Some people are confused when I say tic suppression is harmful because they think I’m referring to tic management but they are different things...
Tic suppression is where you forcefully or subconsciously bottle your tics up without anything to reduce the urge to tic or redirect the misfired signals - for example, if you were sitting in an assembly and just trying not to let your tics out without any kind of distraction or redirection, that can be harmful tic suppression.
However, if you are redirecting the tic by chewing gum or singing under your breath, this often isn’t as harmful as the tic is sort of coming out in another way. If you were playing an instrument and it stopped your tics, that wouldn’t be harmful tic suppression, that would be healthy tic management through distraction as it is reducing the urge to tic in the first place and acting as a sort of redirection of energy and focus.
Medication isn’t a form of harmful tic suppression as it is used to alter neurotransmitter levels so that there are less misfired signals and premonitory urges in the first place - so it isn’t bottling tics up, but genuinely reducing them.
Harmful tic suppression is where you do not reduce the urge to tic, redirect urges, distract yourself in healthy ways, or reduce the misfired signals in the first place. Harmful tic suppression is where you just bottle tics up.
When people harmfully suppress their tics, they often can’t focus on anything else, they may feel intense discomfort due to accumulating premonitory urges, feel very tense and anxious, and sometimes the symptoms can come out worse later on...
Studies say the rebound effect doesn’t exist, but there are huge issues with these studies. 1. People often let their tics out in the evening when people aren’t watching and can be quite secretive about it. 2. People with severe tics are often turned away from these studies. 3. There is a significant conflict of interest when ERP therapists are involved in these studies.
The rebound effect has always existed for me and has always been harmful - tic suppression has always triggered rages, sensory tics, and tic attacks. When I don’t suppress, these don’t happen.
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