First published 2008
Cory Friedman wakes up at age five with an unstoppable need to jerk his neck. The twitching marks the beginning of a nightmare that transforms his childhood into a maze of uncontrollable tics and compulsive behaviors. Doctors eventually diagnose him with Tourette's Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, launching Cory and his family into years of medical appointments and experimental treatments. Each specialist prescribes different drug combinations in shifting doses, creating a confusing blur between disease symptoms and medication side effects. Cory remains painfully aware of every embarrassing movement and notices how people react to his disruptive presence. His condition worsens despite treatment after treatment. The Friedman family fights for survival against both Cory's deteriorating condition and a medical system that seems unable to help him. This true story spans decades of struggle as one family refuses to give up hope.
Genres: psychology, medical, memoir, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, medical-mystery
304 pages · Hardcover · Little Brown and Company
Content warnings: medical-trauma, mental-illness