I have been researching Tourette’s over the internet and have been watching documentaries and interviews of people with the illness in order to gain a better understanding of what it is like for them and how they see the illness. It was interesting to find out the many sufferers have different reactions or also known as “tics” than each other. There is also different perceptions of the people towards themselves as different sufferers see the disease in different ways despite it being scientifically diagnosed.
Tourette’s was founded in 1885 as a neurologic disease in which forces the body to create outbursts or what is known as tics. However some people who suffer from the disease perceive the illness in different ways. Watching documentaries and hearing the people with the disease speak about their condition I discovered that some of them believe that it is some what of a demonic possession and that there is a demon inside of them which is causing them to generate these unnatural reactions. Some describe it as a feeling as though you were sneezing and no matter how much you try, you cannot hold it in. So relating to the demonic theory they believe that a demon is overpowering them and trying to expose itself. There are other people who have the feeling as though there is someone on their shoulder taunting them to say violent words and outbursts. They describe it as a feeling as though a parrot would be on a pirates shoulder. Some sufferers say that they feel that it is demonic but there feeling is as though the demon is external and is controlling them like a puppet and controlling their dialogue. They relate themselves to a puppet and the puppet master being the person who manipulates their actions and speech but rather than a person the puppet master is demonic as the outbursts are commonly violent ones. These experiences and theories developed by the people with the disease we know as being incorrect as the disease has been diagnosed, however thats not to say that they do not feel the way they do and maybe there is some 3rd person or spiritual demon controlling them but these theories cannot be proven. There is no reason to ignore them though as before the disease was diagnosed and especially in the middle ages, people with such dysfunctionalities such as what tourettes would be, were killed almost instantly due to the beliefs of demonic possessions. Below I have uploaded some videos which I found useful to gain better understanding and to help me create me animation piece linking it to the theme I am going for.
Tourettes, I swear i can’t help it
A documentery from the BBC, this follows the life of a male who has tourettes and how he has suffered because of this. It also shows other people with the disease and shares thier experiences with it.
Tourettes Camp
Marc Elliot
Marc Elliot just graduated from Washington University and has a complex form of Tourette’s syndrome. He makes sounds and says words that he cannot control. Now 23, he is now inspiring audiences across the country by sharing his life story in order to convey the value of tolerance and the basic mental attitudes and behaviors that allow it to flourish. This documentary attempts to give the audience an inside look at how people react to others who are different and Marc’s day to day life. In addition, Marc details the progression of his Tourette’s with personal anecdotes.
