Tics are sudden repetitive body movements, such as eye blinking, coughing, and twitching. Individuals who have tics generally do not feel that they have control over these movements and they often cause them much distress or make their lives more difficult. Tics can be described as “simple,” meaning a single movement, or “complex,” a behavior that involves more than one movement. A diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome is given when an individual experiences two or more motor tics, and one vocal tic, with tics occurring for at least one year.
Tic disorders usually onset in early childhood. While many youth may experience tics that dissipate over time, many people have tics that wax and wane. Treatment for tic disorders involve a form of Habit Reversal Training (HRT) called Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). While some individuals see complete remission of symptoms after undergoing CBIT, the goal is to provide more awareness of tics and identify alternate competing strategies they can use when they feel the urge to tic.