Reader’s Question

Hello, There is something funny that I do, and I don’t understand it. I tend to think too much, and sometimes I get really confused. Anyway, every once in a while, I’ll say something without even meaning to say it. For instance, say, I’m thinking about my day, then, all of the sudden, I’ll just say, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,” repeatedly quickly, without even thinking about it or “Not now, Not now, Not now, Not now,” or “take me, take me, take me, take me, take me”. I just say it out loud and don’t even realize I’m doing it until I stop. Most often, it’s ‘no,’ and usually when I’m thinking about something stressful, but sometimes, when I’m just thinking normally. At any rate, I’m just really curious to know what it is…if it has a name, or if maybe I’m just weird. My dad does it too, in a different way, usually he doesn’t repeat one or two words, but says whole sentences, so it might be genetic.

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

Your behavior consists of “repetitive phrases”. It’s found in several conditions such Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Tourette’s Disorder, and even Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. If it’s from OCD, you’ll likely have a variety of other symptoms as well including rituals, obsessive thoughts (can’t get ideas/music out of your head), counting, etc. If you have Temporal Lobe Epilepsy you may have periods of awayness, loss of consciousness, seizures, etc. Epilepsy is probably not our best choice here.

I suspect, especially if Dad does similar things, it’s related to mild Tourette’s Disorder. It’s a type of vocal tic. Putting your description together, there’s a strong link between Tourette’s and ADHD which would make your mind think too much…to the point of racing thoughts. There’s also a strong link between Tourette’s and OCD behaviors. This would support the genetic link in the family. In fact, you may find that other family members have similar features, even beyond the vocal tics to include frequent throat clearing, facial grimaces/movements, body movements, etc. The repetitive, perseverative (technical term) nature of it sounds much more neurological (but mild) rather than actually psychiatric.

You might want to review your other behaviors for signs of Tourette’s such as facial movement, body noises, odd movements of the body/arms/head, etc. If you become concerned, a neurological evaluation is your best bet. If you have additional symptoms that are more psychiatric in nature such as depression, hallucinations, etc. then I’d consult with a psychiatrist. I would also seek consultation if the behavior becomes intrusive or uncontrollable in your life.