Involuntary outbursts when alone - sort of Tourette's

Very recently diagnosed with ASD. Does anyone else get a sort of mild Tourette's? When I am alone I tend to say things that I'm thinking, or come out with an involuntary groan or word. It happens particularly when I think of something embarrassing. Is this an ASD thingy? Thanks!

Parents
  • Hi, not sure if its an ASD thing but it sounds like it could be because it happens to me as well and not even always when I'm just by myself. If I'm relaxed in someone's company (rare), but if I am, it can happen and actually, thinking about it, it can happen anywhere if I'm by myself, such as in the supermarket! It was my elderly neighbour that pointed out that I made an odd noise, then I started to notice other sounds or words that I said and several times I thought, oh ***, have I got tourettes! lol! I think it's when I'm feeling relaxed with myself and thinking about it now, I have probably suppressed it most of my life because it's none seen as 'acceptable' so now that I am more relaxed with myself and spending more time alone, it's happening more. I know when I was really relaxed and happy with myself, I went to the supermarket one day and blurted something out to the woman selling cakes and I walked away thinking, my god, why did I say that, it felt like tourettes but I was feeling so good with myself that I just laughed and thought, my god, I really would have been called the village idiot years ago and for some reason, that was strangely comforting. Maybe those people were autistic but they were happy in themselves because they got to be themselves and the term was used quite affectionately anyway I think. Now you bring it up, it probably is that, that I was suppressing these things for all those years and now I'm finally letting them out! Not sure if it's like that for you. It will be interesting of others have this same thing. Thanks for bringing it up. 

  • I tend to suffer with this if I am thinking about something that has happened in the past and it is particularly embarrassing or upsetting in some way.  The memories are quite vivid so I tend to feel all the emotions that go with them and sometimes I will repeat phrases that I had said at the time, involuntarily.  If I don't make a phrase or sound, then I will hit/tap something with my hand repeatedly for 3 to 5 times.  I have noticed recently I do it in the car a lot if I am stuck in traffic and my mind wanders.  Before I know it I am back in the present, tapping my steering wheel or hitting my body lightly in a rhythm.  No idea why I do it and it can be embarrassing, but not sure it is it tourettes.  

Reply
  • I tend to suffer with this if I am thinking about something that has happened in the past and it is particularly embarrassing or upsetting in some way.  The memories are quite vivid so I tend to feel all the emotions that go with them and sometimes I will repeat phrases that I had said at the time, involuntarily.  If I don't make a phrase or sound, then I will hit/tap something with my hand repeatedly for 3 to 5 times.  I have noticed recently I do it in the car a lot if I am stuck in traffic and my mind wanders.  Before I know it I am back in the present, tapping my steering wheel or hitting my body lightly in a rhythm.  No idea why I do it and it can be embarrassing, but not sure it is it tourettes.  

Children
  • I’ve recently noticed that I do a weird thing with my hands when I’m starting to feel stressed. I’m not sure if I always did it and that I’ve onky just noticed, or I used to suppress it before! I used to go for a regular full body massage and the woman was always amazed at how tense my body was. I’m realising that I suppressed a lot of stress, and now that I’m acknowledging it more, instead of trying to mask it, I’m noticed lots of other things. Such as I tap the left hand side of my chest and sometimes I talk gibberish! Lol! 

    I also get the vivid memories and feel the emotions. 

    I foynd EFT (emotional freedom technique) used to work, and I guess that’s what you’re doing with the tapping. I ought to maybe revisit EFT. Thanks for the reminder.