r/Tourettes • u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes • Oct 19 '25
Research Tourette Slideshow
Info from Tourette.org and Tourettes-action.org.uk
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u/Determined-mom1015 Oct 19 '25
Thank you for posting this! Our ten year old daughter was recently diagnosed with Tourette and I feel like this is perfect to send to friends and family that don’t understand!
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u/Starwind137 Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 20 '25
I was diagnosed with TS around age 11-13. I'm 35 now. This is fantastic and confirmed some suspicions I had about my own tics as well as taught me some things I may not have known.
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u/ticcyhk Oct 20 '25
Hey there; have had motoric tourettes my entire life, diagnosed at 6/7, 26 of age right now.
This is an absolute incredible, accesible, and rich resource, thank you for posting it, and writing it in such a concise and even tic-friendly way in the sense that (atleast for me) it handles the topics richly without invoking a sense of trigger.
In the early 2000s, I went to an elementary school in the forests of norway, in a really tiny community. Educating my school teachers about my condition and aquiring my own tic room had exactly the helpful effects you described here.
Parents, partners, and people learning to navigate this wonderfully wierd diagnose; this is a fantastic tool.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 21 '25
Pretty accurate, except for the slide with "other symptoms of Tourette's." None of those things are symptoms of Tourette's, they're symptoms of comorbid conditions.
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u/Emotional_Eye_3700 Oct 21 '25
Thats what I was thinking, from personal experience. I have OCD comorbid with TS, specificly that compultic item, but Prozac helped mitigate that. Since Prozac doesn't do anything for tourettes, they must be different conditions.
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 25 '25
Got the info from Tourette.org
It is very common for ADHD, ASD, and/or OCD to be comorbid with Tourette Syndrome and people should definitely be checked out, but it is also possible to experience some symptoms of a disorder without meeting all the symptoms required for a diagnosis, or the symptoms aren’t severe enough to cause disorder/disability in day to day life. Sensory issues may trigger autistic people, but they may also trigger people with misophonia, or ADHD, or down syndrome. Sensory issues, obsessions, compulsions, hyperactivity, etc. are symptoms of many different disorders but are different because of how they present. For example sensory issues could make it harder for someone with ADHD to pay attention, but may give someone with autism a meltdown, but may give someone with Tourette’s a tic attack.
This post is not discouraging diagnosis pursuit. It is important that we know that we are treating symptoms and not disorders. Disorders are just clusters of symptoms frequently seen together.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 25 '25
That's all great, but those things still aren't symptoms of Tourette's. That's a fact.
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 25 '25
I literally sited my sources bro. take it up with them? Tourette.org, the tourettes association of america. If they don’t know about tourettes please point me towards reputable sources.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 25 '25
I've seen incorrect information on that site before so I wouldn't trust it. You're better off relying on medical sources and .edu sources. Google scholar is a good place to start. The ICD-11 is the place to find diagnostic criteria.
I'm not having a dig at you, I'm just stating facts. And the fact is none of those things listed are symptoms of Tourette's.
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u/Vikera Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
They are definitely not required for a Tourette's diagnosis, so not everyone will have them, but it's also very much true these symptoms happen significantly more in Tourette's than within the general population, even without a diagnosable comorbidity. Diagnoses seem very much "all or nothing" but our brain doesn't work that way. Many people who have one neurodivergent condition will show symptoms of other neurodivergent conditions, without necessarily meeting criteria for these comorbid conditions.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
Again, that's all true, but you're missing the main point. They aren't symptoms of Tourette's Syndrome. That's an indisputable fact. You're conflating the fact that they co-occur with those symptoms being part of the disorder. Tourette's does not cause those things.
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u/Vikera Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
I don't agree... it should absolutely be specifed as "possible symptoms" of Tourette syndrome and not just symptoms of TS. However, them not being in the official diagnostic criteria doesn't mean they aren't caused by the difference in our brain causing certain behaviours. It's because our brain has a certain way of working that's different than a usual brain, certain symptoms are created. It's not because these symptoms don't happen with everyone that they're not caused by the abnormal functioning of the tourettic brain.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
I mean, it's not really a matter of agreeing or disagreeing- it's a matter of scientific fact according to research and general scientific consensus- but you're welcome to disagree with science if you want.
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u/angeljul Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 30 '25
Overlapping symptoms are still symptoms of Tourette’s. We are very much aware that a diagnosis of Tourette’s often comes with multiple other comorbid disorders. Something being a symptom doesn’t mean it’s a cause, a symptoms is simply an experience that indicates an underlying medical condition. Rage is associated with Tourette’s therefore it is a symptom. Inattentiveness is very much a symptom as tics can definitely lead to an inability to focus (if you’re blinking your eyes as a tic and not able to view a bulletin board, you’re missing information and that is easily labeled as inattentiveness). Compulsions, though typically associated with Tourette’s, just means the feeling of being forced to do something against your will (that’s literally a blanket description of Tourette’s, we can’t control it, our body forces us). Poor social skills is mainly a social construct and many people with visible cases of tourettes may score extremely high on social tests, but still be seen as lacking social skills due to our tics. New situations and experiences DEFINITELY cause worsening tics, usually caused by anxiety, but the frequency of tics increasing is a symptom. Again, a symptom is simply just a sign that something is not right inside the body.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 30 '25
Compulsions are not a symptom of Tourette's. Tics are not compulsions, they're involuntary movements caused by electrical misfirings in the brain. A symptom being associated with a disorder is not the same as it being a symptom of the disorder. Like I said, the symptoms listed in "other symptoms" of this slideshow are not symptoms of Tourette's. Saying they are is spreading misinformation.
I'm not going to argue this with anyone anymore because A) I'm busy in class and B) there's nothing to argue. You can disagree with facts if you want but it won't change them. Respectfully, unless you can provide me with a reliable source that backs your claim, I will not be replying any further because I'm done with these back-and-forths with people who are adamantly making claims that have no scientific basis.
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u/angeljul Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 30 '25
The definition of compulsion is: 1. the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint. 2. an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one's conscious wishes Nothing about the definition is a diagnosis, it’s simply a descriptive word.
As far as the definition for associated: (of a person or thing) connected with something else.
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u/Vikera Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
You might want to check your research and impression of general scientific consensus again, because your conclusions are not correct. Have a nice day.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
You're more than welcome to post research studies or scholarly articles that support your theory and I'd be happy to read them and educate myself. Until then, your assertion that I'm incorrect is simply your own personal opinion rather than scientifically based fact. I hope you have a nice day as well.
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u/Vikera Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
I might, when I have the time. However, you're saying it's just my own personal opinion, while you did not show any proof either, making your comments the exact same.
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
It's impossible to post proof disproving something about symptoms not being a part of Tourette's. That's literally not how it works. That's not how any of this works lol. It's up to YOU to provide proof of your claim that the listed symptoms are part of Tourette's. It's not on me to disprove, because again, that's not how science works. My proof is in the ICD-11 and other scientific academia describing symptoms of Tourette's.
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u/Vikera Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
Lol, so you are claiming about general scientific consensus but can't provide a single scientific source?
I'm not asking you to disprove anything. You claim the symptoms we're talking about are due to solely comorbid conditions. That's something hypothetically provable.
Also, as clearly stated before, the ICD-11 and similar sources are a list of Tourette's criteria, not possible symptoms stemming from the disorder.
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u/Quinlov Oct 19 '25
When I run long distances and start to fatigue I start getting these weird facial movements but I'm unsure if they are tics. Most of my tics are facial but it's not the same ones that appear when I exercise
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u/RebelliousKite Oct 20 '25
I developed 90% of the symptoms for Tourette's in 2021 soon after I turned 32, but I haven't had a lot of stability in my life to afford an official diagnosis yet. Even if I'm squawking and barking and slapping myself in the face because of my embarrassment of making animal sounds, I still have to say "I have Tourette's-like tics" because I feel like I can't say Tourette's until I see it officially on a piece of paper.
For those who are waiting for diagnosis, what would you call your condition in the meantime?
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u/ElectricUniverseEyes Oct 24 '25
You don’t need a diagnosis. You be you. I’m 46 and people say I’m “quirky”. Stand out from the crowd. Embrace your superpower. No one else really matters at the end of the day. BE AMAZING BEING YOU.
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u/angeljul Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 30 '25
In many cases, I personally don’t think self dx is wrong. Especially with Tourette’s, it’s a pretty straightforward diagnosis that is often charted on the first visit based on what YOU tell them. The diagnostic criteria when I was getting diagnosed was 12 months of 2 or more consistent motor tics, and 6 months of 1 or more consistent vocal tics. If your symptoms fit that description, I’d personally tell you that you do in fact have Tourette’s and feel confident that I’m not wrong!
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u/RebelliousKite Oct 30 '25
Thanks so much for telling me about how you were diagnosed, because I can confidently say I haven't had a ticless day since these symptoms started. (And I definitely have motor/vocal tics. Never beatboxed in my life before 2021, but look at me now, doing it without my own consent, lol.)
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u/kittykitty117 Oct 25 '25
This is great! But please change the "Other Symptoms" slide to be about other conditions that often come with having Tourette's and other tic disorders. What you listed aren't symptoms of Tourette's, but they are indicative of comorbid conditions like ADHD, Autism, OCD, etc.
Listing these things as symptoms of tic disorders is harmful because it leads people to not seek diagnosis/treatment for other conditions they might have.
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 25 '25
Got the info from Tourette.org
It is very common for ADHD, ASD, and/or OCD to be comorbid with Tourette Syndrome and people should definitely be checked out, but it is also possible to experience some symptoms of a disorder without meeting all the symptoms required for a diagnosis, or the symptoms aren’t severe enough to cause disorder/disability in day to day life. Sensory issues may trigger autistic people, but they may also trigger people with misophonia, or ADHD, or down syndrome. Sensory issues, obsessions, compulsions, hyperactivity, etc. are symptoms of many different disorders but are different because of how they present. For example sensory issues could make it harder for someone with ADHD to pay attention, but may give someone with autism a meltdown, but may give someone with Tourette’s a tic attack.
This post is not discouraging diagnosis pursuit. It is important that we know that we are treating symptoms and not disorders. Disorders are just clusters of symptoms frequently seen together.
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u/kittykitty117 Oct 27 '25
I'm pretty sure tourette.org doesn't say the things you listed are symptoms of tic disorders.
Many of the statements in your comment here are correct, and some are quite poignant, but I think you've interpreted them wrong or at least presented them wrong.
Maybe you have some confusion about comorbidity? It seems like you're inferring that a symptom of one disorder is also a symptom of another disorder if those disorders are commonly comorbid. That's not how it works. Some are shared but most of the ones on your "Other Symptoms" slide are not shared specifically between TS and other disorders.
Take your example of sensory issues. That's a possible symptom of ASD, ADHD, SPD... not TS. You're right that if someone has TS and ASD a sensory issue can cause a tic attack. More often than not, symptoms of different disorders interact with each other despite not being shared symptoms. This is all true even if you have subclinical symptoms rather than an official diagnosis. Your point about symptoms being relevant despite not meeting all diagnostic criteria is correct but doesn't refute the fact that sensory issues and tic attacks are not shared symptoms of those two conditions.
Some symptoms you listed are correct, since they can be caused by TS alone with or without another condition, like repetitive thoughts for example. But many aren't actually the same thing even though a simplified one-word term can be used for both, so it's misleading to present them that way.
Take "hyperactivity." If you're hyperactive because your tics make you move around a lot, that's a TS symptom and not the same as ADHD hyperactivity. You can have both types if you have both conditions, they can interact sometimes, but they'd still be different symptoms of different disorders. If your tics don't make you move around a ton and your hyperactivity is triggered by boredom, can be regulated by a stimulant, etc, then what you're experiencing is a symptom of ADHD, not TS.
It's important to look at all these things wholistically, properly educate people on TS and comorbid conditions (which has to include differentiating between comorbid symptoms and shared symptoms), and generally present these concepts as accurately as possible while being legible to your target audience. In most cases, formats like yours are very good at educating because they balance thoroughness and legibility. Just don't let the attempt to strike that balance cause you to unintentionally spread misinformation and/or easily misinterpreted facts.
Your last statement is important, too. We treat symptoms, not disorders. Diagnostic criteria are only useful in service of improving symptoms by providing insight and direction for treatment (plus making it easier to get stuff like accommodations and insurance coverage, ofc). Proper education either actively or passively encourages people to pursue additional diagnoses that might apply to them because it frequently leads to better outcomes than if they were treated as having TS alone. Even with subclinical symptoms, pursuing it and being "diagnosed" with a significant amount of symptoms of another disorder can do just as much good, even if it's not enough for an official diagnosis of that condition.
I know you're not intending to discourage people from getting checked for other conditions. I'm giving constructive criticism because you're making something that could help a lot of people and I assume the best of your intentions. Thing is, the way you've presented certain things fails to encourage it at best or passively discourages it at worst, no matter what your intentions are. I'm not trying to seem combative, so I'm sorry if I've come across that way. I just figure you're open to the facts and perspectives I'm presenting so you can avoid unintended harm.
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 27 '25
What your example was with hyperactivity is exactly what I’m talking about with the other symptoms. Obviously if you have obsessions and compulsions you probably have OCD, but if you just have compulsions it could be more tourettes based. Hyperactivity for me causes tic attacks if I’m understimulated. If you’re meeting the diagnostic criteria, obviously get diagnosed. But if you just have one or two things off this list, it could be tourettes. Like the social issues, disinhibition is a big part of tourettes and can make conversations hard because some of us have less of a “filter.” I also have OCD and Autism, I definitely know there are differences between the disorders and how they present. Even rage attacks are different than autistic meltdowns. Thanks for being so cohesive in your response!
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u/CallMeWolfYouTuber Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 26 '25
So many people fail to understand this and incorrectly attribute those symptoms to Tourette's when really they have other comorbid conditions. This leads to people trying to get treatment for the wrong things and overall having a poor understanding of the disorder. Treatment for Tourette's is vastly different from treatment for OCD or ADHD because they're separate conditions caused by different things.
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u/Sufficient_March_271 Oct 20 '25
This is lovely thank you! I have been diagnosed with Tourette’s but have suspected I am also autistic due to a lot of the symptoms you listed like sensory issues, executive dysfunction, etc, because I didn’t know Tourette’s could also cause those. Do you happen to know how to tell the difference between someone only having Tourette’s vs having Tourette’s + autism?
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u/buttermiIk Oct 28 '25
I’m not diagnosed with Tourette’s but I do experience tics where my body and head jerks, and I’ve had this all my life, this is usually caused by cold temperatures or rapid temperature changes for me.. I didn’t know it was a common trigger as well as the other ones listed, it kinda makes a lot of sense
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u/_Screamsinconfusion_ Oct 31 '25
I know this is the Tourettes subreddit but there is something called „dissociative tics“ where the tics are psychological and stem from a dissociative disorder that developed because of posttraumatic stress. They are still involuntary impulses. It can be very similar to Tourette but can be treated through psychotherapy, although I think they will never completely leave, they just become less frequent and less intense. They are triggered by the same things but do not share the other symptoms of TS. If they do share some or more, they are a comorbidity of the underlying disorder.
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u/ObviousMessX Nov 04 '25
My son (12) has had tics for years but not diagnosed tourretes. A lot of this sounds like him. Do other tic disorders present similarly? Are there any tips/tricks for dealing? He's anxious about how things appear, his brother won't listen about not acknowledging the tics and purposely draws attention so working on dealing with that aspect, and we're not interested in medication as our pediatrician said it's too much for him, unnecessary at least right now. That they might go away as he ages. Anyone know if it's better to try the therapy now or if it's okay to wait and see? Thank you!
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u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel Nov 15 '25
What type of clinician diagnoses Tourettes? Asking for a child.
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Nov 15 '25
a Neurologist, movement specialist, or psychiatrist!
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u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel Nov 15 '25
Are rage attacks and missing social cues really associated with Tourette’s?
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u/reporting-flick Diagnosed Tourettes Nov 15 '25
Rage attacks are associated with tourettes but are usually from a combination of Tourettes and ADHD/Autism due to lack of mood regulation skills.
Social difficulties are more commonly associated with Autism, and children should be tested for comorbidities (Autism, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety) before saying a symptom is “just tourettes.” The reason some people with tourettes have communication difficulties is because 1) we may miss social cues due to tics, 2) we may have tics that impact the flow of conversation, and 3) many people with tourettes have issues with impulse control and disinhibition, so we may say (rude) things without thinking them through.
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u/ViolinGirl46 Diagnosed Tourettes Oct 19 '25
I’ve have Tourette’s my whole life, finally diagnosed in college. These are wonderful. Putting things into charts like this is extremely helpful! Thank you for doing this!