Secrets and lies: The first thing I tell... - Tourettes Action

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Secrets and lies

LittleClapham profile image
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The first thing I tell new staff who have come to work at my home is: 'Don't tell me anything secret' Although we are not talking secrets like I learnt at my previous and less well run care home... I knew who was having you know what with which staff :S just an innocent statement followed by 'don't tell anyone' can land me in a whole load of trouble! As soon as that statement is in my head, the Tourettes says 'ha ha I know your secret!'

Tourettes isn't the only problem though. As a kid, Autism was my biggest issue. One year Mum showed me what she had got my brother for Christmas. She made me promise not to tell him, which I did. When I went back downstairs, my brother asked 'what have I got for Christmas?' to which I answered 'I am not telling you. Mum says it is secret.' My brother ran out of the room, then returned after a short while. 'Mum said you can tell me what it is' he explained. 'It's a baby dinosaur tamagotchi' I told him. Immediately he started wailing and ran to my Mum to tell her that his 'mean' sister had told him what he was getting for Christmas! Mum didn't EVER trust me again after that. My thought process though, being very autistic as a child, was that if Mum had told my brother it was okay, it must be. I couldn't figure lies out back then so I didn't realise that my brother had lied! I also didn't have the relevant theory of mind to think 'why would Mum suddenly say it is okay?'

My Tourettes likes to lie as well though. It lies a LOT. If people were to believe what my Tourettes says, I am a drug taking, alcoholic, fire starting dog. Despite my hatred of drugs, the fact that I am tee-total and the fact that the first and only time I was with someone who started a fire I ran off screaming... (the dog bit is self explanatory...) most of my vocal tics revolve around these things. Worst of all, the drug ones usually come out at the worst times, such as when a policeman/woman is standing nearby. Luckily I keep my alert card on a tag around my neck so I just have to lift it up and so far no problems.

I think this side of TS can sometimes be quite irritating and at other times quite funny. Me and the staff are always messing about saying that I set fire to cars all the time!

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LittleClapham profile image
LittleClapham
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catherinem profile image
catherinem

"Secrets and Lies" - that's a Mike Leigh film, that was my inner film geek speaking.

catherinem profile image
catherinem

Did you leave that car in the kiddie's playground?

LittleClapham profile image
LittleClapham in reply to catherinem

Yep :) I thought it looked nice!

(please note that I did not take this photo in case anyone in charge is reading!)