FND is usually described as a problem involving the ‘programming’ of the brain rather than its physical structure. This means that the difficulty comes from the way the brain and nervous system work rather than from any structural damage.
FND can affect almost every part of the body, causing a variety of physical and behavioral challenges.
Alex says his symptoms started with functional tics in 2021. He experiences involuntary movements and sounds, and also has stammering. In addition, she has postural tremor, which causes regular shaking, as well as frequent headaches, frequent migraines, blackouts and – most recently – balance problems that require assistance with walking.
There are treatments that can help reduce the effects of FND, but because its cause is still unknown, there is currently no cure. As for Alex, despite taking multiple medications and facing challenges at work, he has reached a stage where he accepts – and even embraces – his condition.
“Every day is a new day with FND, and every day I learn something new about my body and brain,” he says. “It can be very difficult, but I try to use it as an opportunity to learn more about my body and how it works – both physically and mentally.
“It took me a long time to accept it. But now I’m at the stage where I’m like – this is who I am, and this is where I’m going. I have to learn to live with it and still enjoy my life because what’s the point otherwise?”
Alex Mitchell
When Alex first began his career in stand-up comedy, he felt he needed to draw attention to the fact that he had FND, as it was not possible to hide his disability. Inevitably, characteristics such as his gait and stammering attracted the attention of people who would naturally have questions.
“I grew up with autism and quickly developed the ability to hide my autistic traits,” he recalls. “However, FND is much harder to hide. People will look at you like, ‘What’s going on here? Is this some terrible character act?!'”
Looking back, Alex admits that much of his concern about people’s reactions stemmed from his own internal pressure, rather than anything he actually experienced from audiences or promoters.
He now makes little reference to his FND, noting that its status is not the most interesting thing about him.
“I’ve gained so many more opinions and ideas about the world that isn’t dominated by disability,” he explains. “We’re living in a place right now where a lot of disabled comedians are breaking into the mainstream, which is incredibly exciting.
“But I think the best comics aren’t just funny – they also have something to say.”
Alex wants to emphasize that the moment you reclaim your identity – regardless of your disability – and accept your situation, it can become a really empowering experience.
He says, “It takes a long time to get there. In my case, people might be a little surprised for a moment, but really, no one is looking at me differently.” “For me, it’s always been about getting out there and pushing myself.
“I wasn’t going to let my condition stop me from doing stand-up – which is what I love most in the world.”
seeing people beyond their disability
Before becoming a full-time comedian, Alex worked as a primary school teacher, during which time he was first diagnosed with FND. Early on, one of his biggest concerns was how he would be perceived. However, he soon realized that his fears were more about how his colleagues viewed him, rather than how the children he taught experienced him.
“When kids first saw my disability, they showed initial interest – which is not a bad thing,” he explains. “Adults pretend the disability doesn’t exist, that I don’t exist.
“The best thing about the kids was that they would ask me a question about it. I would answer them and then we would move on. They were more interested in me as a person than why I was making unusual noises.”
Alex points out that this innocent curiosity is something we should continue to value as adults. He hopes that by doing so, we can unlearn years of seeing people with disabilities as ‘different’ and instead become more comfortable engaging with them.
Alex Mitchell: No need for a chair
Alex finds it frustrating that people with disabilities are often considered somehow different from society, or that their condition defines them as something other than ‘normal’. He also rejects the idea that he should be labeled inspirational simply because he is disabled.
He highlighted the London 2012 Paralympic Games as a particularly influential moment in shaping this perspective.
“I was 12 when the Paralympics came to London and it changed a lot of perceptions about disability,” he says. “The atmosphere was positive, but in a kind of negative way – because athletes were celebrated as amazing and inspirational, when really they should be seen as normal people.”
Alex emphasizes that he wants his disability to be accepted, but only as a starting point – so that he can move on and leave it behind, just like the children he taught. He also objected to people with disabilities being portrayed as inspirational in the media, stating that, in his words, “It’s lowering the bar for inspirational.”
“I don’t want to be labeled inspirational,” he says. “I just enjoy making myself laugh and making other people laugh. I haven’t done anything incredible. Everything I’ve done has been for my career.”
“There’s this perception that all disabled people can only be one of two things – inspirational or sad. Why can’t we be in between? I want to be able to have a spectrum of emotions like everyone else.”
living without the pressure of being perfect
With the rise of social media, more people than ever have the opportunity to showcase themselves to the world. As a result, many of us feel inherent pressure to become the best version of ourselves. We all experience this to some degree, but for people with disabilities, it can also take the form of being expected to be ‘inspirational’ even if they are living like normal people like everyone else.
To emphasize this point, Alex outlines his typical daily routines, and insists that they are far from inspirational.
“I wake up in the morning, unload my dishwasher, put the bins out, bring the bins back – I live the same normal life,” he says. “I’ll write a little, I’ll record an episode of my podcast, I’ll do an acting audition, I’ll write an article, I’ll do an interview like this. I’ll then go out and perform in the evening, and then come back — that’s my life. I work, eat, sleep, all while making weird voices and shaking a little.
“We all live these kinds of lives, and there’s no need to label them as normal or not normal, or anything else. When it comes to my comedy, I want to look like any other comics in the green room. Obviously, I need some adaptations so I can perform, but other than that, I just want to interact and get to work.”
Whenever Alex is asked about his future career plans, the conversation often turns to what he will do for the disability community – whether through charity, advocacy, or awareness work. Although he embraces the opportunity to make a difference, he sees his impact extending far beyond that.
For them, it is less about leading any one community and more about empowering people in general, showing that support, opportunities and even ‘inspiration’ are not limited to any one group.
“If you have a platform, you should use it for good,” he says. “But I also think about what’s more empowering for me than anyone else – I’m going to keep working as hard as I can on the thing I love most in the world.
“If people see it and find it inspirational, that’s an extra positive thing, but don’t assume that everything I do is to inspire other people. If it does that, that’s great. But that’s not the reason I do it.”
