“My fans give me confidence! ”
After bullies knocked Dakota’s self-esteem, how he learned
to deal with his disorder!
Sixteen-year-old internet star Dakota Brooks can remember the moment everything changed. He was 8 years old and felt like any other kid in school. But one day, he started getting very fidgety — in class, he was involuntarily moving his hands a lot more than his classmates. On top of that, he started having trouble focusing in school. “I didn’t know what was happening,” he recalls to J-14. After witnessing the movements, his parents took him to the doctor, where he was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, a brain disorder that causes involuntary movements or sounds. “We were excited to know what was going on,” Dakota tells J-14. However, that didn’t mean everything was about to get easier. In fact, it was only the start of Dakota’s struggle with his disorder.
“It was definitely the worst time of my life”
Tourette’s affects different people in different ways. Dakota’s involves little uncontrollable ticks that were especially frustrating while he was at school.
“I’d clear my throat a lot or roll my neck or yell stuff at the teacher,” Dakota remembers. And the kids in his school didn’t go easy on him. “They’d pick on me all the time,” he admits. “Being 11-13 was the worst time of my life. I was embarrassed to go up to people.”
Eventually, Dakota and his family decided that receiving home-schooling was the best option for him. Although Dakota was relieved to be away from the lingering looks in the hallways from his peers, he did feel lonely at times. That’s what social media stepped in. “I created a YouTube account and a few months later, I had people commenting and supporting me,” Dakota says. It wasn’t long before he was invited to join the PressPlay Tour, and meeting fans encouraged him to embrace who he is. “Being on tour is pretty cool,” he shares. “I’ve met fans with Tourette’s and they tell me I inspire them.” These days, Dakota doesn’t pay attention to the negativity. “I never read any of the mean comments,” he says. “Who cares that I’m different?”