As many as one-fourth of all children cope with the painful embarrassment of facial tics. This condition can best be explained as a repeatedly occurring spasm that affects the muscles of both the eyes and the face. The true cause is frequently unclear, but research indicates a strong link between stressful events and an increase in the evidence of symptoms.

Another possible cause of tics is a deficit in essential vitamins or minerals, such as magnesium.

Some types of facial tics are manifestations of disorders of the nervous system, including Tourette syndrome, a condition arising from a malfunction of the nervous system. Tourette syndrome is thought to contain a hereditary facet as well.

Some examples of a facial tic are rapid eye movements or eye blinking, squinting, mouth or nose wrinkling, twitching, grunting, mouth twitches, facial grimacing, facial twitches, and throat clearing. A tic often originates at an early stage of physical development, and may last for only weeks, months, or even years. At times, the tic persists into adulthood.

Facial tics can perpetuate and increase anxious disorders in a child already experiencing significant stress because of the tic itself.

Young people are sometimes extremely cruel, making fun of the childs problem. Worse, teachers who do not understand and fail to assist other students to empathize and assist the child in managing his condition can create a devastatingly negative impact on a childs self image.

The problem, however, is not limited to the suffering child.

Adults who are affected by a facial tic find this extremely difficult to manage. These people often face significant social difficulties. In some situations, a person can develop the ability to identify the onset and control the spasm that causes the facial tic. Even this, however, can result in intense emotional and physical energy drains. Low self-esteem is often a major issue with which these people wrestle.

Often, these individuals struggle with low self-esteem.

Adults who experience cessation of the humiliating effects of facial grimaces and other tics are afforded with an opportunity for social rebirth. Their concept of themselves is altered, and they no longer are afraid to experience life at its fullest.

Youths who can overcome this disorder no longer are burdened by the acute anxiety that impairs their social lives, and encounter with joy rather than psychic pain.

Often, medications, such as mildly sedating drugs, help individuals manage this condition. While the medications may lessen the frequency or severity of these symptoms, the drugs themselves can often cause undesired side effects. Because of this, persons sometimes rely on alternative treatments to help them in treating their disorder.

Two treatment approaches that have provided promising potential in helping clients to control facial tics are hypnotherapy and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). These therapies utilize the power inherent in the individuals unconscious mind to help them re-channel the spasm. Since these treatments are concerned with the root of the difficulty through intervening in the unconscious where the problem originates, they offer significantly more hope for success than traditional therapy methods that merely attempt to control eye blinking, mouth twitches, squinting, facial grimacing, facial twitches, grunting, or other types of impulsive behavior.

Hypnosis permits the person being treated to enter a peaceful altered state and accept suggestions that assist them to release anxiety. Since tics are caused by built-up stress within a persons body, releasing this tension allows them to successfully control the tic.

After several sessions, the client should be capable of experience the ability to cope with tension successfully.

Alternatively, therapists who use NLP assist the client to channel his or her conscious will to use thoughts that stress them as triggers for relaxing thoughts. In addition, the client learns to use an unrelated part of the body, such as a toe, to expel the emotional energy that would otherwise be expressed by the facial tic. This technique allows individuals to manage tension without resorting to the embarrassing impulse.

Another positive effect of these two therapies is that the person being treated avoids the experience of adverse effects from medication type therapies. In fact, both hypnotherapy and NLP are typically believed to be the treatment of choice for individuals who suffer from tics, such as nose wrinkling, or throat clearing, because these interventions do not have unwanted side effects. This avoids significant anguish and stress for the affected person.

Summary: Facial tics can be socially destructive and may yield serious consequences.

Boys are more likely to struggle with this difficulty, which can continue into adult life; however girls may also experience difficulties with this. While several treatment approaches are available, hypnosis and NLP seem to be the safest options, because they have no undesirable side effects and are very effective.

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About the Author (text)Alan B. Densky, CH offers a wide variety of popular titles for all anxiety related symptoms, including facial tick hypnotherapy CDs. For pleasure and instruction visit his Free hypnotherapy article library at his Neuro-VISION hypnotherapy and personal development website. http://www.neuro-vision.us/

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