Tics and habits

Whatisithatido · 2023-06-03T20:35:31+00:00

I've namechanged For a long time I've had the compulsion to stretch my mouth wide, click my jaw, twitch my nose (like a rabbit my mum always said- I remember doing it when I was as young as 5) and squeeze my eyes shut regularly (like a long firm blink) if that makes any sense. Recently (I think due to lockdown, working from home and having no one around to judge me) it's become unstoppable. I can't control it, I have to do it all the time- about once a minute I have to do one of these 'tics' and its also subconscious - I don't always realise I'm doing it. It gets worse in times of stress and I've only recently learned the term tic. I dont see any point in going to the GP but I wondered if anyone has any experience of this sort of thing and why I might be doing it. Thank you.

Original poster

Whatisithatido · 03/06/2023 21:42

I'm also posting for traffic apologies

OP posts:

Dwrcegin · 03/06/2023 21:42

Tc disorder, a form of tourettes. It's really hard to ignore the urge/compulsion but if they are preventing you from functioning; please see the gp.

I know a few people diagnosed with it, myself included. Not much you can do about them, but the face tics are by far the most annoying.

Dwrcegin · 03/06/2023 21:42

Tic not tc, bloody hell.

Original poster

Whatisithatido · 03/06/2023 21:43

Dwrcegin · 03/06/2023 21:42

Tc disorder, a form of tourettes. It's really hard to ignore the urge/compulsion but if they are preventing you from functioning; please see the gp.

I know a few people diagnosed with it, myself included. Not much you can do about them, but the face tics are by far the most annoying.

Thank you I've never heard of this I'll have to Google. When I've previously googled it's only come up with tourettes. I'm nearly 40 so I'd have thought tourettes would have been identified by now throughout my life so I've always dismissed it.

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DogOutInTheDark · 03/06/2023 21:49

It sounds like 'motor stereotypies' - look it up!

My son does exactly the movements you describe, plus also hand flapping and wiggling his legs. It used to be all the time, now he can contain it all day at school, but still does it at home if tired, or if excited, or if he's alone.

Motor stereotypies can be related to various disorders, but can also be present in people with no other difficulties. Often passed down through families. I think my son gets it from me! I do a weird hand clappy thing when I'm excited or happy! And I used to suck my thumb (thumb sucking is also generally now considered to be a 'motor stereotypy'.)

CC4712 · 03/06/2023 21:56

Why wouldn't you see the GP OP? Fear, denial or some other reason?

There are meds and techniques that can ease the compulsion! What job role do you do? Working with someone with a constant tic can be so absolutely annoying and distracting for colleagues and clients. My colleague has a tic very similar to yourself, and although I try to be tolerant, pretend not to notice etc- there are times I want to pull my hair out because its SO incredibly annoying to have the constant distraction.

Clearly, you aren't bothered, but maybe explore it more before deciding its an absolute no to seeing if other supports and treatments can help to ease your compulsions.

Dwrcegin · 03/06/2023 21:59

Not necessarily. You might not have had them severely enough for others to notice. Having said that I did hear comments from adults and children about what I was doing. Yet not diagnosed until my 30s.

Stress and tiredness is a big factor so try to unwind and relax.

Original poster

Whatisithatido · 03/06/2023 23:58

CC4712 · 03/06/2023 21:56

Why wouldn't you see the GP OP? Fear, denial or some other reason?

There are meds and techniques that can ease the compulsion! What job role do you do? Working with someone with a constant tic can be so absolutely annoying and distracting for colleagues and clients. My colleague has a tic very similar to yourself, and although I try to be tolerant, pretend not to notice etc- there are times I want to pull my hair out because its SO incredibly annoying to have the constant distraction.

Clearly, you aren't bothered, but maybe explore it more before deciding its an absolute no to seeing if other supports and treatments can help to ease your compulsions.

I am bothered - thats why I've started a thread. Maybe I should see the GP but they're so dismissive these days.

I work remotely in a role which has little interaction with others luckily - however when I Was 100% office based pre covid I was able to hide 90% of my tics in front of people. And what I do wouldn't be distracting anyway.

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Original poster

Whatisithatido · 03/06/2023 23:59

DogOutInTheDark · 03/06/2023 21:49

It sounds like 'motor stereotypies' - look it up!

My son does exactly the movements you describe, plus also hand flapping and wiggling his legs. It used to be all the time, now he can contain it all day at school, but still does it at home if tired, or if excited, or if he's alone.

Motor stereotypies can be related to various disorders, but can also be present in people with no other difficulties. Often passed down through families. I think my son gets it from me! I do a weird hand clappy thing when I'm excited or happy! And I used to suck my thumb (thumb sucking is also generally now considered to be a 'motor stereotypy'.)

Never heard this term before I'll have to have a look now thank you for your input

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Original poster

Whatisithatido · 05/06/2023 18:43

Anyone else with experience of this? Any other tips of coping/changing it. Thanks

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Southlondoner88 · 11/11/2023 10:37

Jumping on this thread as I have the same
thing, managed to suppress/ hide a lot of them
im my teens/ twenties but my 30’s has been more difficult to hide for some reason. Did you end up going to a gp OP? I went to iapt about it last year and they didn’t really do much about it, doctor also sent me to the wrong type of neurologist and I just haven’t bothered again because it’s so much effort to see a gp at my clinic. Curious to know your outcome. Have no diagnosis so don’t really know what it is. As far as I know I don’t have autism but have adhd. I can suppress he urges sometimes if I really need to but it’s hard.