Anyone else have a tic disorder or Tourette Syndrome?

[Southern Discomfort]

I've developed a tic disorder atypically, that is, in adulthood, about nine months ago after a severe depressive episode. Since then my tic disorder is clearly waxing; I've gained at least two more motor tic bringing it up to about three tics which are: jerking my head to the right, a respiratory tic whilst learning forward and some grimacing whilst looking down. No vocal tics - so far at least. It's clear I've inherited it from my father's side as he has tics growing up.

I'm frightened I'm going to get vocal tics now but in a true Asperger's way I also find the idea of maybe developing Tourette's to be quite fascinating and I've been watching videos on it online and reading papers, digesting all the information I can on it.

Now, I ask if there's anyone else that suffers with tics here because it is included in the diagnosing of Asperger's Syndrome under motor movement problems so I just wondering what are yours and what strategies do you have to cope with it especially when it gets bad and those moments where you wish it would just stop or to be someone else. Personally I've found distraction to be key as it soon goes and also whilst sitting down if I have my head back it curbs them, particularly the respiratory tic but no real luck in dealing with it mentally other than trying to further my understanding of tics.

 

[Chris AtLife]

I have Asperger's and I have a mild form of Tourette's syndrome, I also have a problem with grimacing in my face and tics according to my doctor. My doctor told me I should avoid all stimulants because that would minimize my anxiety, my neurological tics . Here's a video I hope helps:

 

[gonzerd]

I have Tourettes. I'd say it's pretty mild, so I still feel a little weird stating it as such, but it was part of the official dx. And the tics are there. I might get a sudden knee/leg spasm, a kind of shiver down my spine and such. There's more I'm not aware of I'm sure. I think motorically they come more violently when I'm actually at rest, which is a good thing (don't want a leg spasm when I'm driving). I suppose when I'm moving about vocal tics take over. Just basic sounds, a soft yelp, or some words, nothing too exotic. Those happen more often than the motoric tics, but overal it doesn't seem to occur that much. It doesn't really happen in the middle of a sentence during conversation or so.
I've never really seen it as that much of a problem, although there are times it annoys me in a why the **** do I do this-way. So yes, every now and then I do wish I didn't have it. The few people I frequent with seemed to think itnwas funny in a way, but lately I have been getting more shh's, which doesn't help, in a multitude of ways. It's a little hateful actually, because I try to suppress them as good as I can. They do come out at some other point though, when I'm alone, and maybe, in such an instance, they might even cross over into stim territory.
I don't know about good strategies to deal with the though. It's not like I get full blown tic attacks, if there is such a thing. Or at least not in an inappropriate way. Just retreating to a safe place might help, I think, and relax somehow, with some distraction. I think I get quite a lot of them when I'm alone doing dishes for example, these days at least. Singing or just talking helps with the vocal tics I think. It's more when I'm silent and then the race in my brain reaches a certain point some sound has to get out.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

I still don't really know what is a contributing factor to my tics, it could be stress; I've been doing a lot of things to get out of my comfort zone recently because of some agoraphobic behaviours so maybe that's been causing them. That being said, I've had about a fortnight staying at home because of surgery and the tics haven't decreased. I don't know.

I have tried cutting a few foods out of my diet such as coffee - which I really do miss. Again, I can't say if it's worked or not but it sounds like a good idea to skip on the stimulants anyway. Problem is though , I'm underweight so just eating anything is helpful for me.

Gonzerd, I have that spine shivering tic too, took me a while to distinguish that from just feeling cold! And yeah, my tics are worse when resting, kind of annoying since I can't just sit down somewhere and relax.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

I also take risperidone at a low dose which is sometimes used to help treat tics. I like to think it's preventing more tics for occurring and limits to how often I tic.

 

[Wireless]

I'm worried I'm developing it or developing something similar/related to Tourettes, I even emailed Tourettes Action on Wednesday asking for advice.
I shrug my right shoulder while turning my head to the right when I feel a shiver down my back, I'll clap my hands or slap my knees if things get too noisy. And I swear if I remember something which makes me feel anxious or upset, which isn't good because I work with pre-schoolers . Lucky no one's heard me yet.
It all seems quite mild though and I haven't been called out on my behavior, but I don't know if I should go to my GP or not. I worry that I may be making too much of a fuss of things or because I don't really know how to describe what I'm experiencing accurately. It hasn't caused me any trouble yet, but I worry it'll get worse.
However, it is also fascinating and I too have also started researching it. I am both worried and intrigued.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

I'm worried I'm developing it or developing something similar/related to Tourettes, I even emailed Tourettes Action on Wednesday asking for advice.
I shrug my right shoulder while turning my head to the right when I feel a shiver down my back, I'll clap my hands or slap my knees if things get too noisy. And I swear if I remember something which makes me feel anxious or upset, which isn't good because I work with pre-schoolers . Lucky no one's heard me yet.
It all seems quite mild though and I haven't been called out on my behavior, but I don't know if I should go to my GP or not. I worry that I may be making too much of a fuss of things or because I don't really know how to describe what I'm experiencing accurately. It hasn't caused me any trouble yet, but I worry it'll get worse.
However, it is also fascinating and I too have also started researching it. I am both worried and intrigued.

What you describe definitely sounds like tics. I know how hard it can be to tell if you're doing something on purpose or if it's an uncontrolled movement. Coprolalia is something of a concern especially with a job like yours, if I were you I'd definitely talk to your GP abut it. I wouldn't worry about wasting your doctor's time even if you didn't have a tic, people have had worse time wasting reasons than that. If you tell your doctor that anxiety might be your trigger then he might suggest an antidepressant to suppress anxiety provoking thoughts.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Well I started getting phonic tics. After a period of having no tics involving breathing it started again and escalated from there. It changed to making noises when breathing in then it swapped back and forth to squeaking sounds and now I'm doing moderately loud gasping sounds - which is pretty conspicuous although fairly rare in the grand scheme of things. On the plus side though I do feel like my motor tics have decrease a bit so that's good

 

[pax]

I have vocal tics, which like you seem to have got worse after a recent stressful/depressive episode. I'm not sure if they are some sort of stim, or if they are ocd - but I don't have a lot of other ocd behaviours. I thought until recently that one could not develop Tourette's in adulthood, but have recently seen a show where a man developed quite serious Tourettes after a friend's death, so it's possible, and that worries me as I was hoping it was something that would go away.

I can mostly control it in public, but it comes out when alone or around my partner, which I find annoying, and it probably annoys him too. Sometimes I think I am alone and someone is in earshot, which can be embarrassing.

It mostly takes the form of onamatopaeic words, or yelps. I haven't seen a doctor about it, because I thought it wasn't Tourettes until recently.

I should probabluy try diet modification /meditation/yoga. I don't want to go on meds, as meds and I have a bad history.

 

[sonnesun]

I also have this jerking my head to the right tic, and I usually tend to make a little quiet erking grunt noise as I'm doing so. I've done this for years. Why it's the right and never to the left is a mystery. Maybe it's to do with whatever side of my brain I use more. I always considered it more of a quirk than a real problem though. In a way I'm kinda glad I'm not alone with this and now sort of realise why I do it.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

I'm not sure if they are some sort of stim, or if they are ocd - but I don't have a lot of other ocd behaviours.

Well if it's OCD there would most likely been a reason for why you're doing it, like a negative thought pops into your head then you do it. Stims and tics can be harder to discriminate, I think. Both can happen when you're not doing anything or if you're anxious or excited. When I stim there are a lot of times I'm doing it automatically without thinking, when I tic I notice I'm not in control of it. After a while too you can get the premonitory urge before the tic, a burning, itchy feeling in your head or that part of the body. I don't get that with all my tics after some are quite noticeable.

I should probabluy try diet modification /meditation/yoga. I don't want to go on meds, as meds and I have a bad history.

Meditation and exercise may help, some people find it beneficial. There isn't really anything you can do about tics though, there are some medications doctors use to suppress them a bit like clonidine or risperidone but they're not used too often unless the tics interfere with your life, as in you get really embarrassed, makes it take longer for you to do tasks or are harming you in some way. Doctors are more wanting to treat the underlining conditions that fuels a lot of tics like anxiety, ADHD or depression and that can have a effect on the frequency of your tics.

Why it's the right and never to the left is a mystery.

Tics is a reinforcing type of behaviour, the more you move in a certain way the more ingrained into your body they become. If you try a competing response, like moving your head in the opposite direction when you feel the urge you may be able to sort of neutralise it. Suppressing tics is a bit like playing Whack-a-Mole though, suppress one tic another one will replace it in good time.

 

[xudo]

I have tourettes, and have done since I was about 7 but I was only diagnosed last year. My parents always put my tics down to attention seeking behaviour and my Dad especially found them really annoying when I was a teenager. I think the way he treated them has led to my ability to suppress at least the vocal tics pretty well in public.

Mine are on a wane at the moment, but I fully expect them to get worse over Christmas because of the added stress of having to go see people and do things. To be completely honest, I wouldn't want to get rid of my tics as I've had them for the vast majority of my life and it's just who I am.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

My parents always put my tics down to attention seeking behaviour and my Dad especially found them really annoying when I was a teenager.

I feel so bad for the people who have faced injustice and discrimination because of their tics. It's hard enough knowing you're making the movements and sounds and that you have very limited ability to stop them without people making negative comments about you.

Mine are on a wane at the moment, but I fully expect them to get worse over Christmas because of the added stress of having to go see people and do things.

Mine, too, have been waning, for the last three weeks. I've have two nights now where they've been pretty bad. So I think I'm back to the waxing cycle. The first time since the tics started last year that I have felt them being disabling.

it's just who I am.

Yeah, I try to take pride in the fact that it's something that I do and it makes me a little bit unique in that regard. As annoying and painful as they can be it's a part of me now, I can't get rid of them so I might as well accept them.

 

[xudo]

I have to agree with you on the painful comment. My vocal tic at the moment (has been for a while) is clearing my throat. Usually it's not too bad, but when sometimes I sort of get stuck in a cycle of it and it's not particularly pleasant.

 

[Streetwise]

I've developed a tic disorder atypically, that is, in adulthood, about nine months ago after a severe depressive episode. Since then my tic disorder is clearly waxing; I've gained at least two more motor tic bringing it up to about three tics which are: jerking my head to the right, a respiratory tic whilst learning forward and some grimacing whilst looking down. No vocal tics - so far at least. It's clear I've inherited it from my father's side as he has tics growing up.

I'm frightened I'm going to get vocal tics now but in a true Asperger's way I also find the idea of maybe developing Tourette's to be quite fascinating and I've been watching videos on it online and reading papers, digesting all the information I can on it.

Now, I ask if there's anyone else that suffers with tics here because it is included in the diagnosing of Asperger's Syndrome under motor movement problems so I just wondering what are yours and what strategies do you have to cope with it especially when it gets bad and those moments where you wish it would just stop or to be someone else. Personally I've found distraction to be key as it soon goes and also whilst sitting down if I have my head back it curbs them, particularly the respiratory tic but no real luck in dealing with it mentally other than trying to further my understanding of tics.

Hello s comfort
Yep I get what I describe as chiropractor neck cracking mainly
Also started with making a sound when I urinate don't know if its unrecognised pain
Stopping from streetwise

 

[Streetwise]

I still don't really know what is a contributing factor to my tics, it could be stress; I've been doing a lot of things to get out of my comfort zone recently because of some agoraphobic behaviours so maybe that's been causing them. That being said, I've had about a fortnight staying at home because of surgery and the tics haven't decreased. I don't know.

I have tried cutting a few foods out of my diet such as coffee - which I really do miss. Again, I can't say if it's worked or not but it sounds like a good idea to skip on the stimulants anyway. Problem is though , I'm underweight so just eating anything is helpful for me.

Gonzerd, I have that spine shivering tic too, took me a while to distinguish that from just feeling cold! And yeah, my tics are worse when resting, kind of annoying since I can't just sit down somewhere and relax.

Hello sdcomfort
When you chall enged your fear of the marketplace hilarious definition you enacted flooding in phobic therapists diction
so your psyche will react to it
Therapists usually recommend gradual experiences for phobias
I try to avoid stimulants like aspartame unless you lack it
Definitely going out of your home helps
Writing a journal also helps with stress
It's known that a gratitude journal is healing for depression
Stopping

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Definitely going out of your home helps
Writing a journal also helps with stress

I have thought about maybe making some sort of mood journal and measure the severity of my tics. In November and December they were pretty good, I wasn't really into towns on my own. I don't know if that's a factor in it.

That being said though, they have flared up a bit in the last few weeks and I'm still not going back to going around towns on my own again. And I did have one day where my tics were non-stop in December. It was exhausting, it was the first time I really felt that like I had another disability.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Thinking of maybe trying magnesium to see what happens to my tics. There's a little bit of anecdotal evidence that suggests it may help me. I'm first going to check with the CMHT to make sure that's not going to interact with the three types of medication I'm on at the moment. Depending on who I ask I might be waiting a month for an answer.

 

[xudo]

Thinking of maybe trying magnesium to see what happens to my tics. There's a little bit of anecdotal evidence that suggests it may help me. I'm first going to check with the CMHT to make sure that's not going to interact with the three types of medication I'm on at the moment. Depending on who I ask I might be waiting a month for an answer.

I used to be part of a group on facebook for people with tourettes. It was actually mainly people with children who had the condition, but nearly every day there was somebody either asking about magnesium, or extolling the benefits of it.

I've never tried it myself, but I would be interested to hear of your experience of using it, if it turns out you're able to.

 

[Streetwise]

I've developed a tic disorder atypically, that is, in adulthood, about nine months ago after a severe depressive episode. Since then my tic disorder is clearly waxing; I've gained at least two more motor tic bringing it up to about three tics which are: jerking my head to the right, a respiratory tic whilst learning forward and some grimacing whilst looking down. No vocal tics - so far at least. It's clear I've inherited it from my father's side as he has tics growing up.

I'm frightened I'm going to get vocal tics now but in a true Asperger's way I also find the idea of maybe developing Tourette's to be quite fascinating and I've been watching videos on it online and reading papers, digesting all the information I can on it.

Now, I ask if there's anyone else that suffers with tics here because it is included in the diagnosing of Asperger's Syndrome under motor movement problems so I just wondering what are yours and what strategies do you have to cope with it especially when it gets bad and those moments where you wish it would just stop or to be someone else. Personally I've found distraction to be key as it soon goes and also whilst sitting down if I have my head back it curbs them, particularly the respiratory tic but no real luck in dealing with it mentally other than trying to further my understanding of tics.

What i meant was literally go outside somewhere quiet i go out of the back door or to the back of the bedroom you need sunlight to sleep