I have been diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but this does not make me a healthcare professional.
Despite having the conditions for over 20 years, I understand that my experience may differ from others. I haven’t been trained to diagnose or treat these, and therefore cannot provide professional advice.
I can however give a unique insight into living with them. This may be of high value to someone looking for first-hand life experience whether it be a fellow sufferer, a concerned family member, a medical expert or the media.
Google’s YMYL criteria and ‘everyday expertise’
I understand that Google scores pages under its Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) topics, pages that could ‘potentially impact a person’s future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety’.
Google also considers Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) when ranking pages. This applies to the creator of the website, the content and the website itself.
The information on this website is from personal experience. Google considers sharing personal experience a form of ‘everyday expertise‘ if it provides quality, informative content. Not having a formal education or training on the topic is not penalized if the ‘everyday expertise’ is of unique value. I will not provide professional advice here and I will cite any additional information used from credible medical and/or mental health organizations.
I will provide everyday expertise on what it is like to live with Tourette’s Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder from my perspective. This diagnosis came after frequent visits to hospital and therapy in numerous locations in the north east of England.
On 17th February 2021, I requested medical records from my previous GP in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On the same day I received six documents, one showing my diagnosis and five letters sent between various specialists during the diagnosis period.
Tourette’s Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are bizarre conditions that still require a lot of research to fully understand and treat. I strongly believe that personal experience is vital to help increase awareness and provide further insight to healthcare professionals.
From a young age I have provided this insight to doctors and therapists in order to improve their understanding, as well as seek treatment for myself.
