Julie Gardener
New Member
Tourette's Syndrome by Hugh Pearce
I am 22 years old and have Tourette's syndrome. I've had it since at least the first grade but was not diagnosed until I was 16. My teachers began noticing that
I was doing odd things like sticking my tongue out, head jerking, mocking, and blurting out. Not to mention the fact that I could not sit still. Even though it was uncontrollable, I was still punished. I see one of the best doctors in the world, but his medications never worked. I started with Anafranil and was not myself anymore, so I quit taking it. Then came the onslaught of other antidepressants, which all did the same thing. When I got to high school I made ok grades and somehow fit in with almost everybody, but I was still concerned about people watching me. I've been smoking pot since I was in the sixth grade. I started for recreation, and then noticed that my tics and self- control got better. After that I just smoked one or two joints a day to help ease the tics, which could get very painful physically. When I was 17 I started selling marijuana because I was too embarrassed to get a job, and when I was 18 I got busted. Now I'm on felony probation and will be until I'm 25. I got five years of probation and 400 hours of community service and paid over $10,000 in fines and lawyer fees. I have to take random drug tests and have been sent to rehab FOR WEED by my probation officer. I have also had to dot jail time for not having a steady job and not doing community service. To top it all off, in jail I was not allowed my medication, which has serious withdrawal effects. I now take .5 mg of Xanax three times a day and it helps a little. I have not sold another drug since I got into trouble, but the system wants to send me to jail because I'm doing the only thing I know what to do to help myself get through life like a normal person. I've gathered up the courage to get into a university here in Beaumont, Texas.
Source: Comments and Observations
