Have you ever felt the urge to cry, but not due to sadness or fear? Tics can manifest as a premonitory urge to cry, and some people experience this.
Is crying a motor or vocal tic?
The desire to close eyes, scrunch face, produce tears or make a crying sound can be both a motor and/or vocal tic, manifesting from the same processes as any other tic.
Crying is probably associated with the sound more than movement, although face scrunching and other bodily movements may occur. For this reason it is fair to say it is more vocal, with elements of motor tics.
In more severe cases, tics would be considered complex if crying consist of multiple muscle groups.
This could be falling to the ground, or moving arms and legs during a crying tic.
More information on the difference between simple and complex tics can be read here.
Is crying caused by Tourette syndrome?
In children, it may be difficult to determine whether crying is caused by a tic disorder or something else.
It can even be difficult for the individual experiencing this to know why it occurs, if not for obvious reasons such as fear, trauma or pain.
Listening to the individual describe what is felt during this particular crying event, or if you experience this yourself, speaking to a professional may help to pinpoint the cause.
Main article: The difference between Tourette and other tic disorders
