The Working Life

One of the hardest things to do everyday is to get up and go to work knowing that there is going to be lots of stress involved. Work usually equals stress at some point, no matter how much you try to deny it. Stress can also be a big contributor to tics and anxiety being pushed through the roof. Normal tasks that may seem easy for most people to take on, may end up being a little more difficult for someone who has Tourettes. Ever since I have started to work, stress has always been there and that means my tics tend to be at their very worst during this time. Facial tics are the ones that always end up rearing their ugly heads when I feel that I am being pressed for time or taking on too much work than I should be. This usually ends up causing my neck to start twitching because of anxiety leading to many of the back problems that I have been currently experiencing. It is hard to explain TS, though, to a boss because they may see it as being just an excuse to get out of doing work to be lazy or as a sign that what they expect is not something that will ever be lived up to. Even trying to tell other employees could end up getting unwanted stares, even though all you are trying to do is educate them. Sometimes it seems like the best thing to do is to be quiet about it and work as hard as you can to get the work done. Some of the best ways that I try to cope with this stress to help me get through the work day include:

• Holding the tics in (this may be good for some days, but others can be extremely difficult as well as painful)
• Not caring and just letting the tics fly when they come (can really help, but makes me look weird causing others to stare)
• Putting my focus on the work that I am doing (can help as long as there is lots of work that needs to be done)
• Walking away from the work and taking a few minutes for a break (can really help to destressed and allow tics to come out that may be been suppressed)
• Taking deep breaths (puts focus off of the work and to a relaxing state of mind)
• Saying a little prayer to God (God is the one who is ultimately in control of the situation and praying is always the best stress reliever)

No matter the situation or method that is used, the best way to look at the work day is to focus on those things that can be controlled and to not put much pressure on those that are not able to be controlled. Those things that are not controlled are best left up to God and his purposes for letting them happen (since he is the one that is sovereign). One thing I have noticed is that some people will understand the disability or want to know more, while others tend to not care and demand work still get done or they will find someone else to do the job. The latter might not be the best way to approach the situation, but it seems to be the attitude of many who choose to stay in the dark about Tourette Syndrome or other little known about disabilities. I will say that I have not always had the most glorious jobs, but I do find the rewards that I can get from them when they do come. This in turn can help to be one of my motivators when the stress does come and to know that it is just a part of the working life. Hope that this has helped in understanding some of the issues that a person with TS might have in the work environment as well as some ways that can be used to help deal with that stress (whether you have TS or not). Feel free to comment or ask any questions. Thanks for reading and until next time, Take care and God Bless!