Motor and vocal tics
In some cases, patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder would also have a motor or vocal tic disorder. Motor tics can be simple or complex. They are often repetitive movements in the eyes, a sudden jerking movement or shrug, or a complex motor tic as in brushing the hair with the hands without noticing. These tics should be distinguished from compulsive behaviour because the latter is associated with an obsessive thought that is not present when patients have a motor tic.
On the other hand, vocal tics may appear as well, usually as constant throat clearing or sniffing, and it is often associated with speech. In some cases, patients would suddenly grunt, and they don’t even realise they are making awkward sounds. Tics appear to be more common in obsessive-compulsive children, but they are also seen in adults.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a very wide array of signs and symptoms that are uniquely adopted by every patient. There’s no clear cut to say that all obsessive-compulsive patients do this or that. Instead, what they have in common is an obsessive thought that is translated into a compulsive behavior meant to solve the problem. When the compulsive behavior is rendered not sufficient, or it is not performed, the obsessive thoughts haunts the patient and would not let him do anything else.
If you have found this behaviour in yourself or your loved one, do not hesitate and do not be afraid of a psychiatrist. They are meant to help you relieve these symptoms and avoid them to become worse over time.
References
Heyman, I., Mataix-Cols, D., & Fineberg, N. A. (2006). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Bmj, 333(7565), 424-429.
Salkovskis, P. M. (1999). Understanding and treating obsessive—compulsive disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, S29-S52.
Rasmussen, S. A., & Eisen, J. L. (1992). The epidemiology and clinical features of obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychiatric Clinics, 15(4), 743-758.
Pinto, A., Eisen, J. L., Mancebo, M. C., Greenberg, B. D., Stout, R. L., & Rasmussen, S. A. (2007). Taboo thoughts and doubt/checking: a refinement of the factor structure for obsessive–compulsive disorder symptoms. Psychiatry research, 151(3), 255-258.
Conelea, C. A., Walther, M. R., Freeman, J. B., Garcia, A. M., Sapyta, J., Khanna, M., & Franklin, M. (2014). Tic-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): phenomenology and treatment outcome in the Pediatric OCD Treatment Study II. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(12), 1308-1316.
Franklin, M. E., Harrison, J. P., & Benavides, K. L. (2012). Obsessive-compulsive and tic-related disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 21(3), 555-571.
