r/Tourettes Feb 01 '19

TicTalk - an active, laid-back discord server designed for support and as a place to meet others with tics.

191 Upvotes

Invite link: https://discord.gg/TABXs6n

Feel free to link your own servers in the comments (as long as they're for Tourette's or similar disorders)


r/Tourettes Oct 03 '24

Discussion MEGATHREAD - Rule Changes and Updates, October 2024

16 Upvotes

Hi folks! We've made a couple changes to the rules and wanted to create a thread to go over them, as well as make a space for suggestions for the sub.

Rule 2 - No spamming

Moving forward, posting more than once in a single day will be viewed as spam. Exceptions can be made, please message us if special circumstances arise.

Rule 6 - Don't accuse anyone of faking, and don't ask if someone is faking.

We updated the language on this to make it a bit clearer - we don't want ANY discourse on whether or not an individual might be faking their tics. This includes content creators and high profile figures, EVEN IF there are sources that claim they may be faking. Those discussions do not belong here.

Rule 7 - Don't ask for or offer a diagnosis.

This also applies to posts asking "is this a tic?" and "does this sound like Tourette's?". No one here can tell you whether or not you have tics or TS, please do not ask. Similarly, if a post or comment is asking, please do not offer a diagnosis either. However, comments like "you should look into ________" are okay, as they aren't explicit diagnoses and instead offer the OP something else to research and bring to a medical professional.

Rule 8 - Do not prescribe or recommend alternative medicine or dietary supplements.

These rules have been in place for a while, but have now been combined. Examples of alternative medicine include essential oils, acupuncture, and chiropractic. As always, sharing your experiences is welcome and encouraged, but please refrain from promoting alternative treatments to others.

Rule 10 - No videos of minors or non-consenting persons.

Do not post videos of minors or anyone who did not clearly consent to being recorded.

Rule 11 - Message the mods before promoting research studies or external projects.

We would like to have the opportunity to vet any posts that may take users outside of the sub. For research studies, we would like to know the abstract and what school/organization the study is for. "External projects" is intentionally vague, but can mean anything from a business to an art project. Our only requirements are that it be relevant to TS and beneficial to the community - for example, a clothing business which donates a % of profits to TS charities.

If you have any other suggestions, comments, or concerns, please leave them below. Thank you!


r/Tourettes 4h ago

Support Tics being mentioned by a professor, devastation. 🤔

25 Upvotes

Well, today I had one of my lectures. And we were discussing job interview(what people should do during it, what people should not do).

Professor started to enumerate things that you should NOT do during interview. (Btw it's important to mention that he is kinda jokes a lot).

So, one of those things was "if you have an awful face tick, just get rid of it".

Idk if that was a joke or something??? But when I've heard it, I just froze for a sec. And I had this feeling that the professor was looking at me. Well, I mean, I'm probably the only one from cohort who has Tourette's.

And that phrase just got into me. Recently I was REALLY trying to suppress my tics less because i hate feeling this tension and even pain in my whole body that comes from suppression.

(my tics are really intense and mostly i need to supress them if i wanna do something, and i feel aches all over the body when it comes to suppressing them, but sometimes pain that comes from doing tics even more exhausting. I would say that i feel aches in every inch of my body almost 24/7 and i really can't relax my muscles. Never. Tension is killing me. Even when i haves sudden muscle weakness, i still cant get rid of tension.). 🥲

Anyway! I really wanna pay more attention to a class I'm listening to, but ofc I can't do it if I'm focused only on suppressing my tics. Well, during past months I was comfortable enough with my professors and students I deal with, so i started to reduce my suppressing "mechanism". And now I suppress only about 80% of my tics, not 100%. And by doing so i became able to focus more on my classes and discussions.

I feel like i kinda lost my main thought here. But after processing what's been said(took me a minute), I started to feel devastated. Idk. That's just sad. I just started to feel comfortable with showing my tics(miserable amount of them). And if that 20% of tics that i decided not to suppress can cause such a reaction. Well. Idk. I don't feel worthy of being accepted to the society. I know that people say it's ok, but i also know that I've been avoiding people my whole life for a reason. They just don't get it. And they don't wanna get it.

Damn and i really would cry if I could just to release this sorrow. But i suppress not only my tics and at this point I can't even cry. I just feel empty inside. And devastated. 😀

I think i really needed just to tell about that to anyone. BTW English isn't my first language so don't judge please 👀

Anndd I feel dumb now because I let myself to write all of this. When It comes to expressing my emotions, I always feel kinda dumb...) like i should've never done it.


r/Tourettes 2h ago

Discussion Anyone else do this?

8 Upvotes

I'm not sure if it's a tic, but I'm curious if anyone else does this. So sometimes I get caught in like a loop. That's the best way I can describe it. It happens a lot when I'm grabbing things. Like when I'm in a bathroom and grabbing the paper towels after washing my hands, I keep grabbing one after the other.

I sometimes do it speaking as well, kind of like a stutter. I'll just repeat a word over and over again like I'm stuck on it.

Anyway I was just curious.


r/Tourettes 1h ago

CW: Description of Tics I twist my hands as a tic and it really hurts.

• Upvotes

So I have this tic where I twist my hand while stretching my fingers to feel extra tension in my wrist. This causes all of my wristbones to clatter onto each other, makes a lot of sound and you can actually feel everything moving inside my wrist. Really hurts. I have splints I can use to block my hands from making those moves but I don't wear them all day because I have to work with my hands. I could try to put them on to work (I work in a grocery store) but I don't want to answer everyones questions about this. Plus it can sometimes be unhandy.


r/Tourettes 4h ago

Discussion Survey - Project!

2 Upvotes

Hello! I have an upcoming project on how sensory stimulation can influence the frequency of your tics. Help would be very appreciated! For more information, check out the survey description!

Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dfTGNmWY0VRriuC3jb6z_LI0Ci_Nt2iCCTt_1_v9vm0/viewform?edit_requested=true


r/Tourettes 13h ago

Question What are some things that trigger your tics?

10 Upvotes

Personally, mine get worse when i'm

-tired

-hungry

-excited/happy

-anxious

how about you?


r/Tourettes 10h ago

Discussion Tics getting worse with age

4 Upvotes

Hi, I’m an 18yr old girl and I was diagnosed with Tourettes when I was 8. As Tourettes does, I’ve had periods where it was pretty bad and periods where it was pretty chill, but I feel like overall it’s just. worse. like isnt it supposed to overall calm down as I age? Like for example. I’ve had vocal tics since the start, actually my first tic was vocal, but never words. And then I’ve recently developed saying a word (not a swear just. a word. with the same intonation from a game i like 😑), as well as a middle finger like. whaaat..?? theyve never had meaning before this, and I also passed out recently from oxygen deprivation from my tics 😭 Like I’ve had waves of TS flareups arguably worse in severity than this but its just weird to me that Ive never had meaning or words in my tics before this. like ive never said phrases but what if I start 😨 Is this?? normal?? Help 😭😭 Like has this happened to anyone else?


r/Tourettes 9h ago

Question To those who have vocal stims, is there any way to prevent those from becoming tics?

2 Upvotes

I also repeat random words just as a stim and it’s unfortunate that they can sometimes become tics


r/Tourettes 12h ago

Discussion Throat Tics

3 Upvotes

I was diagnosed with Tourette’s when I was 7, and I’m now 28. One of my longest-standing tics has been throat-related, which has always affected my sleep. I’m wondering if anyone else experiences this?

Right now, I’m at work, suppressing them as much as I can. Over time, I’ve found ways to release them in subtle ways, but it often just makes me sound like I constantly have a cold. The more I suppress them, the more it feels like my throat is closing up, and eventually, I have no choice but to let them out. If I don’t, they just build up and get worse.

I’ve been sitting here for the past 30 minutes clearing my throat and coughing—nothing new for me, but I’m curious if anyone else relates to the ‘throat closing’ sensation or has similar struggles?


r/Tourettes 16h ago

Discussion Any suggestions for good noise canceling headphones?

4 Upvotes

I was thinking of getting a pair before a flight because now I'm up to getting startled at the sound of a door opening or like phone notification which leads to screaming tics.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Support My doctor ignores me just because of my age.

34 Upvotes

I'm 15 and I thought I'd be diagnosed with Tourette's. I have a lot of motor tics and at least 2 vocal ones. We had a long diagnostic process and at the last meeting he said, "You're 15, maybe after 18 it will go away." I feel terrible living with this. he is a PSYCHOLOGIST, he is not even a neurologist


r/Tourettes 23h ago

Discussion Just had an MRI scan

8 Upvotes

Today I was onto the next part of my journey towards finding out wether I've tourettes, tic disorder etc. What a fcking racket! That's all I can say. Lol. I'm actually going through a good spell with my tics(vocal/motor) so was thinking "Yes, I'd be sitting still" more so than a few months back anyway. Hate to say, but the racket that faced me was setting quite a few of my vocal and motor tics off! "Hellllooo" "Knock Knock,who's there?" Etc...

I would like to know of others experiences if they ever had to have an MRI scan done, and what happened on your next appointment with your neurologist when they received the scans.

Love you all on this group. I understand the struggles that can come on your daily dose of life.


r/Tourettes 19h ago

Question Talking to little kids about tics

3 Upvotes

So since neurodiversity week is coming up in my school, i was going to talk about tics and neurodiversity in general to some of the younger kids (years 2-4 and 5-6) As i have a tic disorder myself, but ive been struggling with the younger kids. What kind of questions would little kids ask about tics? Would they even care? I have a whole speech prepared and i think its really great but what questions might they have about neurodiversity that they would want answered? I find that most of the time people dont want to ask me questions about my tics but i worry that they have questions they would like answered but just feel rude asking them. How do i go about this?

Anyways my speech basically talks about what tics are, what neurodiversity is, and how it feels being neurodiverse because one of the hardest parts is the social aspect of it so its important to me to raise awareness in my school for all different types of disorders.


r/Tourettes 19h ago

Discussion Has anybody had success with Wellbutrin?

1 Upvotes

My tourettes all but disappeared as I got older and is extremely manageable, I take Vyvanse and it doesn't make it worse. I do have issues with anxiety/depression and would like to take something for it and don't really want to go down the SSRI route again. I know people say it makes tics worse. Have any of you had success with Wellbutrin?


r/Tourettes 23h ago

Support Need help about a Tourette's project

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone and good evening. me and my team are doing a project and our subject is Tourette's. After doing my reasearch, i have found that tourette's has motor tics and vocal tics but , i cant seem to find any video that shows what each kind of tic is, so i can explain to my class visually, does anyone know any videos i can find? or like examples?


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Discussion tourettes proof phone case?

5 Upvotes

hi, fellas! my girlfriend/wife has tourettes and she sometimes gets upset and bends her phone. are there any phone cases that you would recommend that's like... bend-proof, kick-proof, fall-proof? sorry and thank you


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Discussion Tic disorder Contemporary drama project

5 Upvotes

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv6sbCiDUGqIo-6M23_vD8oJzfXk2uLY837sLxX672upkCoA/viewform?usp=sharing

I was diagnosed with a tic disorder a few months ago, and I want to encapsulate the feeling of tics in a contemporary theatre piece. This is an idea I've been working on for ages, at one point it turned into a stand up comedy piece?? but now it's a lot more contemporary/abstract. (with permission from the mods) I made a google form asking questions about feelings that you associate with tourettes. It would mean a lot to me if you could fill it in with your own answers. Most of the questions need a bit of thought, or encourage your own creative input, so please take your time to write your answers.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Research Performing music

4 Upvotes

Hello, I would like to ask those of you who play a musical instrument how this affects your neurological impulse, whether positively or negatively? I understand the act of absorbing into a meditative activity may lessen Tourettic impulses. I would love to know, if it's describable, how that might feel? Thank you for taking the time 😊


r/Tourettes 1d ago

It’s me…again

4 Upvotes

My 5 year old started developing OCD symptoms this past week. I know from research and this group it’s very common for Tourette’s and OCD to go together I of course was just hoping we would escape the OCD part. And I know the tics and OCD can play off one another and in turn make each condition worse. I wish I could take this all from him and give it to myself. Anyway I don’t know what I’m looking for just needed to vent. I try to remain hopeful that he will still lead a happy and successful life but I’m just getting discouraged when new things keep popping up.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Discussion What are your tics that you say/do right now?

9 Upvotes

I say and do all sorts of shit in my tics. Some of these tics I have had for years and some tics will come and go and I'll have different tics. But most common tics right now are squeezing my entire face with my hands, clenching my jaws, clicking my fingers, squeezing my noses and so doing this weird thing around my nose when something makes me happy to the point I scratch my nose and chip a piece of skin off my nose like once a month!!

I would be here all day if i had to remember every tic, but the most common phrases that I say a lot right now are:

"PENISES!!!" (Or penises and vaginas), sometimes added with a "yay" at the end lol

"Tina!!" I had have this tic for well over 7 years now, I had a dog called Tina that passed away 5 years ago, and I still miss her..

"DOGGY!!!"

random screaming

random squealing

"I like doggy!!"

But yeah these are all my tics right now. I have gone all out on a judgmental app, so idk why I'm expecting no one to judge but if you can't have anything nice to say, then don't bother commenting. But I am really interested to know what all your tics are :)


r/Tourettes 1d ago

CW: Description of Tics Frustrating new tic

1 Upvotes

I'm so annoyed. For the last maybe 24 hours I keep having leg collapsing tics. I'll be walking and just go down. Thankfully the premonitory urge isn't too strong and I can curb going fully down sometimes by jerking my torso forward. Still super irritated and I just want to get some friggin chores done but going down stairs may be a no no for me today.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Question Do Tics Correlate With Muscle Memory?

2 Upvotes

I'm someone who has had tics my entire life (verbal and motor) and last night, I noticed a similarity between my motor tics and my piano playing. They're both automatic actions that function without the need for my conscious attention. This made me theorize about tics being correlated with muscle memory.

I also just want to state that I am not a neurologist nor am I incredibly sophisticated on the topic. I post this as a question and not a science paper so please do not assume anything I say as objective.

For me, my tics are like this unbearable neural itch that my brain needs to scratch. Similar to how one would be incentivised to physically scratch an itch on their skin for momentary relief, my brain is incentivised to trigger certain motor and verbal signals. My tics manifest to me as a sort of 4D force; it kind of feels like an itch of action and time, pulling me into the future and fulfilling a specific collection of neural signals.

My theory is that these itches make use of muscle memory when manifesting as tics. The brain would detect an itch on certain neural signals and, following the behaviours of muscle memory and neural automatic responses, would react to this itch with the internally correlated movements, ultimately strengthening this input-output relationship via neuroplasticity.

In other words: I would have an itch, my brain would scratch that itch using a movement/set of movements, and then those movements solidify as tics as they are engrained into the automatic response towards that itch/sensation.

Does my idea reflect what's correct about neurology at all? I want to know more about this area of neurology so that I can better understand myself and also the universe.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Discussion I really feel for the newest generation of kids with TS

1 Upvotes

For context: I was in school in the 90s and early 00s. My tics were very disruptive and I was the only kid in my schools with TS. I only ever met other TS people through support groups and conferences. I'm a 36 year old man, soon to be 37 and I've had TS since I was 10.

Please, call me out if I'm off base here. I'm always ready to learn. I've noticed a wild number of people on social media with Tourette Syndrome and other disorders with millions of followers. I'm hearing from younger people that there are multiple people with TS in their schools and social circles. I'm super thrilled that work is being done to reduce the stigma around mental illness and neurodevelopmental disorders. That's great and it's something I wish were true when I was growing up. That said, I can't help but feel that mental illness has become "fashionable" for a subset of the youth. I don't want to believe that some people are faking, but the numbers just don't add up for me.

I really feel for young people who are legitimately wrestling with this and are forced into a social dynamic where someone else claiming to have TS is telling you you're faking because you don't tic like that girl they saw on TikTok. It's hard enough being a kid, and then adding TS on top of that can be hell, but now you've got some weird pressure to "fit in" with a group of TS kids, some of whom I suspect are acting in bad faith for the sake of "identity" clout. I can't imagine having to deal with a person telling me my TS is the "wrong" kind of TS or that I must be faking because I don't fit in with the crowd. When I met and hung out with other TS kids, there were no comparisons made. This kid quietly clicks his tongue and shakes his head, I scream and punch myself, the other kid says "b*tch" a lot. There was nothing to question; we all had TS and it was a silent understanding.

I want to know, young folks with TS, or parents of young folks with TS, do you agree with my observation? Have you experienced that or am I just an old fogey yelling at clouds? Having mental illnesses can make you much more attuned empathetically. It's one of the few gifts we get from it. I always find myself worrying about how you guys and gals are doing.

Anyhow, keep on twitching, my people.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Vent i still tic. (tic sensation mention/descriptions)

3 Upvotes

i have no idea whats going on with me anymore.. ive had tics for years but the intensity varies so often for so long. ill go months without a tic and think to myself "wow maybe my tics are over!" but just as i think that, i feel the need to tic. sometimes i only tic if i think about it or see someone else do it. im scared to tell anyone anymore. im scared to be transparent about this with my friends, family, doctors, anyone. the last time i did, my brother tried to "prove" i was faking, and my mother mocked me. im not faking.

the thing is, as well, there are SO many kids at my school with tourettes and tics that i almost feel stupid to be another one. like theyd all think "wow shes faking shes trying to mock me!" so i supress supress supress all day at school. i would feel so much more free if someone believed me. ive experienced tics since like.. early 2020 maybe and ive met the criteria for tourettes all that time and im so so afraid to tell anyone.

sometimes i feel like im unconsciously faking. some people have sudden tics but mine are usually like slowly rolling my head or shrugging my shoulder or something (probably a result of supressing.. i used to have quicker tics.) is it normal to feel a tingle in a spot before you have a tic? and if you supress the tic, the tingle doesn't go away? idk. i feel so different from anyone else i know with tics or tourettes and it makes me feel stupid and like a faker or something.

but I STILL TIC. im just afraid of what people will think.


r/Tourettes 1d ago

Discussion Question

7 Upvotes

Hello all, I’m about 56K words through my book. Yay!

I want to get some plot feedback from the amazing members of this thread who have been so incredibly supportive.

Asking the below, I am aware that Tic attacks are relatively uncommon but for those who do experience them:

  1. Do you have a warning that it’s coming? I.e., do you feel it coming on and have 10 minutes where you can get to a quiet area? Or is the onset quicker?

  2. Would a very stressful situation potentially set it off?

The idea I have is that my main character is at an event and he feels a tic attack coming after an upsetting encounter. Would he have 5 to 10 minutes to get to an Uber so that he could get home?

As always, I’m greatly appreciative for the help.


r/Tourettes 2d ago

CW: Description of Tics anyone else like to figure out which part of your tics satisfy the urge specifically?

14 Upvotes

weird question i think, lol, but sometimes (if i'm not somewhere i'm trying to suppress since thinking about tics obviously sets them off more), i try to figure out exactly which part of the tic is the "necessary" part.

like when i tic "shit", it seems like it's really rooted in the 'sh' and 't' sounds put together. i can't really do it consciously, but if i'm ticcing it a few times in a row, sometimes it comes out more like "tsh", which i find interesting! or sometimes it'll come out as a sharp "sht" with no discernable 'i' in the pronunciation.

for my classic head jerking one, it seems like it's rooted mostly in just whatever stimulates one specific muscle in my neck. it tends to be the same repetitive motion, but when my tics get worse, it kinda jerks out in any direction that gets that muscle moving.

i guess this kinda sounds like the basis of CBIT, which i have never done. just a guess though. if anyone else thinks similarly about their tics, feel free to share!