Hidden Disability: Tics

When I was six years old, I was diagnosed with a tic disorder. And when I say tics, I don't mean the little bugs you can get from deer or being in the tall grass. My tics were repetitive, involuntary muscle movements that would get worse when I was stressed.

I would often get the urge to blink and shrug my shoulders. The urge felt like needing to sneeze. I would get really tense and then feel immediately better once I gave in. Sometimes my tics appear to be on purpose, but they never were.

When I was about 11 or 12, my tics got worse. My family noticed my tics would also happen when my body was relaxed, and I was watching TV. At school, I often felt embarrassed when someone didn't understand. After working with a therapist, I learned I could try replacing my tics with similar behaviors, like stretching my arms out instead of shrugging my shoulders. It helped for a while, but eventually my tics disappeared on their own. While I haven't had any tics for a few months now, I never let my disorder hold me back. My tics made me unique.