ArcaMax

In the absence of that belief, before politely notifying your neighbor that you can hear him, you could discreetly raise this issue with your condo board -- they might be aware of his situation and be able to educate you about what is going on.

There is a brain disorder called Tourette Syndrome (or "Tic Disorder") that causes people to vocalize in ways like you describe; these are called vocal "tics," and may also be accompanied by sudden physical movements. This is not a psychological, but a neurological illness.

This is from the website from the Tourette Association of America (Tourette.org): "Tics can be complex. Vocal tics (for example, coughing, sniffing, throat-clearing, or yelling out a word or phrase) and multiple motor tics (for example, blinking or shrugging the shoulders) must both be present for a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome (TS), although they might not always happen at the same time."

"Tics may appear to be purposeful. However, tics are neurological in nature. They are often described as urges that must be completed. Even when they seem to be expressed in reaction to a current situation, they are not within the control of the [person] with TS."

Obviously, you should do whatever you can in your own home to mitigate or muffle the sound. Rugs (or more rugs) might help.

Dear Amy: I am the parent of a senior in high school.

With everything being shut down due to the coronavirus, my senior is very concerned about graduation. My question is: What do I do about the graduation announcements?

Do I go ahead and send them out, or wait until the school has decided whether or not to cancel the ceremony?

If I send them and the ceremony is canceled, what do I do then?

-- Wondering

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