How to eliminate nervous tics

Constantly blinking, making a face, constant throat clearing... there are many and different ways in which nervous tics can manifest. These can be defined as compulsive movements that the person repeats frequently and that are produced by the involuntary contraction of one or several muscles. The exact cause is not known exactly, but they have pointed to certain factors that can promote their development or aggravate them, such as for example, stress or anxiety, genetics, nutritional deficiencies, eating disorders, abuse of some substances, among others.

They are more common during puberty and are reduced over the years, although there are also cases in which the patient develops other different tics throughout his life. But is it possible to treat them and if so, how? In this Psychology-Online article, we explain in detail how to eliminate nervous tics and we talk about its causes and treatment.

Index

1. Why nervous tics occur
2. Are nervous tics cured?
3. Nervous tic: treatment
4. Other tips to know how to remove a nervous tic

If we have a nervous tic in the arm, neck, eye or in any part of our body, it is normal for us to ask ourselves what causes tics. Despite the fact that on many occasions, the exact cause that originates the nervous tic is unknown, specialists point out that there are a number of factors that can cause them, and among these are those that we list below:

• Genetic factors: people with direct relatives (parents or grandparents) who have had nervous tics are more likely to develop them.
• Nutritional deficiencies: The lack of certain nutrients in the body, such as magnesium, can cause problems in the central nervous system and lead to these repetitive compulsive movements.
• Stress or anxiety: Going through episodes of extreme tension or nervousness can also lead to nervous tics.
• Coffee abuse, stimulant drinks or other substances such as drugs
• Medication: taking some medications can have side effects and cause nervous tics. An example of this would be the drugs that are administered for the treatment of allergies.
• Eating disorders, as the anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

This is one of the most frequent questions among those who suffer from them and although it is not something simple, it is nervous tics can be treated and eliminated successfully.

Tics usually appear when the person is in a specific situation that causes anxiety and to To get rid of that tension, he develops a compulsive movement through which he channels the discomfort he feels in that moment. However, with the passage of time, the tic can cease to be a coping strategy and become part of that person's repertoire of habitual gestures.

To know how to eliminate nervous tics definitively, it is essential that a correct and exhaustive functional analysis of its appearance and development be carried out, that is, they must analyze the conditions in which it appeared, the meaning and functions it has for the affected person, when it manifests itself and with what frequency.

When nervous tics interfere with the normal development of the affected person's life, it is advisable for them to seek professional help and initiate appropriate psychological treatment. The therapist will evaluate all the patient's symptoms, his general condition and the lifestyle that he leads to offer the best possible therapy. In many cases, the psychotherapy it is enough to eliminate nervous tics, but, in other more serious ones, it may be necessary to resort to medication.

How to remove a nervous tic

Whether it is to know how to remove a tic in the nose, remove a tic in the eye or in any part of the body, generally, psychotherapy usually consists of a cognitive behavioral therapy, in which the specialist provides the patient with the following tools:

• Progressive relaxation techniques: these will allow the patient to control anxiety and achieve a deep relaxation that will make them have greater self-control and be able to avoid the emission of tic.
• It will offer you the strategies and techniques necessary to achieve control nervous tics before issuing them.
• It will propose the performance of a series of behaviors incompatible with the emission of the tic to prevent it from appearing.
• It will help you become aware of all those situations in your life that tend to make you tick.
• It will inform you of all the conveniences of issuing the tic and the consequences of it.
• Search for social support to overcome them, they can be family or friends who know that the person is being treated to eliminate the nervous tic.

In addition to the above, it is important that the affected person, once the nervous tics have healed, carry a quiet life and reduce or eliminate those activities that may cause you great anxiety or discomfort.

Here are some other practical tips that can help control nervous tics more easily. However, at no time should they replace the guidelines indicated by a professional psychologist or psychiatrist.

Nervous tics: natural treatment

• To eliminate tics, a good technique is look in the mirror to be aware of the movements we make and when they acquire more intensity. In this way, we will be aware of an automatic act, which will make it easier for us to face it. Thus, we can also foresee or intuit when we will make the gesture that we want to stop doing and try to avoid it with effort and even, in some cases, with techniques such as concentrating on others things.
• Great benefits can be obtained by performing different relaxation techniques that will help us, if not to eliminate us, to control them to a great extent.
• In the case of a problem such as a magnesium deficiency, then it will be solved by following medical guidelines to increase the levels, either with diet, medicine, or both.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to eliminate nervous tics, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.