Before we talk about what exactly Tourette syndrome is, to make the topic more familiar, let us talk more visually.
Do you reckon watching the movie Hichki? If yes, then you probably know the direction in which we are headed and if you haven’t watched the movie then let me give you a brief about it. The movie is about a teacher who despite being highly educated
struggles to find a job due to a rare neurological disorder. Even after she lands a job in a prestigious school, her life isn’t like a walk in the park as she instantly becomes a victim of bullying. She is constantly challenged at every step and is forced to prove herself time and
again.
Usually, when a person is highly educated, finding and landing a job is easy. But with the teacher in the movie, it wasn’t the usual because of “HICHKI”. In medical terms, the movie was based on Tourette syndrome which is a rare neurological disorder which causes a person to tic which is an uncontrollable sudden muscle movement that is recurring by nature. Having
tics is similar to having HICHKI or “Hiccups”. It is an involuntary action that our body exhibits by releasing energy in some physical form. Imagine yourself to be eating faster than usual. This is when your body is forced to work faster to match the speed of your actions that eventually causes hiccups. Similarly, when a person is overwhelmed with emotions such as
excitement, stress and anxiety, or extreme sadness, the body of a person suffering from
Tourette syndrome reacts in a certain way. It causes them to tic which is involuntary i.e. a person cannot stop their body from doing it. This syndrome is a neurological disorder and not a psychopathic disorder as wrongly perceived by many around the world.
There are mainly two types of tics: motor tic and vocal tic. As the words suggest, motor tic is associated with a body movement while vocal tic is associated with sounds that the person might produce as a result of the syndrome. These can further be classified into simple and complex motor and vocal tics. The motor tics can go from blinking or darting of eye, sudden twitching, head jerking and shoulder shrugging to complex symptoms such as hopping, bending or twisting the body, smelling or touching objects and making obscene gestures.
On the other hand, simple vocal tics include hiccups, grunting, coughing and clearing of throat while complex tics include repeating of one’s or other’s words and phrases or using vulgar or repugnant words.
The exact cause of the syndrome has not been ruled out yet, but researchers suggest that it is genetically conceived by a person and is developed during the childhood or before adolescence. While some others also suggest that the chemicals in our brain, also known as neurotransmitters that carry nerve impulses (in general terms, the electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain to perform a certain action) have a major role to play that might help in determining the cause of the syndrome.
These include the dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin which are popularly known as the happiness hormones.
Most of the people who suffer from Tourette syndrome are also likely to develop other additional neurobehavioral problems. Although there is a certainty that the syndrome might bid a good bye in the late teens or after being an adult, there is a possibility that these co-occurring neurobehavioral problems might last longer. These include ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) which causes lack of concentration and enhances
impulsiveness and hyperactivity in a person, OCD popularly known as the over cleanliness disorder, anxiety, learning disabilities, multi-sensory issues such as in smelling, tasting, hearing, viewing or sleeping and might trigger behavior that is socially inappropriate.
A little fun fact here, More than 20% people suffering from Tourette syndrome do not know about it and males have a greater tendency to have this disorder than females. Even though, this disorder can be defeated in some cases, it is naturally incurable and lasts for a lifetime.
The treatment suggested for the same is not definite and depends from person to person. But since the central cause known here is anxiety or stress, doctors recommend psychotherapy to keep the mind calm and stable when trying to deal with overwhelming emotions.
Other remedies such as meditation, physical exertion, deep breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques are also recommended. When the tics are severe or more complex, certain medications can also be prescribed to calm the nerves. Other neurological treatments such as
deep brain stimulation and artificial battery implantation are also suggested but their degree of efficacy is still under a microscopic lens.
In most of the cases, the people suffering from Tourette’s are a subject to bullying by the people around them. This might cause them to be socially isolated. A strong and a relentless support is necessary to bring out the best in them without forcing them into believing that they are a victim of any kind of disorder. Tourette is associated with childhood and any psychological distress at this age might trigger their symptoms. Educators and teachers can play a major role in helping other students understand this condition and instill in them the value of kindness and being supportive. Tourette syndrome is a medical condition that does
not impinge one’s intelligence or life expectancy. With better awareness and education among the people about the same, a life of a person with Tourette syndrome will become a lot easier and less mind numbing!
- Jahnvi Bedia