The Jefferson Fisher PodcastHow to Talk to Someone With Tourette Syndrome ft. Baylen Dupree
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Practical, respectful communication tips for interacting with Tourette syndrome
- Baylen Dupree explains Tourette syndrome as an involuntary spectrum of vocal and motor tics, emphasizing that tics are not chosen and do not reflect beliefs or intentions.
- She outlines practical social guidelines for interacting respectfully: continue the conversation normally, treat the person like anyone else, and avoid mocking, filming, or repeating their tics because it can be triggering.
- Using an “iceberg” metaphor, she describes Tourette’s as frequently accompanied by comorbid conditions (e.g., OCD, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar) that shape communication and daily functioning beyond what outsiders see.
- Baylen shares personal experiences of severe tic attacks and public stigma—from workplace mocking to people treating her as contagious—highlighting how much energy it takes to manage public settings.
- The conversation also covers relationship dynamics and conflict management, including pre-marriage counseling, taking timed breaks during arguments, and the stabilizing support her husband provides during overstimulation and tic episodes.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasTreat Tourette’s as background noise, not the main event.
Baylen says the easiest, most respectful approach is to “pretend like it doesn’t exist” and keep the conversation flowing while tics happen, because the person is not their tics.
Don’t imitate, repeat, or performatively react to tics.
Repeating someone’s tics back to them can trigger more tics (she mentions echolalia) and is experienced as mocking; filming, nicknaming (“Tourette’s Girl”), or turning it into entertainment is also dehumanizing.
Most public assumptions about Tourette’s are wrong—especially “it’s just cussing” and “it’s 24/7.”
Tourette’s is often misunderstood as constant swearing, but Baylen notes coprolalia (involuntary obscene words) occurs in only about ~10% of people with Tourette’s, and many people don’t tic continuously.
Focus on the whole person—Tourette’s often comes with layered comorbidities.
Baylen uses the “iceberg” analogy: visible tics are only the top, while comorbidities like OCD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and ADHD can significantly shape day-to-day life and communication.
Support is often practical and safety-oriented, not just emotional reassurance.
She describes intense “tic attacks” that can last a long time and involve self-injury risk; her husband learned to stay present, provide comfort, and prioritize safety (ice, monitoring, calming support).
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesThe easiest way is to pretend like it doesn't exist.
— Baylen Dupree
They're not things that I'm thinking of. They're not things, they're not thoughts.
— Baylen Dupree
The way I like to describe Tourette's is there's an iceberg and you only see what's at the top, which is the Tourette's. But everything underneath the water and underneath everything, there's all these comorbidities.
— Baylen Dupree
Comparison is the thief of joy.
— Baylen Dupree
My favorite thing about him is the fact that he has every single quality that I do not have. Every good quality, obviously. He's the yin to my yang.
— Baylen Dupree
High quality AI-generated summary created from speaker-labeled transcript.
