When John Davidson was 10 years outdated, he skilled his first signs of Tourette syndrome – small facial tics and eye blinking.
By the point he was 13, the neurological situation was inflicting full-body actions so excessive he compares himself with the younger heroine in horror movie The Exorcist.
“I would break down and cry so many times in a day because I was totally out of control. Something had completely taken over my mind and my body.”
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John Davidson’s life story has been made into a movie, with Robert Aramayo within the lead position. Pic: StudioCanal
Rising up in Galashiels within the Scottish Borders, John was repeatedly instructed his signs have been in his head – or worse, intentional – when an opportunity assembly with a visiting junior physician whereas in hospital led to a analysis.
Largely exceptional within the Eighties, at the moment, high-profile figures together with Scottish musician Lewis Capaldi and US star Billie Eilish have publicly spoken about dwelling with Tourette’s.
Affecting greater than 300,000 individuals in Britain, it is extra frequent than many suppose. One schoolchild in each hundred is estimated to be affected by the syndrome, in accordance with NHS England.
Whereas severity can vary, there may be at present no treatment.
And whereas the College of Nottingham is engaged on a tool which makes use of electrical pulses to suppress tic urges, the wristband – referred to as Neupulse – is at present awaiting full medical approval.
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John Davidson MBE, together with his black Labrador Suki. Pic: StudioCanal
‘Treatment turned me right into a zombie’
Handled with medicine as a baby, John suffered devastating side-effects: “Anti-psychotic medications turned me into a zombie. I’ve got probably about a two-year period in my teens where I have no real proper memories.”
Pissed off by the dearth of assist out there to him rising up, John is now a Tourette syndrome campaigner, recognised for his work with an MBE.
However even that got here with challenges distinctive to his situation. On the 2019 ceremony at Holyrood Palace, when gathering his award, John shouted “F*** the Queen” at Elizabeth II.
He says: “It was horrific for me. It was like the last thing I ever wanted to have to shout. And I think that’s the nature of the coprolalia, part of the condition, where it’s the worst possible thing you could say in that situation.”
Affecting a minority of the Tourette’s inhabitants, coprolalia is the involuntary utterance of socially inappropriate phrases or phrases.
Whereas much less frequent, it is the function of Tourette’s most frequently portrayed within the media.
John goes on: “It came as much of a shock to me as to everyone else, you know? But I’m the one in the moment having to deal with those emotions and feelings of wanting the ground to swallow me up. [Thinking] I don’t want to be here any more.”
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Maxine Peake additionally stars within the movie. Pic: StudioCanal
‘Residing with it’s completely terrible’
Now, in a bid to sort out the stereotype, a movie is being made about John’s life based mostly on his 2025 memoir, with Sport Of Thrones star Robert Aramayo enjoying the lead position.
No stranger to media publicity himself, John has appeared in quite a few documentaries through the years, following on from the groundbreaking 1989 documentary about his life, John’s Not Mad. However it hasn’t at all times been a optimistic expertise.
John says: “Every time they make a documentary, they make such a thing about the swearing part, which then stigmatises the condition because people are then left to assume that everyone with Tourette’s swears and shouts obscenities.”
In actuality, coprolalia will not be typical of the situation and solely impacts round one in 10 individuals with Tourette’s.
John acknowledges there’s a comedic component to this: “When people think of uncontrollably swearing like that, it’s funny. ‘Oh my God’, you know, ‘shock, horror’. But for the one living with it, it’s absolutely awful.”
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Scottish actor Peter Mullan with Robert Aramayo. Pic: StudioCanal
‘Let’s have intercourse!’
It is a sentiment the movie’s director echoes.
Kirk Jones first met John in 2022. Assembly him at his home to debate the potential of creating the movie, John opened the door and, after inviting him in, shouted in his face: “Let’s have sex!”
His first introduction to John’s verbal ticks, the director admits it was a “steep learning curve”.
The director says it took him a while to realize John’s belief, exhibiting he wished to do extra than simply revisit drained stereotypes.
“When I first met John and started talking about the idea of the film, he was understandably suspicious.”
Handing over some artistic management, John can be an government producer on the movie.
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Actor Francesco Piacentini-Smith as Murray. Pic: StudioCanal
‘While you snigger, it breaks the ice’
Now, at 54, and having lived with the situation for over 40 years, John believes persons are changing into extra tolerant of Tourette’s, however would like to see additional acceptance.
“It’s about not being shocked. It’s not about being dead serious with a straight face. Feel free to laugh, because when you laugh, it breaks the ice.
“I want individuals had the arrogance to method individuals with Tourette’s and simply cope with it as if it was an on a regular basis factor.”
The director, too, hopes the film will have a real-world impact and open people’s eyes to the reality of the condition.
He says: “I hope this movie can play a small half in beginning to refocus individuals’s consideration on serving to and supporting individuals somewhat than simply laughing or mocking.”
I Swear is in UK and Irish cinemas from Friday 10 October.
Anybody in search of assist or details about Tourette syndrome can entry sources at Tourettes Motion or Tourette Scotland for these dwelling in Scotland.
