Friday, December 2, 2011

Writing Out Words with Fingers, Repeating Words, and A Mental Tic that Says Stop

So I figured I'd write about another strange mental tic that I've been having lately. The line is very much blurred between this kind of mental tic and an actual tic though which is something I find very interesting. For those of you who don't know, mental tics are like physical tics except for they happen in your mind. A mental tic is a kind of OCD that is more tic like in nature and less obsessive in nature. In elemntary school I had lots of mental tics and they would get in the way of paying attention in class. Sometimes when I was in class I would repeat each word the teacher said in my head right after she said it. I would sometimes go on doing this for the whole lesson and try to keep up with repeating the words in my head as fast as I could. I would sometimes repeat what people said out loud and sometimes I would write out the words the teacher was saying with my fingers on my desk. Sometimes I would get stuck on one single word the teacher had said and would have to write it out with my fingers on the desk over and over again. Very frustrating! Even now I'll catch myself repeating what the teacher says in my head or writing out the words with my pencil or my fingers. I don't do it as much now, but this week i've been catching myself doing it a lot!

Now this is a very strange mental tic and a very new one as well! My first cousin has Tourettes, I have classmates at school who have Tourettes, and I have friends from the TSA meetings who have it as well. All in all I am around a lot of people who tic! Now what's the worst and riskiest thing for one person with TS to say to another person with TS when they're ticcing? The answer: "Stop!". So this is exactly what my mind has been telling me. When someone near me tics, sneezes, hiccups, or coughs, which happens quite often when I am at home or school or out and about, my brain just yells "Stop!". Of course I don't want the other person to stop because number one tics never annoy me! I'm so used to it! And number two I know of course I know they can't stop! They have TS or they're doing something else that's involuntary like sneezing or coughing. Its just a risky thing to say and that's just how TS and OCD works. Then I start worrying about it like "why am I thinking this?" "I don't need them to stop" "I don't want them to stop!" Then this is where the line is blurred, on a few occasions I will find myself repeating stop stop stop stop over and over in my head like the word is stuck or writing it out with my fingers.

30 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I have experienced the same tics when I was younger and still do. I would, in my head, repeat what the teacher was saying, I also find myself doing it during church. Almost a year now I have been consumed with writing things on my fingers, just a random word or sentence I hear someone say. I have to do it or I get really uncomfortable and can't continue with my day. I have been doing some research and I think I may have OCD, do you have any input on that?

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  3. I have always done this finger-writing thing. I never knew (still kinda don't? ) what it was. I always thought I was just weird or had some other mental issue (I have ocd), glad someone else does this too.

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  4. I have always been a finger writer. I was obsessed with it when I was little, but still find myself doing it now at 36. Some words just seem to have to be written

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  5. Oh wow. I thought I was the only person to do the finger writing thing. I'm 41 and still find myself doing it sometimes.

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  6. I have been doing it my whole life as well, I'm 20. At the moment I am tracing the number eight because it's always my favorite number to trace haha. Glad to see I'm not the only one

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  7. I do this too and it's getting worse and worse and frustrating. It keeps me from concentrating among other things and I can't stop it. People tell me to "just stop" but it's not like that. I can't stop it. I try. It even keeps me being able to go to sleep. I'm glad to hear other people have this to know that I'm not alone though I wouldn't want someone to have this if it is severe like mine but does anyone know what it is from and if it can be treated? That's what I want to know.

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  8. I finger write and I don't even know I'm doing it. Then I catch myself and try to stop. Then I catch myself and on and on and on. What the heck is this problem. I first noticed it about 4 years ago and I am now 41.

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  9. If we are all talking about the same thing, I do it too! I hear a word or small phrase and find myself writing it in the air, or on my leg, etc. with my finger. I can stop myself from doing it but generally I'm already on my way doing it before I notice. Even weirder is after I write the word, I put three lines under it for empahsis. Been doing this my whole life.

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    1. there's really no reason that I do it either. I hear a word and just begin tracing it out. I can stop for a breif time period, but usually forget I stopped and start up again. I don't have TS or diagnosed OCD tho, I thought I was just weird 🤷🏻‍♂️

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    2. I have been doing the writing thing and repeating words in ny head over and over for as long as I can remember. I try to hurry up and spell it to keep up with whatever I am listening to, which I'm obviously never going to keep up with a movie or someone speaking but I sure try. I also will put ... afterwards as I have more to write... lol too weird. Glad I'm not the only one who does this.

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  10. I thought it was just me. Glad to know that we are a lot. I tend to spell words that I heard unknowingly.

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  11. I thought it was just me. Glad to know that we are a lot. I tend to spell words that I heard unknowingly.

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  12. Omg I'm not alone. I'm 25 and have been doing this for YEARS. My partner used to get angry at the scratching on lounges as I'd be spelling things out while watching TV or while laying in bed trying to sleep and id be spelling out my thoughts. My finger just doesnt STOP. I move my finger and the line appears in my mind.

    Does anyone know what it actually is? Why do we do this?
    If someone has answered that question, I havent seen the message as of yet sorry.

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  13. I am now 23 & have been suffering with this my whole life, it was only early this year I decided to tell my mum about it and she is the first person to know, because I’ve always thought it was strange but also the norm until I googled it one day & found this post. I also have a rapid eye movement from time to time too, while driving & all sorts it is really bad, but I feel if I go to the doctor what can they possibly do for you? It’s good to know I’m not the only one out there that suffers, it is very tiring and frustrating.

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  14. Well, I used to play the piano and think my
    "finger writing" comes from that. I don't actually move my fingers anymore; I just imagine my fingers moving. I'm 60 and can't remember when I DIDN'T do this. It's not too bad...sort of comforting to me. I can't stop.

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  15. I'm really frustrated at this. It drives me nuts. I have to keep writing with my finger almost every word I hear or words that grab my attention. Sometimes I have to write them in a certain rythme. For example, I would write a word in the pattern of the last song I heard. I looked this up too and I found that it could be OCD. But I'm a very cynical person, and I know that self diagnosis is bullshit, so I don't wanna jump to any conclusions any time soon. Anyway, I've been doing this since I could ever remember, early childhood. I do have OCD like tendencies like enjoying patterns and making things "right", sometimes I spend way too much time organizing different things until they feel right. Fuck this is frustrating, I want it to stop, I'm really tired, I really want it to stop. I wanna experience not being paranoid about a fucking comma being at the right place for once. Help!

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  16. Hey guys, this is something that has been driving me crazy and I honestly don't know if it's normal or if something is genuinely wrong with me. I will hear a word and continuously write that word in the air or on a surface multiple times in a row. I won't stop until I hear another word that I begin to write in the air. I literally feel crazy when I do this, but it's something that I can't help. It's something I do when I'm bored in class or on the subway, or when I'm feeling anxious. It honestly brings me a sense of relief when I do it and I feel that I get anxiety when I try to control/ repress the feeling of writing things out. I feel crazy writing all this out and I know it's not really harming anyone, but I was wondering if anyone figured out what this is? It's driving me insane and, again, even though it's not hurting anybody, I'd like to know if something is wrong with me. Thanks guys!

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    1. Omg yes! I was waiting for someone to state what I have been experiencing as well! Once I find "that word", I have to write it out in my head or with my finger, but, if I dont like the way I did it, I HAVE to move my hand like I erased it or erase it written in my mind until I am completely satisfied, then I can stop. Your situation isn't quite like that, but I get the anxiety part with it if it's not done right! Anyone else experience that exact thing with it as well? Do any of you suspect its anxiety like me?

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  18. My 10 year old daughter with Autism developed this finger writing tic this week. She had other tics before like coughing, laughing, punching her thigh. Typically her tics last about one to three months. Before this finger writing tic, a phrase from a TV show got stuck on her head - she would repeatedly say that phrase. That only lasted a day. She is very sensitive to sound and covers her ears when she hears beeps and sounds. Live singing from people bothers her a lot. But she would be ok to listen to the same song on youtube or TV. This new finger writing tic seems to be worse than the others. She writes all the time and even write on the food before she eats it. (Is is there any ADD medication that helps with tics? Or medicine for Tourette's in general? I would greatly appreciate if you can share your symptoms and medications - how well your medication works compared to others.

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  19. I air type every word or phrase I hear. I've been doing this since I learned to type over 50 years ago in high school.

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  20. Writing with your first finger on your hip thigh clothing or a surface is a tic or habitual motion. You can be tagged by this by audio reinforcemebt. Over time this can help you build content and transform but you need a guide. Let me know if you want to be a testimonial for doing this motion i call it the writing motion phenomenon i have 4 patents in this field and will pay you for your feedback. Email me loganamstutz269@gmail.com

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  21. I do it as well. I believe it to be Hypergraphia. It is the only thing I have found that shed any kind of light on it thus far :)

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  22. I constantly spell out the words ”yeah” ”yes” ”nope” and ”no” and it's so irritating! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who does this because I tend to get myself into a state when I can’t spell out fast enough. I'm 14 and I have no idea what this is

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  23. I’m so glad others do this too. I always thought I was weird and would try to hide it. Ill also trace the same work or phrase over and over and over. Sometimes in print and sometimes in cursive.

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  24. thank you so much i have been trying to figure out what was wrong with me for months and i finally figured it out thank you so much!!!!

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  25. Yeah right.. im really frustrated now with this tumb writing thing ive been catching myself doing andd im doing it without knowing..this really give me headache..im not even noticing it.. and fuck it im doing it again..even when I talk to someone I keep writing the words we spoke after the persons gone..is it a mental disorder?? Confused af.. drives me crazy and angry..Im like "shit stop this. Im not.doing this for gods sake".. and catch myself doing this again and again..

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