# I'm getting a 'tic'. what do I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736 "2019-11-20T22:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/1 "2019-11-20T22:43:32Z")
I know it might be a medical question, and in that case kick me in the ass and tell me to GTFO. But I am getting a facial ‘tic’ because of STRESS. what should I do? People are startling to notice. Should I just ‘stop it’ ffs? go to the doctor? live with it? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/2 "2019-11-20T23:19:29Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/3 "2019-11-20T23:20:38Z")
Why wouldn’t you go to a doctor? If it bothers you and people are noticing it that should be the first thing you do. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/4 "2019-11-20T23:24:38Z")
I’m no kinda of medical person.YMMV. You need to find a way to de-stress. Any of number of ways to do that. But, see your doctor first. Could be neurological. There’s meds that make you have these things as a side effect. I get tics when I’m stressing and panicky. It’s a warning to me to stop what I’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/5 "2019-11-20T23:35:12Z")
Go to a doctor and get a prescription for clonidine–it stopped my sister’s nervous tic amazingly fast. Also, try de-stressing with meditation or yoga–it really helps. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/6 "2019-11-21T00:24:03Z")
Thank you for the advice. It seems to be getting worse. I am living in a situation with someone who is driving me MAD, but I am stuck here and cant vent. I have to be nice and be agreeable and pleasant even if I want to scream. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/7 "2019-11-21T00:37:41Z")
Can you move out? That doesn’t sound like a healthy living situation. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/8 "2019-11-21T00:45:49Z")
Do you exercise? Regular vigorous workouts will not only help you de-stress, but will also help you get a better night’s sleep. Both can help with tics. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/9 "2019-11-21T02:39:45Z")
Are you able to see a doctor about this? I understand that’s not always an option. If you can, you should. Tics aren’t really something you can “just stop”. Tics can also be a symptom of various neurological problems. A medical assessment is a good idea. In terms of learning ways to manage stress, you can look for apps like “Calm” (not an endorsement, but it’s a popular one). Meditation apps can help you gain practice at technique. Yoga or Tai Chi are helpful. You can seek ways to insert stress-breaks into your routine, by exercising, or going to the library, or posting in the mini-rants, or drinking chamomile tea. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/10 "2019-11-21T03:54:17Z")
Some medications can bring tics on or make them worse, in which case a doc can prescribe an alternative, less problematic med. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/11 "2019-11-21T05:18:03Z")
Agree with going to the doctor. A friend of mine had a tic develop. Turned out to be Bell’s palsy: [Bell's palsy - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell's_palsy). It gradually went away. But, as the wiki page shows, it could be other things, which might not go away without treatment. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/12 "2019-11-21T22:05:58Z")
Are we talking about a muscle twitch–something that clearly looks like an involuntary movement? Or does it look like it could be a purposeful movement to someone who didn’t know any better? I have tics. In the past I have had twitches too–usually in my eyelids. Tics and twitches feel different to me. A tic can be momentarily suppressed with some effort and may be associated with a sense of relief once it is expressed. In contrast, I have never been able to control a twitch. I don’t usually feel anything when I have a twitch except for annoyance. The meds I have taken for tics had side effects that are worse than the tics (the birth control pill has helped a whole lot, though). I suppose it can’t hurt to talk to a doctor, though. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/13 "2019-11-23T17:53:14Z")
I seem to have developed a habit of pursing my lips and scrunching them up. Maybe it’s not an involuntary tic, maybe it’s just a habit? I can keep my face still and blank for long stretches, and then I do it again. And someone says, ‘there you go, you’re making that face again.’ I think it’s stress related. It began a year ago, maybe, when my living circumstances changed drastically. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-tic-what-do-i-do/843736/14 "2019-11-24T14:53:34Z")
It may just be a stress habit, especially if face-scrunching is all you do. Some people diffuse stress by jiggling their legs or biting their bottom lips. Perhaps you can learn some relaxation techniques from a therapist (or from the internet). Maybe chewing gum might help too.