Involuntary movements - would you judge someone with them (honestly)?

[NooNooHead1981]

I have a drug-induced movement disorder that makes me very self-conscious but some of the involunary movements (which include facial tic-type movements) are suppressible most of the time, so not a lot of my friends have really seen me with them, just my close family. Friends that I have told about them always say they don't notice, and have been very kind and accepting/non-judgemental about them.

I'm probably going to not like the answers here, but be honest - if you met or passed by someone in the street with a movement disorder who had facial tics etc and you didn't know them, what would you really think? Would you notice much and not say anything? Or would you ask why they were doing them and find it odd?

My psychologist says most people are too wrapped up in themselves to notice things about others, and if they do notice and pass judgement, they are not worth knowing.

She is absolutely right, but it doesn't stop me from being overly aware of them or feeling self conscious.

I might notice. I do sometimes notice if someone has a tic but in the same way I might notice they are tall or brunette or whatever. I certainly wouldn't judge

I used to work with a very senior profesional with a marked facial tic. I don't think anyone judged him on it. He was judged on the fact that he was excellent at what he did and a lovely person. He worked in a client facing role where he was meeting new people on a daily basis and I don't remember it ever being an issue.

I probably wouldn't notice but if I did I would just assume you had a medical condition and not give it a second thought. I definitely wouldn't find it odd or ask what you were doing!

I would notice but not think much beyond 'oh that person has a tic'.

Family friend with this - late 50s. Can't say we don't notice but we ignore because it's no big deal - he has a successful career so I assume it isn't holding him back. Nice guy.

I would notice, and would probably try to work out which kind of movements they were and potential causes, as I am medically trained and my husband (neurologist) has a special interest in movement disorders! So sorry, I'm probably not a great example of the curiosity or otherwise of the general public.

I know that people with drug induced movement disorders can find it incredibly disabling, so my sympathies to you. I hope you can accept that it doesn't define you and presumably the benefits of your medication outweigh such a side-effect.

I might notice, just because I think it's human nature to notice anything that's a bit different to us (and not different in a bad way), but I can't imagine I'd actually think anything about it, even to wonder why it was happening. If I did think more, I'd guess it was a medical condition or something. I can't imagine why anyone would judge in any way - I'm not sure what you would judge about it!

But sadly the world has people who are racist, sexist, and generally present behaviour that is abhorrent to the rest of us. Realistically, it's possible that a tiny minority would think something negative, and even smaller minority that would say something. Maybe the same kind of people (men in my case) that yell obscene language from cars if I dare to wear a skirt. They're scum and not worth your thoughts.

The overwhelming majority probably wouldn't even notice, so please don't let it worry you

thatorchidmoment that's really interesting about your husband being a neurologist with a special interest in movement disorders... does he have any knowledge of mine (tardive dyskinesia)?

I was very unlucky and got it after a week on a first gen antipsychotic but am on no meds now. It has definitely improved and isn't noticeable really unless I get very anxious or tired. The lip smacking and grimacing is the oddest part of it but I try not to let it bother me too much. I guess it's just the feeling of being 'different'

Thank you for all your very kind replies. I know most people in this world are good and non-judgemental but I have had the odd person ask me why I sound funny (I have high frequency hearing loss so have a lisp and slight dystharia) but it is only a minority of people.

Luckily I work from home too. I don't think I would be comfortable working in an office or public facing environment to be honest. I haven't quite got to the acceptance stage of my TD yet.

I notice but then don't give it much further thought.

I think perhaps I would see people judging it because it is so odd and (in my eyes) socially stigmatising. In a way, it's a bit like how Tourette's still not always accepted and can affect job prospects etc - and the same with tattoos I guess - but I do know that society is getting better at understanding people who are 'different'.

You are all right though, people who do judge aren't worth my time or thoughts. I guess I should be proud of who I am regardless of it. I do sometimes think it defines me in a way (probably why I asked the question in this post) but I am not very good at being kind to myself so that may have something to do with it.

I would notice. But that's because I have 2 ds's with a tic disorder. Others always claim they don't don't notice but I always do. They can suppress it a lot but then tic a lot at home especially after school.

I honestly think that people don't really notice that much. I have episodes of muscle jerking (probably seizures, not sure yet) relating to my health condition. Basically my whole left side twitches a lot and my eyes flicker, but I can still hold a conversation. I had one every day at work last week and not one person noticed! However, I have had nothing but kindness and sympathy from work and everyone else about my illness, even though I am way more limited than I was a year ago. I think most people are basically decent, it's just the ones who aren't affect you more.

You mention a psychologist, and it sounds like they are a help. I have just been referred to a health psychologist, who specialises in helping people to deal with things like life changing medical diagnoses. I too have had some difficulty coming to terms with my illness. I think you can rationally accept it on the one hand and yet reject it emotionally on the other!

I might notice, I might not, but I definitely wouldn't judge.
I wouldn't think any more than, it looks like they have a tic.

I taught a student with a really pronounced tic - his whole head moved, like his jaw was seizing and propelling it. The first time I met him I found it a bit disconcerting, mainly because we often have a report from our learning support team in advance if students have disclosed particular medical conditions. He graduated this year, and despite teaching him every week, until I read your post, I had totally forgotten about it. If someone asked me to describe him I would say how smart he was, what a funny sense of humour he had, and how proud I was of that amazing presentation he gave in one of my classes back in February.

I used to work with a woman who had a tic. It was reasonably pronounced, but I was 23 when I first met her and just thought she had a weird habit of jerking her head. It was quite some time later (after I learned that she was also a diagnosed schizophrenic) that the penny dropped and I realised it was a tic. So I did notice but I didn't know what it was for probably the first couple of years that I knew her!

TooExtra it could have been from the medication she was on as antipsychotic meds can cause involuntary movements and tics, although this is usually after the meds have been stopped.

I'm glad that people don't seem to 'see' the movements and notice them as much as me. I guess it is something I am more self conscious of than is necessary 😢

I wouldn't, but I occasionally have some myself!

I recently attended a lecture and was one of around 70 in the audience. The speaker had a Tourette's type vocal tic - kept repeating the same (not rude!) word at inappropriate times. The audience remained engaged as his topic was fascinating.

Afterwards, I said to my colleague something along the lines of that I felt so proud and humbled that the presenter had felt confident in speaking for so long to an unknown audience when he had such an obvious tic. She looked perplexed and asked me 'what tic?'. She had not even noticed.

I have a movement disorder and speech impediment. I do find most people notice initially but I don't think many judge and if they do they can fuck off. I think some people do think I have some weird habits, which is a bit discomfiting, but I can't do anything about that. My job needs me to be public facing and it's not something that has ever come up as an issue, although I am quite old senior now and in a role where people aren't likely to challenge me.

the ones who notice most are the kids, so I am sometimes asked, "why do you do that / speak like that / walk like that?" but they are quite happy with a direct answer "it's just a disability / the way I am,", then they move on to something else.

I'm very used to it though, been like this since my late teens and don't really know anything else!

The thing is, I'm not used to this and have an acquired movement disorder which in some ways was probably entirely preventable, so I guess I feel a bit annoyed that I have to 'put up with' the movements that might have never happened had my GP been more careful with her prescribing.

Meh... it is what it is, no use being worried about something I can't change. Bloody annoying that the movements are, they are just part of me now, and I guess the sooner I accept and come to terms with that, the more comfortable I will feel in myself.

I probably would notice depending on how severe the tic is but i wouldnt think anything of it and would assume there was something medical going on and just go about my day as normal

I think people would have to see you regularly to really notice anything different. Often you can pass someone blinking hard or stretching their neck or lip smacking and you wouldn't notice or if you did, would just assume they had something in their eye, or a stiff neck, or were remembering something and their movements were related to that.

Anyone who notices and bothers about it is not worth even thinking about. They do what they do, you do what you do, keep focused on what you are doing and forget about them

I've seen people with similar before. Honestly l don't think much about it, didn't think anybody thought much about it. It's just a thing that some have.

I would notice, but I certainly wouldn't be bothered or comment on it.

But I have essential tremor, its not my fault and I can't change that so refuse to be bothered by others reactions to my condition.

Fuck em

I am so pleased you have all replied so kindly, it has restored my faith in humanity.

After I had a head injury and post concussion syndrome, it took me ages to come to terms with the symptoms and change. Then I got a movement disorder that was so rare that even my private psychiatrist said he hadn't seen a case in over 20 years... So I guess I am the (un)lucky one!

My moments are definitely INvoluntary, as opposed to tics which are seen as SEMI-voluntary and a lot more suppressive. Both involve the same parts of the brain that govern movement (the basal ganglia) except mine is caused by permanent brain damage by psychotropic drugs, and is usually incurable and hard to treat.

Anyway, funny involuntary movements or not, I am what I am and bugger anyone who doesn't deal with that.