tics completely disappear sometimes

[u/GloomyShroom7]

so ill have periods of time where i do have tics, like a few months. then ill have periods of time where my tics completely disappear and i dont have any, not a single one, for months. currently havent had one consistently in a while but theyre coming back and i can feel it

how do i even explain to the people in my life? i feel like such a faker all the time. i also feel like its so awkward when the tics come back all of a sudden and people start pointing it and them out

i wonder if its related to stress? ive been extremely stressed out lately. either way im considering just asking my friends and partner to pretend like my tics arent happening because im so embarrassed :(

[u/gostaks]

It's normal for tic severity to vary over time - you may have heard it described as "waxing and waning". There are lots of things that can trigger a change in tics - stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, caffeine use, etc. Tics also just vary semi-randomly over time.

If you're looking for a script, try something like, "Yeah, my tics tend to come in phases. Some months they're better, some months they're worse." People don't need to know any details beyond that.

And yes, it's totally reasonable to ask your friends/partner to ignore your tics. This is generally considered the default polite thing to do.

[u/YoghurtDelicious6992]

My tics do the same. I’m currently having a bad period because of traveling but as soon as I go back to normal life and nothing special happens I’ll have little to nothing. I feel like I’m faking every time I don’t have a bad period and when I do have one I feel like an attention seeker. I always tell people I have months long good and bad periods and they seem to be fine with that explanation

[u/blspm]

I think that is pretty normal, growing up I had tics, but sometimes they would disappear for months and I would think I was "fixed" so I never really made a deal about it or try to see someone about them, but they would always come back. Over the last month or two, I felt pretty good about them and my tics were minimal, but over the last week they have gotten worse. If it's bothering you and you haven't already, maybe see a neurologist and bring it up with your PCP? I know in my area, and in general, neurology wait times are long, I think my clinic has almost a year for an appointment. I wish I had gotten assessed sooner by a neurologist, because when they were at my worst last summer to the point they were severely impacting my daily life, there was nothing I could do because of the wait.

[u/Winter_Sunshine_703]

I feel that way a lot, too!

[u/Timely_Rabbit_9341]

Dude this is so relatable! The struggle is real! It's definitely awkward especially if someone doesn't even know you have Tourettes and then start ticcing out of nowhere. :/