Nervous tics: what they are and why they appear

Tics usually appear associated with situations of stress or high emotional tension.

Most people have experienced nervous tics at some point in their lives. 

It is common that they are present in childhood, but that they disappear over the years. 

The problem is generated when, once adulthood is reached, the tic becomes chronic , bringing with it conflicts in the self-esteem of the sufferer along with a state of anxiety .

What are nervous tics?

Nervous tics are involuntary bodily movements and vocal expressions that originate as a result of a nervous muscular contraction that triggers an involuntary movement or behavior.

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It is possible for the person to repress muscle movement or vocal expression, but this requires a great deal of effort on their part. However, when under a lot of stress , the tics are accentuated, both in frequency and intensity.

Typically , nervous tics appear during childhood , to go extinct after a few months. In contrast, in some children the latter does not occur and the tic becomes a chronic disorder. There is a higher percentage of men than women who suffer from tics.

Nervous tics are not innocuous, but people who suffer from them experience anxiety and anguish about it. This is due to the fact that they feel watched and, in some cases, feel that they are the object of laughter from other people, as well as the fact that feeling a sudden and jerky movement is physically unpleasant for them.

What are the causes of tics?

Today there is no convincing and proven evidence about the origin of tics, except Tourette’s syndrome , which responds to genetic factors. However, the most recent theories point to brain chemistry as the main responsible for its appearance.

In this way, although it is not completely confirmed, there are lines of research that focus on the levels of neurotransmitters , such as serotonin and dopamine, as possible facilitators of the appearance and not being able to control tics . Attempts are being made to verify that excess dopamine could be a triggering factor for tics.

On the other hand, there are environmental and psychological factors that have been associated with both the appearance and the consolidation of tics:

• Environmental factors: the presence of stress, anxiety, boredom, frustration and dissatisfaction, among other negative emotions, could cause the appearance of tics.
• Psychological factors: these factors are related to anticipation. When the person feels that the manifestation of his tic is approaching, anticipatory anxiety is produced that causes tics. In short, what happens is that a vicious circle takes place in which the anticipation of the tic generates more tics.

Proven causes of tics

There are certain very specific causes that have been proven to be responsible for the appearance of this disorder:

• Brain injuries
• cerebrovascular accidents
• brain infections
• Poisoning by certain poisons
• Side effects of surgery

Genetics is a risk factor , but it is not decisive.

Tourette’s syndrome and Huntington’s chorea: genetically derived tic disorders

Tourette’s syndrome and Huntington’s chorea are the only disorders whose genetic factor is decisive for their appearance.

Tourette’s syndrome: it is a complex neurological disorder, which manifests itself through motor and vocal nervous tics. To be able to affirm that the person suffers from it, their symptoms must have manifested themselves for at least one year.

Huntington’s chorea: is a degenerative neuronal disease that, among many other physical and cognitive symptoms, is characterized by the presence of tics.

Types of nervous tics

There are two types of tics, motor and vocal, which in turn can be simple or complex.

Simple motor tics: These are rapid body movements that last less than a second, such as:

• blinks
• Shrug
• Arm and leg stretch

Complex motor tics: They usually combine two or more simple motor tics and some may seem intentional precisely due to the intention they seem to contain and their precision, such as:

• Copropraxia: obscene gestures
• sexual gestures
• Echopraxia: imitation of other people’s movements

Simple vocal tics: Vocal tics are sounds a person makes with their voice.

• growls
• throat clearing
• Sniff
• clear your throat

Complex vocal tics:

• Palilalia: repetition of one’s own words and sounds
• Echolalia: repetition of the last word or phrase heard
• Coprolalia: insults and socially unacceptable words

When are tics diagnosed as a psychological disorder?

There are anxiety tics , which are not a disorder and tend to go away when you stop experiencing the excess anxiety that led to them.

Instead, they are considered a psychological disorder when they cause severe damage to the person’s work and social life , or when they lead to profound suffering.

Treatments for nervous tics

Tics can be treated with medication such as anxiolytics or even, in severe cases, antipsychotics can be used, but when they do not work, alpha-2 adrenergic antagonists can be used.

The problem is that they are said to be more effective than they really are and have undesirable side effects.

From the psychological approach , cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is applied to eradicate or control them.

The Manuel Escudero Center, psychologists and psychiatrists in Madrid recommend:

Tics can be very annoying although they do not represent a severe damage in those who suffer from them. Due to the uncertain results of the medications prescribed to treat them, and their side effects, it is best to treat them through psychological therapy or a combination of both medication and psychological therapy . The results will not be seen overnight, but they will be long lasting.

We recommend people who have tics that cause them discomfort or limitations in their daily life to contact a specialist to receive therapeutic support.