Published on 12, July, 2020
I am 43, diagnosed Autistic and with Tourette Syndrome. As much as I feel like the TS diagnosis is correct, I do feel some of what I have is actually stimming (more convinced the more I understand my Autism).
My main issue is a harmful stim/tic which is a forced cough which makes my throat and chest sore, gives me headaches and hideously affects my working life. Nothing in fact has depressed me more in my entire life.
It occurs anytime I go to speak (rarely when sat in quiet and relaxed) but it can feel like my throat is closing like an anxiety reaction. It started as a throat clearing, but now i have to push out a really full force cough/to feel the sensation from it on my chest/throat.
I have had 16 sessions with IAPT (to no avail) but did help me understand the pattern more. I had Hypnotherapy which did nothing either, other than make me feel less anxious after the sessions.
I embrace my Autism (quite happy to be despite the challenges), quite open and so advocate when i can, have taken steps to manage my sensory world. I just cannot continue as i am with whatever this is. I so DESPARATELY need to decipher what it is and gain help for it. It is literally ruining my life.
Does anyone out there feel like they have a take on what all this is/means? Solution?
If it is a tic, then there's no help as Cbit is not funded on the NHS and tablets don't agree with me. If a stim, where do I go for help?
Huge thanks in advance,
Isla
Interesting you saying this about having a cough as I have one. I haven't yet found any way of dealing with it, so I hope you find a way to. For me it comes on when I have to talk to people & gradually builds up.
When I was younger I used to have some..... not quite sure how to describe them, but "larger" stims. I often got laughed at, told to act normal, stop doing that, or even held down etc etc. Over time I managed to change the majority of my stims into things that were much less obvious which in turn reduced the stress of others reactions to what I was doing. The last thing I wanted was interaction with someone. So I did everything I could to be less obvious.
If you find a way of coping with your cough, please let me know as it's one I haven't been able to do anything with yet. But on the upside...strangers think I have something contagious & it keeps them away haha! :P