"No Way Out”: Facing Adult-Onset Tourettes and Finding Self-Acceptance

CW: This episode contains offensive language which is involuntary aspects of Tourettes, as well as discussions of mental health and suicide.

After a seizure and a brain tumour in 2019, Luke Manton was diagnosed with adult-onset Tourette Syndrome- plunging him into a turbulent period of unemployment, stigma, and mental health challenges.After being fired and rejected by countless employers, Luke chose to rewrite the narrative, launching his own successful neurodivergent-led business.

In this chat with Ben, Luke speaks about the power of self-acceptance, why he’s campaigning to change outdated diagnostic criteria for Tourette’s and the often-misunderstood causes of adult-onset tics. He also opens-up about navigating adoption and the care system as a neurodivergent parent.

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00:00 Introduction

1:55 Life Before Tourettes & The Journey to Diagnosis

6:41 “I Left Hospital and My Voice Did Not Come Back”

10:59 Luke’s First Vocal Tic of Many: “The Doctors Had No Idea What It Was”

13:00 What is Adult Onset Tourettes?

15:58 The Power of Singing & Tourettes

17:36 Mental Health VS Tourettes

26:21 Tourettes Diagnosis: The Timeline

31:10 Vocal Tics: What Do They Feel Like?

33:17 Tourettes VS Being a Dad

37:22 Life: Post Tourettes Diagnosis

40:15 What Are Mental Tics?

42:18 Representing Tourettes: The Reality of Self Acceptance

48:23 Luke’s Green Light Badge

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On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

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Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Luke Manton @lukemanton92

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