Jim,
For me, staying off medications and away from their side effects has been key to my mental health. I have been really loused up in the recent past from the various drugs prescribed to me (haldol, pimozide, zoloft, etc). It's as though my physicians were throwing me bricks as a life preserver.
It feels good to get my head clear in order to better understand my symptoms and condition.
I too feel that the tics are not so much an issue as the anxiety and mental clouding I feel when I am in the "tic zone". I'm trying to get through graduate school (at the age of 54). It's quite a challenge to sit in class, take notes through long lectures, and just to be in such a stressful environment.
As I too am a newly diagnosed adult with TS, I'd appreciate hearing your story. I wonder if some emotional trauma or medicines might have been a trigger for your TS. As well, I'd appreciate knowing if you experience the classic "premonitory urges" to tic, or if unpleasant thoughts trigger your tics. These happen to be part of my experience. I hope to hear from you.
Best wishes.
