Tics

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I've always had a few tics at any given point, both vocal and motor. When I was about 10, they were bad enough that I got made fun of in school. It was never a huge deal, though, and I just kind of dealt with them.

Until I started taking Celexa, that is. It totally exacerbated the tics. Now, it's like all I do. I tic CONSTANTLY. My psychiatrist took me off the Celexa slowly (totally off it now) and started me on Tenex to control the tics. The Tenex, now 1 mg twice a day which is an averange dose, The Tenex just barely takes the edge off. Barely. I'm still ticcing every time I stop focusing on NOT ticcing.

My therapist suggested that when I feel the urge to tic, I tighten my hands up and then release them, until the urge passes. Putting it off like that just makes the tics worse when I stop the hand motion. I'd rather just do it to begin with and not have it build up like that.

Does anyone have tics? How do you calm them? It's driving me crazy.

When it's limb-related, I imprison the limb in question if I notice, but I must be aware to do so.

I used to do this funny thing with sticking my tongue out. I got my tongue pierced, and it had lessened. Now, when my tongue leaps forward, the tongue ring hits my lips, and I become aware and stop it. In addition, sometimes I use the tongue ring as a focus.

Hand movements are hard. I disguise these by keeping my hands busy; unfortunately, this may result in me dropping things when the tics continue despite this.

Facial tics are both hopeless and embarrassing for me. The tongue ring was my best discovery, but short of self-mutilation . . . it's difficult.

Thanks. Mine are all facial, of course. They seem impossible to stop.

What is a tic? I've heard that long time users of the ADHD meds I'm supposed to be taking frequently develop tics. But as far as I knew it was unconscious twitches.

I usually try to disguise my tics as different movements. Like, if my shoulder needs to tic, I will pretend I am stretching, or reaching for something. If my eye needs to tic, I will pretend to rub it to hide the blinking. I also try to do most of my ticcing when no one is around (like right after I turn the corner in the hallway or something).

Sometimes if I am ticcing really badly, if I focus on completely relaxing the muscles involved, it helps a little bit to relieve the need, which sounds sort of similar to what your doctor suggested (which I guess is not helping you). It definitely doesn't make the need go away, but it can take the edge off when I am constantly ticcing.

I get ticks in my right wrist, from time, to time.