If an old friend of yours has now got tourette's syndrome or your making a new friend who's got it and you're not sure what to say or do, listen to this may help. However, always make sure that you are paying attention to what they say they need. You might need to add and subtract. Do what's best for you and your friend.

Just been feeling really upset recently and needed to express it.

The title may be triggering, but it describes a very real problem. If you want to understand more, you can look it up after listening.

This is a heavy episode and could possibly be uncomfortable to hear for various reasons. I talk about unhelpful things that have been said to or about me because of my tourette's. It would be good to not repeat them to the people with tourette's in your own lives.

Being reminded of how a bad situation could be worse, doesn't make the problems go away. You can be grateful for the things that are going well, while actively trying to improve what isn't. Your problems don't have to measure up to the severity of someone else's to be worth solving.

To any of my listeners who are disabled, I recommend that you apply for a freedom pass, (or it's equivalent, depending on where you live) just be aware that it most likely be a mind numbing process. Don't be ashamed to apply for any service you need to improve your quality of life. It does not take away from your independence, it keeps you independent, if that what you want/need.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575370

If you are experiencing what you think is tourette's, but you are unsure, see a doctor as soon possible. Tourette's syndrome in itself is life changing. You have to be sure that what you're dealing with isn't life threatening. I forgot to mention this in the recording, tourette's syndrome is hereditary. This will be an important part of receiving a diagnosis and if you cannot find it in your family history, it may be ruled out as a possibility.

Asking questions in a safe time and place is fine. Just remember that it is not your job to test someone's disability, in order to make sure that it is real. Without the correct qualifications, you have no business telling people that their disabilities aren't real if because YOU have no experience with it. In the same way that world hunger does't stop being real, just because you have always been able to make a sandwich whenever you wanted one - a person can still be disabled, even if you can't see it. Looking "normal" doesn't play a factor. Try to be tactful and polite. Don't expect information that you wouldn't be willing to share and don't blame somebody you've never met before, for the way that YOU decide to treat them.