Tourette Syndrome: What Makes People Tic?

Tourette Syndrome in popular culture is often simplified to a poorly timed foul mouth, but that’s only a small part of the story—or sometimes not part of the story at all.

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[ilovepinatas]

As a person who has Tourette's you have no idea how much it means to me that this video was made. It's so refreshing to be able to have a video to show people so they can be a little bit more educated on my condition.

[somewhat-blue]

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for making this video. It means so much to me. I have Tourette's, but I'm always terrified to tell people because of societal ideas about us so I end up just exhausting myself hiding my symptoms. One really important thing though is that it's actually VOCAL tics, not verbal tics. The vast majority of vocal tics aren't actually words, but just sounds. This is why it can be so easy to fly under the radar -- I just sound like I'm always trying to get something out of my throat. :)

[RisqueBisquet]

I met a guy with Tourettes once. Worked in a comic shop. Nice enough guy!
His symptoms were quite dramatic - he compulsively jumped, would make little sneezing grunts, and would make little tiny yells (but no coherent words). I wanted to ask him all about it, but I got the feeling he probably had to explain it a lot, so I let it go. I hope he's doing okay out there!

[henriklarsen]

I have Tourette's, and I have the comorbid Asperger's, too. Oddly, it means I sometimes sense the entire tick process (Asperger's can give acute sensitivity to mental input, which is why some Asperger's seem to "overload" on sensory stimuli). Your stuff seems pretty spot on, but I always wished I could discuss some of my observations with someone more informed than myself. It's not like holding in a sneeze, more like trying not to scratch an itch. There is an involuntary input that forces about a technically voluntary response (self-control not withstanding). I can block a tick sometimes, but at great discomfort (like not scratching the itch). But moreover, the tick has a brief sense of euphoria, like scratching that itch. I get a faint rush when tightening a bunch of muscles awkwardly, or saying certain sounds (it's not the words, its the asociated experience, either physical or mental, of uttering them). When alone, I sometimes just let it rip, going into semi-voluntary fits to let it run its course. It's like scratching that iitch, or ending a real nasty bout of constapation! I could imagine some people just giving in and seemingly losing control, but the urge to endlessly scratch that itch is just too tempting (just watch monkeys scratch themselves, ooh boy).

Hm. Ran a bit long. And I didn't even scratch the surface. Badum tish.

[ultrakawaiifuckboi]

I'm a female with tourettes, in middle school my teachers would mistake my head-bob tic for me listening to music in class. Got diagnosed in high school and half of my teachers would use me as the example when people would use tourettes as an excuse for cussing in class. Gotta love that stigma.

[xochequetsal]

I have Tourrettes as does my father and his grandfather and so on. It was much more severe when I was a child and has gradually become something that really only surfaces when I feel anxiety. My father's hasn't subsided much in the time I've been alive. I hardly notice the tics as I grew up with them being my dad's normal. But other people notice them and it did cause a lot of issues when dating for him. Such a silly thing for people to be upset about.

[TheEditMaker]

as a teen with Tourette’s i loved seeing that u guys had made this video. Love spreading awareness and truth ❤❤❤

[ShineHatfield]

I have mild Tourette's and when I tell people soooo many of them say, "What?! No you don't! You're not yelling swears". It makes me want to punch them. Most of my tics are subtle and painful. My most prominent vocal tic is a squeak I make in the back of my throat. I also have echolalia.
When I try to suppress my tics, it gets physically painful. Also, I was diagnosed at 15. I should have been diagnosed earlier, but my doctors were wildly incompetent. I've been experiencing tics since I was 6ish. I am now 23 and my tics are actually getting worse with age, even though I take medication for it.

[water]

As someone who has this disorder, this was a good and accurate video. Well done

[SamanthDarling]

My brother has Tourette's. I forget about it often cause he's had tics my whole conscious life. He's never had inappropriate tics and although they're noticeable, nobody really thought it was Tourette's. Past classmates just thought he was weird. Sometimes I make fun of him as family does and I have to go "oh crap, that's a tic. I just made fun of something you can't control. Now you win this arguement"

Any advice for somebody who is recently diagnosed, don't take yourself too seriously. Humour will be your best friend.

[ICARUSxRISING]

To describe my tics, when one is triggered, my brain creates a very real felt pain. I tic to soothe that pain. The triggering thing prompts me to create a dopamine response, and that is the tic. Suppressing that tic is like keeping my hand on a hot stove. The longer I hold it, the more intense the pain.

I didn't get to choose my tics. If I had that power, they would be far more subtle.

[Pyromatic]

When I was 4 years old, I got diagnosed with Tourette's, OCD, and ADHD, so this video really means a lot to me. I never tell anyone I have it because I want people to think of me as normal, I don't want anyone to see me as some kind of disabled person. People used to make fun of me for it all the time. I've heard people talking about Tourette's before, and they always have the wrong idea. Thank you for making this video to get the truth out there.

[dahlesmclennan]

I am so happy that this video was made. I was diagnosed when I was around 13, and it was such enlightening experience. It explained so much my behaviour, which took a lot of weight off my mind. I hope this video educates the wider world what it's truly like to have the condition and reduce the stigma surrounding it. A small note, a more accurate way to describe the feeling of an oncoming tick is like a powerful urge to itch, and if resisted can become uncomfortable.

[andromeda]

Coming from someone who has had this disorder almost all my life, im 21 now. i also had coprolalia for 3-4 years. This is such a great video. Not only educating me on my own disorder but letting others understand aswell. Thank you guys :)

[SayHelloHelli]

I used to have a tic when I was in fifth grade. I made this squeak noise at the back of my throat and it REALLY pissed off my classmates. I eventually forced myself to stop making it, but it was very difficult. I had to think about not making the noise 24/7. The second I forgot about not making the noise, I would make the noise. I could feel this horrible anxiety building every time I abstained from making the noise. To this day, if I think about the noise I used to make, I can feel the back of my throat wanting to make the noise.

[watkinscarrie]

I have Tourette Syndrome and i thank you guys for making this video to spread information about this disorder. There are many misconceptions that i have seen people truly believe and i have been bullied about my disorder since it developed when I was 11. It is not a well known disorder so we were not aware I had Tourette Syndrome until i went to a neurologist at 15. Thank you for helping people to understand so they may think twice before making fun of the weird girl who yelps randomly and smacks herself in the face, and helping those who have the disorder but are not aware and don't get treatment.

[ColoredMud]

Two of my brothers when they were children used to constantly repeat what they said in a small whisper over and over, it always annoyed me but I had no idea it could've been tourettes.

[andrewn]

As someone with Tourette Syndrome, I thank you for making this video. It's very educational, and got me thinking about when I used to go visit my Grandparents, and I'd be in my Grandpa's pickup and I remember watching him have head tics. But I never really put that together until now. I have Echolalia, which can be very annoying because I JUST HAVE TO COPY EVERY LITTLE THING. Whether it's through clicking my throat, and clearing my throat. I've actually taken to whistling a lot to cover this up! I've improved on my whistling since then! 😁 Also playing the drums helps a lot with these motor/vocal tics as well! I also sometimes have to touch everything I walk past. tapping things 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 in that order; also may be why I'm improving my drumming skills as well. I did noticed me doing this when I was in Vegas a few months back because I was anxious, and anxiety is not a great combo for Tourette Syndrome. I just realized this just now: I use my own disability to aid in certain skills. 😁😁

[elanianiyvwia]

Thank you for this video. My father had this disorder. We need to bring this out and talk about it. We need to understand our brains better.

[vickymc]

Anyone else thing of "biscuit" or "hedgehog"? That comedian is really nice. :-)