Moon

“But they don’t tic all the time!” That’s literally normal for tic disorders.

“But they have really complex tics!” Complex cases exist.

“But they’re cringe and have Tourette’s!” Teenagers are like that.

“But I’ve never see them actually tic!” It’s not always visible.

I could be saying “yeah I like that color.” But my tics are either making me scream most of the words or screaming or whispering a random word in the middle of trying to talk. “Yeah I like that color” is not a tic but how I say it, is a tic.

Some people tic more because of sensory stuff like loud noises, bright lights, uncomfortable clothing, crowds, or strong smells. Even talking about tics, thinking about them, or seeing someone else tic can trigger more tics sometimes.

Holding tics in for a long time can also cause a rebound later when the person finally relaxes. On the other hand, focusing deeply on hobbies or activities can sometimes reduce tics for a while.

PT: It’s Tourette’s awareness month, so let’s go over some common misconceptions: End PT

“Everyone with Tourette’s swears.”

It is estimated that less than 20% of people with Tourette’s have obscene words or movements as tics. The majority of people with TS do not swear.

“Tourette’s is a rare condition.”

Tic disorders are actually quite common, affecting around 1 in 50 school aged children. Tourette syndrome specifically occurs in about 1 in 160 people. That means that up to 78 million people have Tourette’s worldwide.

“If you have tics that means you have Tourette syndrome.”

Tourettes is not the only condition that causes tics. TS is one of many organic tic disorders, and there are other conditions such as FND, basal ganglia encephalitis, brain injuries that can cause tics. Plenty of things can present cause tic-like movements, like dystonia, some types of epilepsy, OCD, stereotypic movement disorder, Huntington’s disease and others.

“Tourette’s is a mental illness.”

TS is not a mental health problem, it’s actually a neurodevelopmental disorder. However, Tourette’s is commonly comorbid with psychiatric conditions like OCD or intermittent explosive disorder, and symptoms are often exacerbated by psychological triggers like stress, excitement or anxiety.

“Low IQ is a symptom of Tourette syndrome.”

Tourette’s does not directly cause low IQ, however it can co-occur with intellectual disabilities amd other developmental conditions associated with lower intelligence quotient scores.

“Tourette’s tics can be controlled.”

Tics, by definition are involuntary, and while some people with Tourette’s syndrome find that they can temporarily suppress their symptoms, no one has full control over their tics.

Im just sitting here with this feeling in my shoulders like. Why does it feel like im vibrating. Help.

*tic attack*