[wookiegoldfur]

I'm curious to know if the things I do that I've called my quirks are actually symptoms of something greater.

Since I was very little, at least 4 or 5 that I can recall, I would spazz my arms at my sides before doing anything. Kind of like jazz hands but I'd swing my arms up too.That was ongoing for about 10 years and then it gradually became less frequent. I'm almost 20 now and I sometimes catch myself still doing it. It does not bother me or other people.

I also can be vocal and make random noises. I've also done them for years and years. Sometimes favoring one and it lasting for days to a week. I'd make the noises multiple times a day. Most often when I was overwhelmed for whatever reason. I've often made screaming noises At my previous job. Enough to the point my coworkers tuned it out.

There was one occurrence that may or may not have been prescription induced, but I could not help but shake my head back and forth. I could resist for a minute TOPS before I had to jerk my head to the side. Otherwise I felt highly uncomfortable, like when you resist a yawn and your body starts tensing up. That went away after a few days to a week. It was odd.

As far as wondering if I have ADHD, my boyfriend's roomate and I are similar in many ways. Ive never met someone who acted so similar to me. He makes voices and noises all the time like I do. And he gets really excited over things and sometimes spazzes out. I do that too. My boyfriend told me he has ADHD and Torettes.

There are times where I completely tune out when I'm with my boyfriend. I was staring off into space one day while we were watching a show and then starting talking louder than usual. And then I kept hanging upside down for the next hour and rambling nonsense. It took me a while to calm down. I felt really out of it. I've done that a couple times. Sometimes I have moment when I am hyperfocused and feel very in tune with everything. I know my eyes are bugging out in those moment. One night I was rambling how humans came to existance and our connections with each other. Even brought his desk into it talking about how it came to be. He just listened until I calmed down and was fine. I was tired afterwards.

Are things I described just quirks you think? Or what? No one is concerned for me and I'm not either. Just curious. I can explain more in depth if it helps. Thanks!

[IceCreamKid]

Some of what you describe sounds like stimming. Have you considered Aspberger's? For the episodes where you seem to lose yourself, I'd describe those to a doctor. Seizures take several forms and I'd want seizures ruled out, since they can have very serious causes.

Not so sure it's Tourettes. Most people I know and have encountered with the sydrome 'blurt' things and often grunt.

[-jimi-]

Stimming usually does not bother the person. Tics feel bad if you can't carry them out. A person can have both. To be seen as Tourette's you must have both a vocal and a body tic.

[lilcreecher]

If you want a diagnoses talk to a doctor. They will give you and a family member a questionnaire. They rank it on your answers. Something interesting to add, OCD,ADHD, and Tourettes all affect the same portion of the brain. sorry offshoot. I tend to tune people out and do similar things to what you describe, I had medication for ADHD but it didn't help with other issues. Do you have impulse control issues at all?

[MiddayNap]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Not so sure it's Tourettes. Most people I know and have encountered with the sydrome 'blurt' things and often grunt.

Not everyone with Tourette's will have the same tics, though there are some that seem more common than others. "Blurting things out" would be considered a complex vocal tic, whereas grunting would be considered a simple vocal tic.
(That last sentence was solely for educational purposes and adds nothing.)

[MiddayNap]

I'm not much in the business of diagnosing others, so instead of properly answering your question I shall simply share all the information I've gleaned from my 15 some-odd years of dealing with Tourette's myself.
1) Firstly, in order to be considered Tourette's and not simply a tic disorder, one must exhibit vocal, which can be anything from excessive throat clearing to blurting out random phrases, and motor tics for a duration of over one year. If I'm not mistaken, tics which last but a year are considered Transient Tic Disorder.
2) Tics often wax and wane-hell, there are even instances in which I've not ticked for so long I think I've been miraculously cured. Likewise, there have been long, unbearable stretches of time within which my tics have been so difficult to control they've caused certain things to be rather difficult. When they act up like that, you simply never want to leave your room because you know what a bloody weirdo you look like.
3) The severity of tics seem to be affected by environmental stressors, such as allergies and heat, as well as internal stressors like anxiety or excitement. I can definitely verify the validity of this claim, however, tics seem to decrease and increase in severity quite randomly as well.
4) Most with the disorder have had tics since they were in elementary school.
5) I've read those with Tourette's are more likely to exhibit ADHD, OCD, and other anxiety disorders. I've read those on the Autism spectrum tend to exhibit Tourette's as well.
6) The way you describe holding in the urge to shake your head is an absolutely perfect description of how it feels to hold tics in, though I believe that example was more than likely prescription-induced.
7) A lot of people confuse tics and stims, but because I do not have much first-hand knowledge on stims, I do not believe I would be of much help explaining the difference. I can only say with certainty that stims are voluntary and usually to comfort oneself in a stressful environment, whereas tics are not voluntary. A person with Tourette's can "control" their tics in much the same way a person with OCD can keep themselves from engaging in ritualistic behavior. Perhaps that is the same with stims though...
Hopefully this was somewhat helpful.