tics

[bonbons]

My daughter is 15 and in the process of awaiting finalisation of her SEN and a place at a new school which must be very daunting for her. She has been out of education for nearly a year. she suffers terribly from anxiety and I have recently noticed that ticks, something that she has not had since about the age of 9 or 10, have recently returned, I have not said anything to her as I think she is unaware of it, but I am really concerned.Has anyone else had experience of ticks coming and going, even years apart, and would you say it is anxiety related?

[oxgirl]

Hi,

 

I developed facial ticks at around 11 and was a very anxious child. Of course, I didn't know they were ticks at the time and nobody ever discussed them with me or got help for me regarding them. I remember a child at school commenting on them and from then on I used to concentrate very hard to overcome them and resist the urge to do them. Over the years they have come and gone and are usually worse when I'm tired or stressed or thinking too much about them. The worst tick concerns my eyes and, now I'm a contact lens wearer, they're a lot better when I have my lenses in and usually get a lot worse as soon as I take my lenses out! Sometimes I still have to work at not doing the ticks or hiding them from people, but a lot of the time I can go about my day without thinking about it.

Hope that's reassuring for you.

 

~ Mel ~

[Mandapanda]

Hi bonbons

 

I would have thought that ticks were anxiety related. My eldest had ticks when younger but wasn't an obviously anxious child at all. My youngest is severely anxious but doesn't have ticks. So perhaps it is a way of supressed stress and anxiety coming out.

 

I found that if I tried to stop my eldest doing his tick, it would stop but another one would start. A helpful CAMHS person we were seeing at the time pointed out that by stopping one tick it may give rise to another tick that was less desirable. So we just played it down. Eventually he stopped the obvious ones and at 17 has a couple of only slightly noticeable (if you know what you're looking for) ticks.

[bonbons]

Thanks for your replies and reassurance. When younger, and the ticks were first evident, my dd wasn't an anxious child at all, in fact, often noticed them more when she was relaxed watching tele for instance. Since high school, she has become very anxious and very stressed and although a lot of this subsided since coming out if education , recent changes and this yet to come, seem to be affecting her more than she cares to admit. Some days it is subtle and, as you say, noticeable if you know what you are looking forand other days, it is all too obvious! Have a Camhs app next week anyhow so will see what they say. Thanks again to you both. X