Women and the stigma of Tourette’s

Tourette syndrome is a motor disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. Characterized by movement tics and at least one vocal tic, it's often portrayed as unrestrained swearing. However, coprolalia only affects ten percent of people with Tourette’s. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Argentina and the UK about their mission to talk about this widely misunderstood condition.

Lauren Wyatt says the most difficult part of having Tourette's is the public perception and reaction. Lauren says she experiences harassment almost every time she goes out with people mimicking tics, threatening her, or sometimes even throwing things. She's part of a campaign by Tourette's Action in the UK – #NoChoice – which is highlighting Tourette’s as a medical condition. Lauren says she lives in constant pain due to her tics which are out of her control and have damaged her body beyond repair.

Belén Prieto is an Argentinian psychologist currently living and working in Spain. She has Tourette's and is a volunteer with TTAG (Tics and Tourette's Across the Globe), an umbrella organisation for Tourette's Syndrome, raising awareness and supporting those with the condition.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Belén Prieto, credit Miguel Pereda. (R) Lauren Wyatt, credit National Diversity Awards.)