Is it possible to develop tourettes in adulthood?

[Chado2423]

I was just wondering, because as some of you know I have adult-onset tics... wondering what causes that?

[oberlee]

I don't know the definition of Tourettes, but I had a boyfriend who was in a very dark place in his life and he developed a Tourettes-like tick. It was weird, and he couldn't control it.

He found his path, though, and it went away. So you can, probably, too!

[MattFYF]

Tics can come and go, most of the time they're brought on by stress and then dissipate after the stress inducer goes away. It's probably not adult onset Tourette Syndrome or any other disorder like that. Good chance the tics will leave on their own.

[JimOfferman]

I don't think it is likely that you'll spontaneously develop Tourette syndrome, because that is caused by a birth defect, as far as I know. You can, of course, develop a tic that mimics Tourette.

Tics are learned behaviors. They're likely to form when you are under a lot of stress from, say, a depression. On the up side, with discipline you can most tics under control.

If you do have Tourette, a little discipline will go a long way to get that under control as well.

[sleon]

Tourette's is defined as the presence of both physical tics and verbal tics, not controllable, which generally increase with stress level. One or the other kind of tic is not enough. A physical tic is something like eye-blinking or nose-rubbing, a verbal tic is something like sniffing or throat-clearing.

Paying attention to the tics and attempting to "control" them, if it is Tourette's, will not help. That only increases stress, and stress is what causes the tics to manifest. Doing relaxation practices or becoming deeply absorbed in an activity makes the tics go away (momentarily), and finding ways to de-stress life makes them subside on a more regular basis.

Tourette's almost always is seen in childhood, usually in boys, and fades over time toward adulthood. It's also usually pretty mild. It would be pretty rare to develop it suddenly in adulthood when it was never seen before.

My oldest son has Tourette's, fairly mild. Tourette's is also often seen in combination with OCD behaviors, such as needing to touch an object with the left hand also after having just touched it with the right hand. It can have an effect on impulsivity as well--people with Tourette's seem to have general control issues with emotions and can have outbursts.

[FreelanceWanderer]

I have Tourette's myself, and it typically starts -- as it did with me -- between the ages of 5 and 7. It's more common in boys (though I am not a boy)!

I recently wrote an article on transient tics for Redbook. These are Tourette's-like tics that kids get that go away after a few weeks to a few months. I don't know if adults can also develop transient tics, but it's worth asking your doctor. Tics can also be brought on by stress, so seeing a therapist to learn some destressing techniques may work.

FW

[Nicketas]

EMDR therapy is wonderful for alleviating tics.

[Chado2423]

Originally Posted by FreelanceWanderer

I have Tourette's myself, and it typically starts -- as it did with me -- between the ages of 5 and 7. It's more common in boys (though I am not a boy)!

I recently wrote an article on transient tics for Redbook. These are Tourette's-like tics that kids get that go away after a few weeks to a few months. I don't know if adults can also develop transient tics, but it's worth asking your doctor. Tics can also be brought on by stress, so seeing a therapist to learn some destressing techniques may work.

FW

I definately have adult-onset tics... involuntary movements and vocalizations. Just wondering if it was Tourettes. And no they didn't develop overnight. First it was some head jerking, then it was the head jerking with the left arm, and the left leg.