OCD & TS

[Guest marah]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading Brainlock Lock over the past week or two and was reading it this morning coming to work. In the book Dr Schwartz, when discussing Tourettes, stated that people with Tourettes:-

"get a strong intrusive urge to move and then perform tics to relieve themselves of the discomfort. Or they may get vocal tics, starting with an urge that may later develop into yips, yelps, barks, or other animal sounds. Or they may start screaming obscenities or racial slurs involuntarily, causes them great stress. Stress make the urges worse, as it does in OCD"

This has made me really panic. I have accepted I have OCD and possibly elements of TS (I had many 'nervous habits' as a child and do still sometimes resort back to these in times of stress - blinking, neck/shoulder strech movements etc etc). I also clear my throat (mostly on the bus in the morning for some reason) but this is something my nephew does also - I have always put it down to something physical like bad sinuses, narrow windpipe???. My dad also has little 'tics' but they don't btoher him - some are very similar to mine (I know this is not learned behavious though as my mum and dad separated when I was young and I didn't grow up with my dad). My OCD does cause me to worry that I might say something to offend p, eople shout something obscene out etc - this is usually direcly relevant to where I am and what I believe to be the worse thing I could say at that point/or embarass myself by saying something etc etc - I also check that I haven't written anything offensive etc (I work in Community work, so this has caused me much stress) - but I always saw this as part of my OCD, but now I am not sure.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I have just started to develop methods of dealing with my OCD and this has set me back a bit.

Thanks.

Lve Marah xxxxx

[Guest marah]

Sorry in the quote I meant to say "urge to clear their throat"

Sorry

[Guest ocd13]

blinking, neck/shoulder strech movements etc etc).  I also clear my throat

20541[/snapback]

Freaky - I have these too - also as well as blinking, I have other twitches such as frowning, etc... I think my neck movement came from fear that I would get meningitis and so I used to do the neck test... I also click my neck and jaw, toes, etc.

[catherine]

Hi marah

I think its important to put tics into perspective as I agree its easy to panic over them! TS and OCD are certainly related, but in terms of tics, it is quite possible to suffer from a tic disorder without it being full blown Tourettes. Many people, even without OCD have little 'habits' as you rightly refer to them, but do not have full Tourettes and this incidence does increase if you have OCD. But in order for Tourettes to be diagnosed, you have to have suffered from 'multiple' tics for over a year and really to the extent that they significantly interfere with your life. There are a number of people who do have a milder form of Tourettes, but that does not mean you would need treatment in the form of drugs (the TS meds tend to be quite 'heavy').

What you describe does sound like Tourette symptoms eg blinking, shoulder stretching, made worse at times of stress. You may want to discuss these symptoms with your dr when you next have an appointment. But if you have reached adulthood I wouldn't imagine the symptoms would now get any worse. Also, I must reassure you about the swearing/offensive comments etc. Contrary to popular belief, 'coprolalia' as it is called is only present in around 20% of cases (even though it's the symptom that gets all the publicity ). If you've never displayed this symptom to date, it is highly unlikely you will develop it now. I do understand your concerns though. Personally I tend to say 'offensive' things in my head (I have TS) but have never verballised them. I really don't worry about it any more, alhtough it is still distressing just thinking these things.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you may well have a touch of Tourettes, but please try not to panic . It may get worse at times of stress, but if its something which you are coping and managing with at the moment, then I truly don't feel it will get any worse at this stage. The coprolalia and racial slurs etc you are NOT going to suddenly start and please try not to worry about. TS does tend to level itself out my adulthood and I know mine has not altered in over 20 years (I'm now 42). You kind of get used to your own level.

There are meds available but I would only consider them if your tics were really injuring you, hurting you or causing a lot of distrese. They have been great for me I have to say (I take Amisulpiride) but they are not without their side effects. I only take them because my tics have always been quite violent.

By all means pm me if you wish to know any more about my experiences

Catherine

[Guest patsy]

Hi Marah,

I have noticed that I do a lot of these things as well, since childhood, earliest memories. I have often wondered if it colud be related to my OCD. I don't know too much about TS and meant to ask Catherine more ( :blushing: Sorry I never got around to it Catherine and also it's a wee bit embarrassing, but I will).

I suppose since OCD and TS are kind of in the same sort of category, if you could call it that, I'm not sure, then maybe it could be related. Also my mum does many twitch like actions and shows signs of ocd, though she wouldn't admit it.

Patsy

[catherine]

Just popped this topic over to the Tourettes forum, marah :blushing:

[Ashley]

  My OCD does cause me to worry that I might say something to offend p, eople shout something obscene out etc - this is usually direcly relevant to where I am and what I believe to be the worse thing I could say at that point/or embarass myself by saying something etc etc - I also check that I haven't written anything offensive etc (I work in Community work, so this has caused me much stress) - but I always saw this as part of my OCD, but now I am not sure.

20541[/snapback]

Hi Marah,

This part is certainly OCD so don't worry about the label.

[Guest vicki]

Hi Marah,

I also have TS type tics, and have done quite a bit of research on the web about it. I also 'spoke' to Catherine about it a couple of months ago.

I just really wanted to add to what Catherine has said in that just because you have tics, it does not mean that it is full-blown Tourettes. I read that in order for TS to be diagnosed you need to have both motor and vocal tics. I just have motor tics, so I belive that I would fall in the category of 'chronic tic syndrome'.

I have had these since I was about 10 and am now 30. I don't believe they have got any worse, and I don't worry that they are going to.

I do wonder though how many other OCD sufferers have tics to some extent. I know it is embarrassing to talk about, and think you are very brave for mentioning it here. I was initially too scared in case everyone thought I was strange!

Vicki xx

[Ashley]

I am going to try and get Dr Hugh Rickards to do a talk about OCD and Tourettes at one of our conferences in 2005.

[Guest marah]

Thank ypu so so much everyone - I didn't expect to receive so many replies (& in such a short time). All the posts have certainly enabled me to put this into perspective - thank you so much). No doubt in OCD style, this issue will be obsessed about at some point, but I am learning how to deal with my OCD and try to not fear it anymore.

You are all FAB - thanks again.

Love Marah xxxxx :blushing: