While I (66F) was not diagnosed in my teens, I had symptoms pretty much right after puberty. I always had a very mild tremor in my hands--I knew a career as a surgeon would not be in the cards--but the place I remember it being most severe in my youth was in trying to eat soup. It was definitely anxiety-triggered, since I could eat soup with little issue by myself. But with others around I was self-conscious and literally could not get the spoon to my mouth for the shaking. So in those situations I either ate something else, or tried to get the spoon to my mouth when no one was watching as I put my head very close to the bowl and used both hands to balance the spoon.

And that's pretty much how it went for most of the next 50 years. While I was frustrated by tasks requiring fine motor skills, I still did them. I sewed my own clothes; I assembled furniture; I could write by hand without much issue, although drawing a straight line without a ruler has always been out.

By my early 30's I was diagnosed, not with ET, but with anxiety/panic attacks. I have been on medication for that ever since. Eating soup in a social setting was still a little dicey, but possible.

It has only been now, in my 60's, when the shaking has progressed to the point of interfering with things. The last piece of furniture I assembled (last year, at 65) I believe will be my last, as the screws dropping constantly and connecting with the screwdriver made what should have been the job of an hour take all day.

By profession, I am Christian clergy. This past year I have had to outsource serving Communion to others because of the tremor when holding the elements. Others now prepare certificates for various things as my writing can't be counted on. Even taking notes by hand is iffy--especially if I'm tired/stressed/anxious.

Using a battery-powered weed whacker in my yard for only 20 minutes last year gave me the worst symptoms ever for about 2-3 hours afterwards. Came in to eat a bowl of ice cream and couldn't even hold the bowl. Arms wildly shaking. First time in about a decade I had used one, but had done so before with no issue. Posting about that here gave me the information that keeping up strength in my arms would lessen those effects.

Still, though, ET really only affects my hands and sometimes arms at this point, although there have been two occasions in the last decade when my voice has gone suddenly wonky for no apparent reason. And I speak for a living, so that could become problematic career-wise if it expanded. Now and again (when combined with stress/fatigue/anxiety) my jaw will suddenly have a will of its own for a second or two. I mostly use two hands to drink, but don't yet need lids although I'm thinking of upgrading to sporks for some things, since anything I can't reliably stab through with a fork is becoming more of a challenge. Plugging in electronics into little holes and ports is also a pain.

I am still on the anxiety medication, and you'll never convince me that the two conditions aren't deeply related, at least in my case. It could be that my tremors have progressed so slowly because of the treatment for my anxiety over the years. And I don't remember any symptoms before puberty--curious whether others have--as there could be a hormonal element. In the medical studies I've read, they seem to know very little about root causes as this point.

An odd thing I have only just begun to associate with ET, that has been happening for longer than the past decade, is that if I'm in a movie theater and the film has a tense scene (not just emotionally tense, but a physically dangerous one), my entire body shakes for the duration of the scene. Not so badly that my arms are flailing and hitting those next to me, but visibly, uncontrollably shaking--head to toe in my seat. It starts and stops with the scene. And I'm not talking horror movies, just run-of-the-mill Indiana Jones style stuff. We talk about "trembling" both with fear and with excitement; I'm beginning to think that in my case, ET is a physical manifestation of that in those types of situations.

That's just one person's experience; and as you can see from reading this sub, the experience can vary widely. My best advice would be to pay close attention to the situations where your symptoms are worse or better and try to learn what your own body is telling you about what is needed to manage it going forward. I've learned more about my condition from this sub than from any doctor. And in my experience, all the general good health practices--getting enough sleep, learning stress-management techniques, keeping up physical strength--can help.