Turning struggles into stories: My journey from Tourette’s to author

Posted Thu 24th Apr 2025 at 14:52
by Michael Seidelman

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Despite having a difficult childhood because of my Tourette syndrome, I consider myself lucky.

I was seven years old when I started to rapidly blink my eyes, yelp, and even bark like a dog. It was scary - not just for me, but for my parents. This was in the 1980s, and many doctors weren’t yet familiar with the disorder. Some kids went from doctor to doctor before finally being diagnosed, but thankfully, my family physician was aware of it and diagnosed me right away.

I was teased in school by classmates who didn’t believe I couldn’t help it. So, at the behest of my parents, I gave a presentation to my second-grade class about TS. I even showed a video titled Stop It, I Can’t, narrated by William Shatner, who has a nephew with TS.

Some kids were understanding, but many continued to tease me - sometimes still insisting I was making it up. Even my teacher thought it wasn’t a real disorder, despite having seen the video and receiving a letter from my doctor.

I continued to struggle with many different types of tics, along with bullying. I also had learning disabilities, anxiety, ADHD, and obsessive-compulsive traits. I tried many different medications - some helped for a time, but many did not.

Reading books and comics in my free time became an escape. My love for stories - whether in books, film, or TV - continues to this day.

I switched schools in sixth grade and, once again, was teased for my tics. I gave another presentation to my new class, but this time the response was different. The kids were more understanding. Some of those who had initially bullied me gave me a chance, and we became friends.

High school was an even greater challenge, and the bullying was relentless. However, as I got older, the tics lessened. The ones I still had were less disruptive - mostly uncontrolled movements and fewer verbal tics.

One positive thing to come out of high school was discovering my love of writing fiction through class assignments that encouraged storytelling.

By the time I graduated, my tics were less noticeable, and I no longer had to explain to everyone in my life that I had TS. I began working at a video store for a large chain and, after two years, got a job in the mailroom at the company’s head office. That eventually led to roles managing the company’s website and email newsletter. As a film buff, managing movie-related content was a perfect fit for me.

As video stores came to an end, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I eventually decided to turn to my love of writing and wrote a Young Adult trilogy, starting with No One Dies in the Garden of Syn.

Once that series concluded, I knew my next book would be more personal. While Imaginary Heroes - a children’s novel - is a fictional story filled with adventure and fantasy, it’s based on my own experiences as a kid dealing with TS and bullying. The tics the protagonist experiences were my own, and his encounters with bullies closely mirror what I went through.

Writing the book has been a therapeutic experience. Now that it’s published, I’m proud to educate readers about Tourette syndrome, the harms of bullying, and the power of kindness.

You can find out more about Michael’s book here

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