Space to Breathe: Tourette's, Anxiety and the Open Hillside

An illustrative story — names and details are fictional, written to reflect experiences commonly shared with us by people with Tourette's and anxiety. Want to tell your own story? Email info@outsidersclub.co.uk.

Always being watched

Ellie, 19, has Tourette's and anxiety. Her tics are both vocal and physical, and they get worse when she's stressed — which, for years, was most of the time.

"Buses, classrooms, cafés — everywhere I went, people stared," she says. "Trying to hold the tics in made them worse, which made me more anxious, which made them worse again. I stopped wanting to go anywhere."

Space to be herself

Her support worker suggested a small, neurodiverse-friendly group climbing session. The first visit was terrifying. The second was easier. By the fourth, she was going outside with the group on a mountain day.

"On a big open hillside there's nobody to stare. If I tic, the wind carries it away. And the people I was with got it — a couple of them tic too. Nobody made a fuss."

What she noticed

• Fewer, calmer tics. Many people with Tourette's find tics ease when they're absorbed in a physical task. For Ellie, climbing — where every move takes total concentration — gives her real breaks.
• Lower anxiety. Open space, fresh air and a slower pace help her body come out of fight-or-flight.
• Belonging. "It's the first group where I didn't have to explain myself before I could relax."
• Pride. Reaching a summit she'd been sure she couldn't manage was, in her words, "the first time I'd felt proud of my body instead of embarrassed by it."

Her advice

"Find people who understand. Being outside is great, but being outside with people who won't judge you is what changed everything for me."

The outdoors can support wellbeing, but it isn't a replacement for medical or professional support. If you're struggling, please speak to your GP or a qualified professional.