Analysis Of Oliver Sacks's 'Witty Ticcy Ray'

It is often difficult for individuals with mental and physical disorders to differentiate between their identity and their abnormalities. In “Witty Ticcy Ray” by Oliver Sacks, Ray struggles to create an identity separate from his Tourette’s. Affecting each individual differently, Tourette’s syndrome “is characterised by an excess of nervous energy, and a great production and extravagance of strange motions and notions” (Sacks, 1981). In 1971, following the popularization of Tourette’s syndrome, Sacks met with an individual, Ray, who had suffered from this disorder since childhood. Oliver Sacks and Ray attempted to control Ray’s Tourette’s through different treatment techniques like using psychoanalytic drugs and performing deep analysis. Throughout

Davison et al. (2014) define a mental disorder as “a behavioural or psychological syndrome associated with current distress and/or disability” (p. G8). While mental disorders have behavioural and cognitive origins, physical disorders have physiological or neurological origins. Although these disorders can be separately defined, they often appear together. Tourette’s is a neurological disorder also appearing in the DSM-5 and creating many specific challenges. Davison et al. (2014) acknowledge that “people with psychological disorders often face negative stereotyping and stigmatization” (p. 18). Similarly, Ray faced stigmatization as a result of his Tourette’s. Sacks (1981) states, “[Ray] had been subject to these [tics] since the age of four and severely stigmatised by the attention they aroused.” Additionally, like many individuals with mental disorders, Ray was challenged by unpredictable mood changes. For example, Ray experienced times of wild mannerisms and energies, but could also, with a “kinetic melody”, be tension-free and tic-free (Sacks, 1981). Finally, individuals with mental disorders often struggle to find both useful and enjoyable treatment options. Likewise, Ray’s first treatment attempt was unsuccessful and he was forced to explore alternatives. Although individuals with mental illnesses may face challenges, these challenges can

For example, Ray shaped his identity around Tourette’s syndrome. Sacks (1981) noted that “[Ray] seemed, at least jokingly, to have little sense of his identity except as a ticqueur.” Tics were such a large part of Ray’s identity that “[Ray] said he could not imagine life without Tourette’s, nor was he sure he would care for it” (Sacks, 1981). Since childhood, Ray’s life had comprised and been challenged by tics. Ray’s relationships and work life had been so strongly affected by his ticking that a life without Tourette’s would have been foreign for Ray. Additionally, Ray may have been affected by the concept of self-stigma, “the tendency to internalize mental health stigma and see oneself in more negative terms as a result of experiencing a psychological problem” (Davison et al., 2014, p. 21). Perhaps Ray internalised the stigma that he experienced, defining himself as little more than a ticker. Many individuals who suffer from mental and physical disorders may feel like their disorder defines them; however, one can counter this negative viewpoint through various treatment