates her life through a mixture of involuntary movements, words and noises but she is determined it should not stop her doing anything she would otherwise want to do.

There are practical ways Jessica can limit the impact of the tics on her life.

She explains: "I don't use knives, I avoid carrying delicate objects and I try to go to the same sort of places where people know me."

She wears gloves to stop her biting herself and uses cups with lids to stop drinks being spilled when her movements become uncontrollable.

When she does go to the cinema or the theatre, she tries to sit near the back so that she can get out quickly if she starts squealing or swearing.

Despite her tics, Jessica is determined not to be stigmatised by the condition.

"My best friend describes it as a crazy word-generating machine," Jessica says.

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