Involuntary outbursts when alone - sort of Tourette's

I talk to myself a lot.  And not only when alone.

At  least  then I am conversing with someone on the same level as me and who understands nearly everthing I say ...

NAS35155 said:

Is this an ASD thingy? Thanks!

Greetings. I originally posted a definite "NO", but, the thing is, if you see my own UserName, I tend to attract persons (esp. children) who do this, and as they watch me (as is thier wont), then they give something like a "narrative" upon what I am doing or what they themselves are doing...

... "It looks like he's hot!", "I got a job and a boyfriend!", "f#@$&#&$@#!&$ you hey you $@#@&!!"... that sort of thing. And so I do not know if these ppeople are Autistic or are Tourettes, when they are (yelling) directly at myself. It is REALLY irritating. But apart from all of that (at myself), I would say NO, because NTs "groan" or "talk to themselves" a lot.

'Computer says no'?

I certainly allow myself to talk to myself more when alone. One of those selves might even have an inkling what the other one means, but it doesn't need to swear so much.

The more relaxed I get, the more weird I get. The other day I stopped myself in time before I blurted out a line from little Britain (tv show) to the woman in the post office. I couldn't wait to get out of there because I started laughing and really wanted to say it. 

Someone asked me today if I had Tourette's! Lol! 

I've been doing this since I was in primary school. About two years after I started comprehensive school, I bumped into someone I knew who went to a different comp, and he said that he had noticed that he had heard me swearing, etc. That would be 1985 when I went from primary to comp. I was told I might be ASD as well as a diagnosis of BPD in 1998.

I've been doing this since I was in primary school. About two years after I started comprehensive school, I bumped into someone I knew who went to a different comp, and he said that he had noticed that he had heard me swearing, etc. That would be 1985 when I went from primary to comp. I was told I might be ASD as well as a diagnosis of BPD in 1998.

Haha I’ve started to notice the toe wiggle thing in me! It’s fascinating, and you’re right, it’s much easier to let it be than to control and filter our every move. 

That's interesting.  My wife and I both do it when we're together (or on our own), often with the same phrases.  We used not to do it in front of our children when they were younger, but as they approached adulthoot it just crept in - much less stressful not having to worry about not doing it.

It also involves wriggling toes semi-randomly, usually at the same time as the speech.  No idea why we do it - it really is below the level of concious.

Sometimes it's even when we're half-awake in the middle of the night. 

Self soothing? ....techniques to calm oneself and retain balance.

Does it alienate people...or alienate YOU from people. ......I know what you mean Robert123

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. 

I think I’m a combination of several responses. Yes I talk to myself or to animals out loud both in and out of company.. more in probably ( like a work or shop setting) I’m often unaware I’m doing it until asked “were you speaking to me?” ie is a response required or not! I also exclaim about things sometimes. Recently I have noticed more of the echolaic presentation of repeating words or sentences and in some situations the hand tapping or clapping which again is involuntary and embarrassing when made aware of it. I just thought everyone talked to themselves! 

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.  

me too. Yes, it's part of 'echolalia' and nonsense utterances and uncontrolled speech, which is part of autism - i have ocd as well, and it's in that as well too

I often have quite involved conversations with myself.  I suppose it is one way of conversing with someone on exactly the same level as myself!

I also find myself involuntarily saying things out loud that shouldn't be said in mixed company - and I'm not referring to swear words, but most inappropriate phrases.  They just come out of my mouth without me realising until I actually hear the words, it is quite involuntary.  But it is also very embarrassing.  Luckily most of the time it is quite soft, more under my breath than really out loud.  Whether this is an autistic trait I don't know but I find myself doing it on the bus or at my desk at work.

All part of life's rich tapestry I suppose!

Thanks for sharing that, they're great examples

That's brilliant! Unless you find it really annoying...

I love that and I love that we're so diverse and interesting. I'm going to pay more attention to my thoughts because I know I do things with words but I can't think what it is at this minute. I count a lot and I repeat certain words that people say until I say it like they do and I get annoyed at some words and some words I just can't stand, I can't even say some words, I'd rather rip my throat out than say some words, I want to eliminate them from all existence. 

I will get words or phrases stuck in my head too. I have two phrases that  just pop into my head at random times for no reason whatsoever. One is "What would win in a fight between a badger and a bear?" and the other is "I can't wait to immigrate." It sounds ridiculous having typed it out, especially as I have no idea where they originate from. But know I have started I may as well tell you that when I see certain words I will read it as it is, then read it again with the first letter missing, then the next letter until only the last letter of the word remains then repeat the whole process, but backwards until I have the original word.

So for example:

The word "mention", would become "ention", then "ntion" then, tion and so on.