Ruth and I have been asked by a TV production company to do some test filming because they’re interested in making a programme about Tourettes. I’m not completely sure about taking part but I agreed to do the test filming. It took place this evening – Ruth and I interviewed each other, each asking the other ten prepared Tourettes-related questions.

I asked Ruth:

1. What do you find is the biggest challenge of living with Tourettes?
2. What’s been your best response to a negative comment?
3. What advice would you give to a young person with Tourettes who’s approaching adulthood?
4. If you could turn off your motor tics or your vocal tics, but not both, which would you choose?
5. Do you think your tics are influenced by or affect your personality?
6. What one thing do you think would make living with Tourettes easier?
7. Do you have Tourettes in your dreams?
8. How would you describe how your tics feel?
9. What do you think the biggest misconception about Tourettes is?
10. Are there positive things that you think having Tourettes has given you?

Ruth asked me:

1. Can you remember the first time you realised that you didn’t behave like everyone else and that you had, for example, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, tics, or co-morbidities?
2. How did your parents/ family react to this? For example, did your sister tease you?
3. What was your experience of school life?
4. How did that translate to university?
5. Do you indicate your disability on job applications?
6. How did you come to terms with the notion of being a disabled WOMAN?
7. WE realize the differences in men and women. What are your most negative and positive experiences with regards to the dating scene?
8. Do you experience discrimination from certain races more than others?
9. Do you feel safe in your immediate neighbourhood/ does your neighbourhood know you and accept you?
10. Being the focused, high achiever that you are, what other wishes, dreams or goals do you still have to achieve?

These questions resulted in an interesting and wide-ranging discussion. I can’t remember ever having had such a long and detailed conversation about Tourettes with someone else who also has it and it was great to have the time and opportunity to do this.