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opal
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08 May 2013, 2:56 am

I've noticed lately that I've been having a lot of vocalisations (and occasionally swearing outbursts) which I didn't have before. I've always talked, and occasionally sung to myself particularly when no-one else is around, but this is different - it is just weird onamatopoeic (sp?) vocalisations for the most part, with occasional swearing. I catch myself doing it at work and and worry that I'll get noticed soon.

I would have thought if it was Tourette's I would probably have noticed by now, and wondering if it can manifest late, or if this is a symptom of OCD, stress, or something else.

Thanks.



seaturtleisland
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08 May 2013, 9:22 am

I would say it's a stim. I don't think it's very common to have vocal tics without any motor tics if you have Tourette's. It's possible but combine that with the fact that you're just noticing it now and it just doesn't seem likely to me. I'm no doctor though.



idratherbeatree
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08 May 2013, 3:50 pm

Unless you have multiple motor tics, and simple vocal tics, I can pretty much say with fairly high confidence it isn't TS.
After all, swearing is actually only seen in a minority of cases, which are usually severe like mine.


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Ettina
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08 May 2013, 3:54 pm

It depends.

Do you voluntarily choose to do this, because it feels good? In that case, it's a stim.

Do you choose to do it because not doing it makes you anxious? In that case, it's OCD.

Do you choose to do it to shut up a repetitive thought that is bothering you? If so, that's also OCD.

Do you feel an urge to do it, which you can suppress for awhile but then it comes back harder? That's a tic.

Do you find yourself doing it without realizing, but as soon as you become conscious of it you can stop willingly (even if you start when your attention is diverted again)? That's a habitual stim.

Do you find yourself doing it without realizing, and then find it difficult to stop once you realize it? That's a tic, too.

You can have vocal tics without motor tics, though that would be vocal tic disorder instead of Tourette Syndrome. Although tics usually first emerge around 6 years old, they can emerge later. Or you could have had milder tics for a long time before this without realizing it. Or, if you've recently started a new medication, you might be having a side effect (stimulants and neuroleptics in particular can trigger tics).



idratherbeatree
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08 May 2013, 3:58 pm

In my experience copralalia is a pretty f*****g hard thing to not notice you're doing.


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opal
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09 May 2013, 3:58 am

Ettina wrote:
It depends.

Do you voluntarily choose to do this, because it feels good? In that case, it's a stim.

Do you choose to do it because not doing it makes you anxious? In that case, it's OCD.

Do you choose to do it to shut up a repetitive thought that is bothering you? If so, that's also OCD.

Do you feel an urge to do it, which you can suppress for awhile but then it comes back harder? That's a tic.

Do you find yourself doing it without realizing, but as soon as you become conscious of it you can stop willingly (even if you start when your attention is diverted again)? That's a habitual stim.

Do you find yourself doing it without realizing, and then find it difficult to stop once you realize it? That's a tic, too.

You can have vocal tics without motor tics, though that would be vocal tic disorder instead of Tourette Syndrome. Although tics usually first emerge around 6 years old, they can emerge later. Or you could have had milder tics for a long time before this without realizing it. Or, if you've recently started a new medication, you might be having a side effect (stimulants and neuroleptics in particular can trigger tics).



Hmm, well the swearing is often in response to some situation I'm thinking about, which could be OCD by your definition; but sometimes out of the blue, nothing to do with the situation or thought process of the time.

But the bings, boings, pops and squarks sort of have a life of their own - most the time I don't know until they're out, sometimes I realise I'm about to vocalise but can't stop it, sometimes I can stop it if I feel it coming on.
I don't think I'd call it a " habitual stim" as they haven't been going on too long. I jiggle my legs, drum fingers etc and most people would.consider them stims, though even when they're unaware they are doing it.

Also I now remember that years ago I had a habit of running in to door jams, or more often punching them as I was walking through the doorway. This was not regularly & I haven't done this in many years though. That certainly wasn't a stim, as I didn't know about it until my fist hurt, and I didn't exactly get any positive out of the experience!

I don't particularly want to take drugs or anything( we don't get along and hence not taking any at the moment) anyone have success with meditation, exercise etc.?

Thanks again.



opal
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09 May 2013, 3:59 am

idratherbeatree wrote:
In my experience copralalia is a pretty f***ing hard thing to not notice you're doing.


I'd have to agree there.