Beneath the Stripes - "Excellent, well. You are a Touretter."

Beneath the Stripes:

Tourette's Syndrome from the Tiger’s View

by Darin M. Bush

Official Diagnosis Optional

Confession time: I have never been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome (TS) by a doctor. When I went to my current psychiatrist, I just informed him. Do not worry; he agrees with me, and with all the people that are NOT doctors that diagnosed me before I heard about TS. Some described my tics without knowing it. Some called it TS without informing me. I want to see if I can help anyone end the debate about their own TS. I present here the three best ‘unofficial diagnosis’ examples from my life.

I had a young lady in high school ask me if I danced at teen clubs. She loved “that thing I did with my head” where it slid left and right like I was the missing member of Kool & the Gang. She put me on the spot and asked me to show her friends. Not only did I miss that she was hitting on me, but I also embarrassed her to her friends. I had NO IDEA what she was talking about. I only figured it out about 12 years later, after I found out about TS.

In high school, in Atlanta, the local rock radio station sponsored midnight movies: The Wall, Heavy Metal, Highlander, and Rocky Horror Picture Show, twice every weekend. My friends and I dominated the Rocky scene. I was basically the ‘head usher’ (I never dressed up – calm down). We competed to invent the funniest new Audience Participation jokes. We were also trying to impress the girls, like normal 15 year old guys. Hey, no laughing – it almost worked a few times. Two particular red-headed young ladies come to mind. In between fawning over them, they referred to me as “Thumper”. Years later, I caught up with one of them and got the explanation: I could not sit still. I was always twitching or tapping or ‘thumping’. The word she was looking for: ticcing.

Right after high school I worked as an assistant manager in a record store. I met a young lady who had, I found out later, severe coprolalia. She sounded like George Carlin both in her tone (gruff) and content (the F word). Once, I literally threw a guy out of my store because he was harassing her. I made a fan. After that, she would call ahead and ask for me. I would help her decide on an album or two. Then I would get it ready at the register. She only had to be in the store for a couple of minutes. Considering how severe her TS was, it worked out very well. About seven years later, working at my Mom’s clinic, I talked to her about that young lady. She not only knew her, she had worked with her at a convention during my retail years. How did she describe me to my mother? “That cute Jewish guy with Tourette's at the record store.” The irony is delicious; she never said anything to me about my unofficial diagnosis.

Questions? Suggestions? Tell me your stories at the Tourette Tiger

Back to Article Index