Tourette’s is a physical condition that causes the body to twitch and has different body movements that you can’t control. There are different types of Tourette’s, such as motor tics and vocal rice.

Motor tics connotes consistent body movements such as jumping, jerking and shoulder shrugging. Vocal tics such as repeated throat clearing, humming and screaming phrases or even swearing out loud.

Tourette’s can be inherited or can be developed in environmental factors due to stress or trauma. About 50% of parents can pass it on to their children. Males with the gene are 3-4 times more likely than females to show symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome. People with anxiety and depression have different tic disorders. This can have a significant effect on the individual and can make it worse for them.

There are different signs that a carer, a friend or a family member can notice if someone has Tourette’s syndrome. For example, they could constantly twitch and use their vocal tics to say certain things: repetitive movements and involuntary movements.

More than 80% of people with Tourette’s are diagnosed with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). This sign shows that your body can no longer cope with the Tourettes as it makes your body believe that it is no longer safe. The more the individual twitches, the higher the anxiety as they feel uncomfortable and start to feel like they can no longer cope with what is going ok and the changes in their body. It’s a shock to the system because if it’s just developed in older years, they may feel confused and not in control of their body.

Repetitive movements can cause anxiety as it can have a physical effect on the individual’s development. You can also blink your eyes, shrug your shoulders or blurt out certain sounds or different words to people that you can’t control. This is because you have no power over your mind and body. Physical tics include touching objects, touching people, jumping, twirling and many more. Tourette’s may become more challenging at certain times due to stress, anxiety and tiredness. Also, lack of exercise and diet can affect your physical and mental development. Tourette’s can also develop depression, anxiety and ADHD. 

Individuals with Tourette’s also have premonitory sensations, including burning feeling in the eyes, grunting, a dry and sore throat and jerking. Some individuals can control their Tourette’s in certain situations; however, when they feel embarrassed and anxiety levels are low, it’s more difficult. However, with medication and therapy, it can be controlled. Learning how to manage your breathing and learn how to relax and less stressed can help Tourettes.

OCD can also contribute and cause Tourettes. The more stressed the individual feels, the more the body movements increase. For example, twitching can become more aggressive and visible. OCD is treated with therapy such as CBT, an anti-depressant that helps with mood levels, anxiety, and thought patterns.  

There’s also different types of OCD which can consist of contamination, perfection, doubt, harm and forbidden thoughts.

• Contamination consists of washing hands constantly.
• Perfection consists of doing something over and over again until it’s perfect.
• Doubt and harm consist of thinking something terrible will happen, or something dangerous is going to happen.
• Forbidden thoughts consist of negative thinking, imagining that someone will die if you don’t behave in a certain way.

OCD has the illusion that the individual needs to do well, and they may become scared and anxious if they don’t display a specific action. For example, clicking your hands twice for that person to live or turning the lights off for that person to not fall down the stairs. This can stress the individual out as they feel the need to complete the compulsions in a certain way. As every thought that comes into their head, they believe it, and they listen to them. 

OCD is down to hereditary and genetics. It consists of the chemical structure and functional abnormalities in the brain, which can be the cause. Medications can cause the balance of serotonin, a chemical that is also linked with OCD.

A healthy balanced lifestyle and diet can positively affect the individual’s development with OCD as its role is easing and controlling the mind. Regular exercise is important too as the more you exercise, the mind will become more active in thinking more positive thoughts as the busier you are. Your mind will be in a much more structured way of thinking too. What you eat affects how you think and feel; if you aren’t eating healthy foods every day, you may feel low, and your anxiety levels may increase. If you eat more healthy, the less aggressive the thoughts are, and the anxiety levels will remain content and manageable.

If OCD is left untreated, the individual may experience physical problems and lost function in the brain, leaving them to feel suicidal and negative thoughts increasing.

OCD can also trigger panic attacks, sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat, racing thoughts, dizziness, weakness in limbs and having an out of body experience is quite normal. Also, the symptoms are negative thought patterns, images, the urge to check things, mental recaps, repetitive behaviours, fear and checking.

A woman can also sometimes have OCD during pregnancy or after their baby is born, checking the baby is breathing and thoughts that you’re doing a bad job as a mother.

Then there’s religious OCD. This can cause the individual to think that they need to pray after they have a negative thought and that something terrible will happen if they don’t. Also, praying constantly and saying specific phrases to feel like no harm will occur and that higher powers will forgive you for your sins and the way you think as they believe that they are their thoughts.

Other OCD consists of checking, mental contamination, symmetry and order, intrusive thoughts and hoarding, which causes distress to the individual. OCD is a mental health illness marked by high levels of anxiety and emotional distress. Another therapy of OCD is exposure and response prevention, which allows a person with OCD to deal with anxiety. If your parent or sibling has OCD, it’s 25% more likely that another person in your family will develop it.

60% of Tourette’s sufferers have been reported to have OCD symptoms. 50% of children with OCD are reported to have had tics. 15% met the criteria for Tourette’s syndrome. OCD is a disorder that affects adults, children and adolescences over the world.

OCD is irrational, cruel, and most of all, frightening. Your mind tricks you into believing thoughts and compulsions to do things so you can feel safe. To overcome OCD, always expect the unexpected, be willing to accept risk, never seek reassurance and always try hard to agree with thoughts and try not to analyse them. Don’t prevent thinking your thoughts; learn to listen and accept it, don’t retaliate.

If you believe you’re struggling with any of the issues mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to contact us.