Tourette's at Work
Living with Tourette's Syndrome in the Workplace
If you have Tourette's Syndrome
Working with Tourette's can be a challenge. How much of a challenge depends mostly on the severity of your tics, and whether or not your Tourette's is accompanied with other disorders, such as ADHD or OCD.
If your tics are fairly mild, most of your co-workers may not even notice them. Those you work closely with may be aware of them, and the choice is yours whether or not you want to explain your condition to your co-workers.
If your tics are more severe, it's probably the case that your employer and your co-workers already know about them. It's important an important step, though sometimes an awkward one, to educate those affected by your Tourette's Syndrome.
The situation can become a little more challenging if others in your workplace are annoyed by your tics. This can be caused by some particularly disruptive, a misunderstanding of the syndrome, a simple clash of character or, in unfortunate cases, a particular form of arrogance. It's important to try to handle these situations carefully — make sure to discuss the problem with your employer calmly.
If you're finding it difficult to fit into an office environment or into other workplaces, you might prefer to work from home. This could either be an arrangement with an employer or self-employment. If you've been diagnosed with Tourette's, you may also qualify for special considerations under disability legislation in your country.
Whether or not your Tourette's interferes with your choice of career also depends on the severity of your tics. In An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks describes a surgeon with Tourette's Syndrome. In many cases, focus and concentration on a task can cause tics to lessen, or even disappear temporarily.
If a co-worker has Tourette's Syndrome
If you work closely with someone who has Tourette's, it can be worthwhile to be educated on the realities of the syndrome (which we can probably assume you're currently doing).
If a co-worker's tics are interfering with your concentration at work, don't feel bad. While you should be aware that your co-worker is probably very conscious of his or her tics, and possibly sensitive about them, it's not absurd to think that they might be a problem for you, also. What's important is that you treat the situation with care and consider your options.
The first choice, although not always a viable one, is to learn to love the tics. It's possible that you could simply get used to them over time. If that's not working out for you, you could speak with your employer about changing locations within the building. It may be difficult to communicate your feelings on the subject to your co-worker, but try to explain that you're not trying to distance yourself from the individual, but that you're having difficulties keeping focus at work.