tic disorder or OCPD?

[Tenshi no Ai]

Sometimes I wonder which it is, or a bit of both, since they can be co morbid (which I think is the right term, been a while since I did PSY).

Just lately now I've been thinkig about it now, since my anxiety level has been up, and almost motivation when being at work, for thinking optimistically of stuff I can do when I go home. Dunno if it's stress or anxiety or what, but I've been... constantly moving and twitchy... I go in moods of this and only recently have been able to notice it. Constantly itchy etc (used to get an inchy face back in school when I had to do some type of performance on stage in front of people). But, it's also the time when I realize that I have the bizzare impulse to mimic things... Sounds effects I find noticeable, or facial expressions (most noticeably, frozen images on movies etc and especially cartoon figures...)

Sometimes I wonder if it's a tic or part of my OCPD that once I found out the meaning of it, figured I had to have SOME case of it. But it's weird... stuff I've done all my life as something 'normal' and not until I started work really, been able to really notice it. I STILL have trouble look at people's faces when I talk, but I think it's more an anxiety issue, because I think things like 'I wonder if they think I'm weird or something if I look at them for too long!' I especially still have this, because alot of creepy drunk guys liek to come into work and hit on people, so even moreso it doesn't help because if I look at them at ALL they'll think I'm interested. Sooo that doesn't help the problem at all^^ Still, constantly moving and ringing things in to till so I moreso look at money than the person, but I try...

I've never totally understood the mimicing thing though. I know guys like to make sound effects, but for me it's almost like this impulse that I like... have to copy it, but especially facial expressions. Sometimes I wonder if I still have the mind of a child's, since bright colours and cartoony characters still catch my eye's attention to stare. *shrugs*

So, how about some informal diagnosis, or someone to share if they're similar or know what it is? Wish I could control these things a bit to try and be a little more normal, but no way am I spending 100 bucks+ an hr :/

[mitsuki lover]

I don't think it's weird,maybe just a bit annoying to other people.You probably are doing it without thinking because you happen to be a person who overthinks every single thing you do.Perhaps if you stopped trying to overanlysis everything you do you wouldn't have so much stress.Try to calm down and not overthink everything.

[K. Ayato]

Nicely put, mitsuki.

Tenshi, it's probably nothing. Tics are common, but if it starts interfering with your daily activities, like if you can't get a sentence out without being interrupted by a tic, you might want to have it looked over. Although, just because OCPD and tics are comorbid, that doesn't automatically mean you also have one if you have the other.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

The mimicing you mentioned is very common with people who have Tourette's Syndrome. Perhaps you have a mild case of it? Have you been like this since childhood? Have you also had long periods of time which you didn't have impulses to tic, and then have them reappear again? (Waxing and Waning) If so, I'm tempted to say I'm probably right.

I don't think it's weird,maybe just a bit annoying to other people.You probably are doing it without thinking because you happen to be a person who overthinks every single thing you do.Perhaps if you stopped trying to overanlysis everything you do you wouldn't have so much stress.Try to calm down and not overthink everything.

I highly suggest against giving advice when you don't seem to have much of an understanding for neurological/social disorders.

Calming down will not decrease need to perform a tic aside from being in an altered state of consciousness (i.e. sleeping). In fact, it can exacerbate it. For the record, people with tic disorders are fully aware of their tics and the neurological impulse to tic to satisfy that impulse. (However, children have a harder time describing these "impulses") Ever had an itch on your arm? Well try to leave it alone and don't scratch it. After a while it's going to start bothering you and the feeling won't subside until you scratch it. The same applies to ticcing except for the fact that the same impulse (or different impulses) appear over and over. Can it cause a public disturbance? Yes. Can the person with the tics help it? No. Having motor tics is bad enough, but vocal ones are even worse. And a combination of motor and vocal tics is the worst ever.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Calming down will not decrease need to perform a tic aside from being in an altered state of consciousness (i.e. sleeping). In fact, it can exacerbate it.

It's true, like with mimicing the more I stare the more I have to copy it, and also one thing I didn't mention is my hangnail picking issue. If I feel a sharp edge on it, or skin is peeling, I start to work on it :/ Only 3 times in my life have a been able to leave my hands alone for a number of weeks. It's like, a combination of things: I'm worst at it when I feel anxiety (excited, bored, worried etc), I do it out of nowhere without my knowing, and everytime I look at my hands I think "I have to fix it..." and make it worse. When I do it without knowing it's like... trying to fix something imperfect, but always making it worse, a horrible cycle. Probably fits into it all. And especially with this issue, calming down just doesn't help :/ I've tried EVERYTHING, and except for those 3 times, it's VERY tough... also lately I have my habit of licking my lips for almost no reason at all (not even that dry) and that dries them out... lucky for my every day lip gloss with it. As for my nails... I try lotion every night to at least do something to help them heal :/ Although, I have found myself trying to pick at other things before, like stickers etc, like some sort of fixation on that and my hands are just the closest thing to it or something *shrugs* I believe this is really common, at the least.

But yeah on the tic thing, I remember long ways back having a discussion with you about it, so if you remember you know how it is.

Oh another thing I found... I also tend to mimic PEOPLE. Like if they laugh a certain way, I develop it for a while, or if there's some way they say something, I develop it too. Ok I guess that's common^^ But maybe I'm thinking that sometimes I feel like I have to impulsively mimic something they've said before, when a similar event comes up etc. Hard to explain a bit^^

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I wouldn't say the hangnail picking is tic-related, but the lip-licking could. Is it due to impulse? Or is it just a habit (Like people shaking their leg at the dinner table).

It's evident that you have some form of a tic disorder. I'm going to say it's a medium case seeing that the impulses are both motor and vocal, but it seems that you're only mimicking and nothing else. (However, a lot of tics can stem off initially from mimicking something/someone, so don't take my word for it.) Do you A. Do this frequently in public, and B. Do people notice you doing so?

Edit: I found this on wiki. Seems to be pretty helpful:

Tic disorders are classified as follows:
Transient tic disorder consists of multiple motor and/or phonic tics with duration of at least 4 weeks, but less than 12 months.
Chronic tic disorder is either single or multiple motor or phonic tics, but not both, which are present for more than a year.
Tourette's disorder is diagnosed when both motor and phonic tics are present for more than a year.
Tic Disorder NOS is diagnosed when tics are present, but do not meet the criteria for any specific tic disorder.

Anyway, I'd highly suggest consulting with your general practitioner; Possibly a neurologist. There are medicines that can suppress the impulse to tic, (No cure, however) but they all have varying effects for each patient.

[Tenshi no Ai]

I wouldn't say the hangnail picking is tic-related, but the lip-licking could. Is it due to impulse? Or is it just a habit (Like people shaking their leg at the dinner table).

It's evident that you have some form of a tic disorder. I'm going to say it's a medium case seeing that the impulses are both motor and vocal, but it seems that you're only mimicking and nothing else. (However, a lot of tics can stem off initially from mimicking something/someone) Do you A. Do this frequently in public, and B. Do people notice you doing so?

Anyway, I'd highly suggest consulting with your general practitioner. Possibly a neurologist.

Think I was more thinking the nail thing is more an OCPD thing on perfection.

Usually with A and B it's usually when I'm alone that I do this. I'm actually not sure if I do it in front of people... although there's a couple sound effects I had to make when my b/f played WoW (after a while I thought to myself "why am I even making that sound? First time was just making the sound, but why do I do it everytime he goes on his mount? Must be odd/annoying :/") Only in instances like that do I remember doing it in front of people, and I'm not too sure if he's noticed anything. Should ask one day, but don't think he suspects anything, really.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Usually with A and B it's usually when I'm alone that I do this. I'm actually not sure if I do it in front of people... although there's a couple sound effects I had to make when my b/f played WoW (after a while I thought to myself "why am I even making that sound? First time was just making the sound, but why do I do it everytime he goes on his mount? Must be odd/annoying :/") Only in instances like that do I remember doing it in front of people, and I'm not too sure if he's noticed anything. Should ask one day, but don't think he suspects anything, really.

I forgot to ask: What happens when you try to refrain from making these sounds and/or mimicking facial expressions? Does it follow with physical discomfort?

[Fish and Chips]

I don't think it's weird,maybe just a bit annoying to other people.You probably are doing it without thinking because you happen to be a person who overthinks every single thing you do.Perhaps if you stopped trying to overanlysis everything you do you wouldn't have so much stress.Try to calm down and not overthink everything.

Mitsuki, for someone advising less over-thinking, you should do a bit more of it.

I know OCD, Mitsuki. I have it. Overthinking? Annoying? "Perhaps if you stopped"? If you have no idea what you're talking about, then don't.

[Tenshi no Ai]

I forgot to ask: What happens when you try to refrain from making these sounds and/or mimicking facial expressions? Does it follow with physical discomfort?

Yeah kinda, like I have to do it to feel 'satisfied' or something, even though it's like I gain NOTHING from it, which makes no sense as to why I even do it in the first place^^

I know OCD, Mitsuki. I have it.

Is it just OCD or OCPD?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Yeah kinda, like I have to do it to feel 'satisfied' or something, even though it's like I gain NOTHING from it, which makes no sense as to why I even do it in the first place^^

You pretty much summed it up. I'm heavily inclined to say you have a form of a tic disorder. I would see your general practitioner for a formal diagnosis.

I've had it really bad in the past. Now it's mostly gone, but I still tic now and then (Maybe up to only five times a day or something). It was pretty bad for me in the early years of High School. Let's just say I was noticed a lot. XD

[K. Ayato]

It could be a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (not the personality disorder, seeing the two are NOT one and the same). I have my quirks too (like getting extremely upset when I find dirt under my nails), but they're mild. I don't have obsessions or worries about certain things to the point where I can't go through my day without checking and rechecking things without end.

That's how obsessions and compulsions are, mini me. You get a concern about something, and it's usually fairly legit. The resulting compulsion is usually something that you yourself know is pretty stupid and useless; however, you can't bring yourself to stop performing the compulsion to alleviate the anxiety.

The best (and also the toughest) way to gain control over this is to put yourself in the position where you're now unable to perform the compulsion. For someone who has OCD and focuses on germs and cleanliness, the situation would be where he or she is unable or not permitted to perform the ritual hand washing.

It's tough, hon, but it can be taken care of. I'll be praying.

[Tenshi no Ai]

It was pretty bad for me in the early years of High School. Let's just say I was noticed a lot. XD

Yeah and as I said how it's weird for me, because I always seem to do it when I'm by myself. It's almost like... I don't do it if people are around, 'subconsciously', really. Almost like my brain thinks 'shouldn't do this now! People around!' or something^^

Maybe....

At work, I get to stare at covers of games and dvds all day long. If I get bored (often) I wander around and look at stuff, see what's out and try to tidy. Only then do I try and mimic things. If I have a customer to help, I'm busy and have something to do, so I don't remember doing it then. Maybe it's almost a compensation for boredom? I dunno :/ With you doing it about 5 times a day, not exactly sure how many it would be for me. It's just a natural thing so don't really keep count if it's a low number or not :/

Unless things get REALLY out of hand (which they haven't), I don't think I'll be seeing someone. It's not really bad, and I usually give into the impulses when I have them, and hasn't involved other people too much.

It could be a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (not the personality disorder, seeing the two are NOT one and the same). I have my quirks too (like getting extremely upset when I find dirt under my nails), but they're mild. I don't have obsessions or worries about certain things to the point where I can't go through my day without checking and rechecking things without end.

But I remember OCD just being more like thoughts that you don't want to have, kinda like a thinking obsession of something that's not your personality type. Stuff like that.

With OCPD though, I can probably explain this: Anime. If i started an anime I HAD to finish the entire series and HAD to watch the opening and ending EVERY episode, even if I didn't like it. Why? I dunno, left me unsatisfied. Loosened up, but I still have the I HAVE to start a series in proper order and watch them start to finish. I also have to have those types of collections in alphabetical, just cause :/ Better about alot of it now though. Just things like that. My mom however is a clean freak/paranoia, so I probably got some of that stuff from her :/

[Fish and Chips]

Is it just OCD or OCPD?

When I was a kid, I developed strong obsessive-compulsive tendencies, the majority of which borderline on ridiculous, but at the time left me completely horrified. I've gotten past most of them, but I have a couple grim reminders from time to time, such as whenever I lock a door. And of course, the obsession with clean hands, which I'll probably have till I die.

[Tenshi no Ai]

When I was a kid, I developed strong obsessive-compulsive tendencies, the majority of which borderline on ridiculous, but at the time left me completely horrified. I've gotten past most of them, but I have a couple grim reminders from time to time, such as whenever I lock a door. And of course, the obsession with clean hands, which I'll probably have till I die.

And that, kinda reminds me of when I was little and kept going into when I got older on having somewhat irrational fears... I HAVE to sleep in my bed facing the right until later night/morning or else I just can't sleep. Probably alot more different for you though.

[Fish and Chips]

And that, kinda reminds me of when I was little and kept going into when I got older on having somewhat irrational fears... I HAVE to sleep in my bed facing the right until later night/morning or else I just can't sleep. Probably alot more different for you though.

I had a reoccurring paranoia that when I fell asleep in the dark, I'd die and not awaken. So I'd say "Night" out loud to myself. Not exactly famous last words, but I'd need to say it to sleep with any ease. Fifteen times, that is. Usually in groups of three.

"Night, night, night.
Night, night, night.
Night, night, night.
Night, night, night.
Night, night, night."

This habit continued for a couple of years, if I remember.