Acute Onset of Functional Tic like Behaviours in the COVID 19 Pandemic

1. 200-638 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0E2 In-person and virtual sessions (Alberta-wide) available Acute Onset of Functional Tic-like Behaviours in the COVID-19 Pandemic: What on Earth?

2. Literally, what on Earth – this has become a global phenomenon, one that my Neurologist colleagues are researching vehemently to unravel. Clinicians from across the globe have been observing a bizarre phenomenon, wherein many people – most often teenagers and young adults, and mostly female – are suddenly acquiring acute and sudden-onset tic-like behaviours. I’ve had clients go to the hospital via ambulance, as parents/teachers/etc. are understandably alarmed and distressed about what can sometimes appear to be seizure-esque.

3. Some individuals appear to be more susceptible to this power of suggestion – almost like an echo phenomenon – resulting in a form of “contagion” of the tic-like behaviours. We are seeing this mostly in individuals who have a disposition toward anxiety, even if they have historically not reached clinical levels of symptomatology. Most often, what we have discovered is that the tic-like behaviours are a manifestation of distress, in which afflicted individuals do not appear to have the tools and skills necessary to cope with what is troubling them. What this means, in terms of treatment, is that the usual course of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) is generally not indicated; the target of treatment is centred on identifying the underlying source(s) of distress, and tackling those head-on.

4. Given the nightmare we have been enduring as a result of the global pandemic, it is not surprising that many people have been experiencing marked distress, due to many factors. In order to deal with these new realities, I have found it to be beneficial to explore considerations such as the following: What are alternatives to usual coping mechanisms (which have been taken away), that can serve to meet the core need(s) for the individual? What does the continuum of accepting that which we cannot change, and changing things we can, look like for a given individual and situation? What is the realistic and preferred storyline moving forward, in a world in which the parameters have changed? What examples of resilience and grit has the individual shown during these unexpected and unprecedented times? What is actually bothering the individual, versus what might be an obvious (though not core) culprit?

5. It is often in honestly identifying the answers to the above that understanding, congruence, authenticity, relief, and resolution can occur. In fact, this sentiment extends to many instances of therapy, which, coupled with the acquisition of skills, can lead to a much more enjoyable and adaptive lived experience. Let’s see what we can discover together – does your distress (whether manifesting in tic-like behaviours or not) have a message?

6. Contact Information Pinnacle Psych Address: 200-638 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0E2 Phone Number: (403) 969-2622 Email ID: kathleen@pinnaclepsych.ca Website:- https://www.pinnaclepsych.ca/