Help with getting my tics/stims under control?

[Tayler]

Hello,
I've just joined this website looking for help with this particular issue because I am having difficulty finding answers on the Internet.

I'm a 21-year-old female with Asperger's, and I've had tics/stims/habits all my life. Usually they involve working specific muscles, such as clenching my arm muscle, moving my eyes to one side as far as they go until the muscles strain, and squeezing my throat muscles. They come and go and change in severity, as they do for everyone. They appear seemingly at random, I'm not sure if there's a trigger, but stress definitely makes them worse. And when I get on a habit, I cannot make myself stop.

Currently I am squeezing my throat muscles and making a high-pitched squeak sound deep in my throat. I can satisfy the urge well enough without the sound most of the time, so I don't think I'm bothering any coworkers.

But my problem is: my throat is REALLY sore. I do it so much that my voice has become hoarse from this overworking of my throat muscles. It's also really frustrating when I want to stop but I can't, which adds to the stress and probably makes it worse.

Does anyone have advice for me on stopping three habits? Any way to suppress the urge or gain self control?

I'd really appreciate any help, tips, and tricks, thank you!

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Well firstly you want to identify what is a tic and what's a stim. I know my jaw clenching is a stim because I can control it to a certain point, I know my head jerking is a tic because it works like a hiccup; it's coming, I can feel it coming, there's not a damn thing I can do to collectively stop it.

 

[Tayler]

Well firstly you want to identify what is a tic and what's a stim. I know my jaw clenching is a stim because I can control it to a certain point, I know my head jerking is a tic because it works like a hiccup; it's coming, I can feel it coming, there's not a damn thing I can do to collectively stop it.

That is something I've always had trouble figuring out. Because while I can usually control the volume of the vocal aspect of my habits, I just can't seem to control myself with the rest of it. That's why I've always called them habits, because I wasn't sure if they were stims or tics. Sometimes if I concentrate really really hard I can stop doing a habit while I'm concentrating, maybe that makes it a stim?

 

[Southern Discomfort]

That is something I've always had trouble figuring out. Because while I can usually control the volume of the vocal aspect of my habits, I just can't seem to control myself with the rest of it. That's why I've always called them habits, because I wasn't sure if they were stims or tics. Sometimes if I concentrate really really hard I can stop doing a habit while I'm concentrating, maybe that makes it a stim?

I believe a stim is something you do naturally, something done unconsciously. With a tic you can't really stop yourself from doing it; it's extremely hard to and it takes a lot of willpower and stress in order to suppress. With my motor tics I have no say whatsoever in it, just like a hiccup.

 

[Tayler]

I believe a stim is something you do naturally, something done unconsciously. With a tic you can't really stop yourself from doing it; it's extremely hard to and it takes a lot of willpower and stress in order to suppress. With my motor tics I have no say whatsoever in it, just like a hiccup.

I've just done some research (well, googling, haha) and there definitely seems to be some overlap between stims and tics as people define them. But I found this post the most helpful:

"A tic is generally believed to be the least voluntary. Typical tics include jerking of limbs, contorting the face, snorting, grunting, clearing the throat, or excessive blinking. Many refer to them as involuntary, but this isn’t exactly correct. For individuals with Tourette’s Syndrome, the compulsion to tic is involuntary, but the actual ticcing movement is semi-voluntary. It can be supressed for a time, but will be let out with vigor once finally released. This is why many kids with TS will come home and tic like mad; they’re letting out all the tics they have tried to supress all day while in school.

A stim is generally believed to be voluntary, but this is questionable too. Typical stims include flapping the hands, waving objects in front of the eyes, tapping a paticular part of the body, flicking the fingers, etc. The voluntary nature is questionable because many individuals are unaware of their stimming unless it is pointed out to them. In moments of excitement it is natural to flap; stopping is semi-voluntary but starting is usually not."
Source

I'm actually feeling more like mine are tics now, if just from the types of actions listed.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Well if they are tics then you of course know there isn't really any real treatment for them. I've found a few ways to deal with them though, mainly distraction; I don't tic at all when I'm distracted. I also find if I have my head back when sitting down my tics are reduced by a fair amount but I imagine that's a subjective experience to myself right now but give it a go nonetheless.

 

[Hedgehog Instigator]

I break the smallest dose of Xanax and break it in half when I have stimmed for 20 minutes and the urge still hasn't stopped.

 

[anthoskate]

Hi Tayler, when I was about 7 or 8 years old I used to click my fingers literally every 5 minutes, first I used to click them individually and then I would click them all together.

All I can remember is that I used to do it in school more then I did it at home and I had to make a really really hard effort to stop doing it because I was scared that my finger would eventually fall off, but I did manage to stop clicking them.

The habit came back when I was older, but now I only do it a couple of times a day. I can't remember if I changed it for another stim.

I also do the eye thing that you do (rarley) to feel some pressure on the eyes (I feel a good sensation like when I strech my arms).

 

[Warmheart]

Your brain is likely craving sensory input, and it's going to get it however it can. This happens our whole lives, but especially when we're stressed. Types of input are vestibular (rocking, for example), proprioceptive (like hand flapping), and kinesthetic (like squeezing muscles).

If your insurance allows, try to find an OT (occupational therapist) who works with adults, and is willing to design a sensory diet for you. (a sensory diet is a custom-designed program of regular physical activity specifically geared to provide the types of sensory input your brain is craving)

We don't all have access to an OT, but you can Google SPD, sensory diet, and see if anything sparks your interest in researching this on your own. You can buy stim toys like Klixx, Chewelry, and check out weighted lap pads, weighted vests, and weighted blankets, too.

Just some thoughts to consider. Or not!

 

[Datura]

I have a couple of ticks. One of them is a bobbing motion which my mom calls, "the broken neck bird dance", the other is a quick snap of the head to the right. I find I only do these if I have been experiencing prolonged periods of stress. Proceeding from that I suppose the best advice would be to find ways to relieve stress. Warmheart's "sensory diet" sounds like a good idea. Likewise; exercise, meditation, and just having more fun can really help a person unwind. If there are any obvious sources of stress in your life you might want to ask yourself if you can find a way to eliminate them or make them more manageable.

 

[Tayler]

Thank you everyone for your advice! I really appreciate hearing from people who deal with the same things I do. I was diagnosed later in life so I haven't had too much practice dealing with the symptoms that I am only now learning about as Asperger's.
That sensory diet looks very interesting, I've never heard of it and now I'm absolutely going to do some research into it! I'm not sure what we have for therapy options in my area, I haven't had much luck with them in the past, but I've never been to one who specializes in autism. But if people think it might be worthwhile I'll certainly look into that as well.
Thank you again everyone for your responses! I hope anyone else struggling with tics causing any discomfort will find solutions as well!

 

[Beverly]

Stress still sets my tics off but, not until I'm in the process of unwinding. For example if I we get swarmed by fanes after a concert and security fails to keep them far enough back so that they end up being able to touch DJ, thus causing him to panic (he has touch issues due to prior abuse) I get overly stressed. Then when I lay down back at the hotel or, on the bus to relax, any muscle in my body, though claves and wrists are most common for me, with tense and release rapidly for a few minutes, almost as if it were a partial seizure of some kind but, it's just a stress tic.

As long as I'm using those muscles for something, walking, talking, holding something, writing, whatever, the tics don't happen but the minute I relax, they do. I've come to know it as my body's physical means of releasing tension. It used to upset me and, I'd try to make it stop but, not anymore, it stops sooner if I just keep working on relaxing and ignore the tic than if I stress out about not being able to stop it.

Distraction and relaxation are the best ways I've found to stop them, and yes that means not stressing over not being able to stop them, as difficult as that is to learn to do.

 

[ancusmitis]

As long as I'm using those muscles for something, walking, talking, holding something, writing, whatever, the tics don't happen but the minute I relax, they do.

I get this too, except I wouldn't exactly call them tics; they're more like twitches. And it's only in tiny little bits of muscle, which I can't do consciously.