Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengirlz
I am still in shock that I have tics. I never knew...
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You'd be amazed how common that is. Most people don't understand tics. The general public thinks that tics are completely uncontrollable actions that come with no warning. That's not entirely true.
The best description I ever heard of how a tic feels came from a woman who was in the midst of a throat clearing tic. She said "you know how it feels when you feel like you have something in your throat and so you need to clear it? That's how my throat feels 24/7. I know in my head there is nothing in my throat, but it constantly feels like I
need to clear it. I can make myself not clear my throat for periods of time, but the feeling of needing to clear it never goes away. I tend to clear it like mad when I've gotten out of the situation where I surpressed the need".
As Corrinne said, being nervous or stressed usually increases the frequency of tics. It's usually more helpful to tell a kid with a tic that's driving you crazy, to take it elsewhere for a while. Telling them to "Stop Doing That" makes it even harder to control.
Interestingly, tics tend to wax and wane for no apparent reason. Many who suffer with a tic disorder can identify months when they know their tics are going to be worse. Also, those with tic disorders often find that their tics change over time. It may be a throat clearing tic for a while, which is replaced by a blinking tic, only to be replaced by a shoulder shrugging tic.
It's all very fascinating. Again, though, be careful with stimulants if you have a tic disorder. The stimulants can make tics worse (and in rare instances, can make them irreversibly worse). They can also decrease tics. To that, I have to say again: "fascinating".
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