I’ve described before how my tics make me overreact if I feel any heightened emotion, whether it’s anger, sadness, happiness or excitement.

This evening I was hanging out with Fran and I ticced: “What do you get when you cross a dog and a dick – a dickdog!”

OK, it’s not massively funny, and it was a tic rather than a joke for which I could take credit. Nevertheless I overreacted in a big way, squealing with glee, my arms waving erratically, and one hand ending up in my mouth with my teeth sinking into the skin.

Fran, laughing as she helped me calm down, said ‘It was funny, but really?’

I know it’s not good etiquette to laugh at your own jokes, but what are the rules about overreacting to your own neurological quirks?