I am so happy I could barf!
After pages of "Only 8% of TSers get coprolalia" and "TS isn't degenerative" and
"I don't have coprolalia" I appear to have graduated.
I've noticed it coming on slowly. The fact that, if something goes wrong, I swear just as normal. You know, the impulsive "Drat!" type of thing. But then recently I've had more and more trouble stopping the flow. Most of the time, I'll only notice I'm still muttering to myself when other people look at me funny.
My copromerninmia seems to vocalise itself more these days too. If someone in the past gets on my nerves, I will spin off a tirade of obscenities out loud now. Before I'd only think it.
It's very mild, I must admit, but it irritates me. If I think of even a harmless (by comparison) profanity I will generally feel the need to say it, and many more, out loud.
It's not always coherent either. I come out with many
spoonerisms. Or just general letter substitutions. (One of the
favourites seems to be "bug fagnun")
I'm almost convinced that all new swearwords come from Coprolaliacs; I can make
up some great ones when I get going. Perhaps it's a bit perverse, but when
I come up with a clever one I feel proud.
So I guess I'm in the strange position of knowing what it's like on both sides of the TS controversy. First, going through life accused of a symptom I don't have then, feeling what this is like. And I'm finding other "copro-" symptoms coming through. I work in a cafe at the moment and when a cup comes in with lipstick on it I have an awful urge to lick it. It's a revolting thing to feel, especially when my Obsessive compulsive side starts telling me that even touching the cup is disgusting!
That is one of the weirdest things about TS and its co morbid conditions; they can fight each other for supremacy. In the above case I'm glad my OCD comes in at that point, because I don't think I could explain to the boss why I'm licking lipstick off the cups. Ewww, even the thought of it now makes me feel ill...but as soon as I get there tomorrow the fight will begin again. sigh.
The reassuring thing about this happening now is that I know why. If this had happened pre-diagnosis I would not only have doubted my sanity, I would have checked myself into an asylum immediately!