'I felt Tourette's would ruin my life, now I teach at Cambridge'

Dr. Amanda Cole, an assistant professor at Cambridge University, has chosen to publicly disclose her Tourette's syndrome after years of concealing it. Cole, 32, who is also autistic, experienced her first vocal tic at age 15 and was diagnosed in her 20s. She recalled lying awake at night, fearing her condition would "destroy my life" and questioning her ability to have a family or a job.

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How am I going to have a family? How am I going to have a job?

Cole, who is married with one child, has been an assistant professor in sociolinguistics at Cambridge but kept her Tourette's hidden from colleagues and students. Her decision to speak out was prompted by an incident at the Bafta Film Awards where a guest's tics led to offensive outbursts. "I felt so scared of Tourette's," Cole stated, noting the lack of public figures with the condition and the prevalent, often negative, portrayals.

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I felt so scared of Tourette's.

Growing up, Cole hid her Tourette's by suppressing tics or releasing them when unobserved. She admits to retaining "some residual shame" and desires a world where people can "tic freely" without embarrassment. "It's quite liberating telling people," she said, noting that most reactions have been accepting. Cole's vocal tics often involve her husband's, son's, or cat's names, or random phrases like "good night." She expressed concern about being a "palatable face of Tourette's" if her tics are not challenging.

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The only impression I had of Tourette's was people acting... and they were swearing, and they were shouting, and they were being obnoxious.

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency indicates that only 0.03% of UK academic staff have disclosed developmental conditions affecting motor or cognitive skills. Experts suggest the actual number is likely higher, with many concealing their neurodiversity due to fear of repercussions. Cole hopes her openness will contribute to greater understanding and acceptance.

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I felt Tourette's would ruin my life