HOW TO STOP TICS With... Meditation?!

 Key Takeaways:

• Meditation builds capacity to experience calm within ticcing episodes
• Training in nonjudgment equanimity reduces perpetually reactive mindset 
• Though still arising, tics no longer seem so disruptive or distressing

As someone who has struggled with constant motor and vocal tics for over 20 years, I know firsthand how an overactive mind can drive and exacerbate these involuntary urges. When my thoughts are spiraling out of control, my body can't help but spasm and twitch uncontrollably.

Many might assume meditation is impossible for someone with severe Tourette's. How can you sit still and silent when your body won't stop moving? But in my healing journey, I've found mindfulness practices truly transformative.

Sitting to meditate, thoughts inevitably pop up like "tick, stop it!" and my frustration swells when urges arise during my practice. But over time, I've stopped fighting the tics and learned to acknowledge their appearance with gentle acceptance.

Rather than berating myself for not being able to sit perfectly still, I allow the tics to flow through me like passing clouds. Again and again, I return my attention softly to the breath.

By not judging the distracting physical and mental habits, their intensity and frequency lessens. Practicing meditation has taught me I can experience tranquility amidst the relentless storms of Tourette's.

My aim is not to forcibly stop all ticcing during meditation. It's to cultivate equanimity and self-compassion as the urges come and go. I'm training my mind not to perpetually react to each tic impulse.

Over time, meditation has rewired my brain to respond to discomfort with openness rather than aversion. The daily ritual of tuning into my breath builds my capacity for mindfulness moment to moment.

Have my tics permanently vanished through meditation? Of course not. But no longer waging war against each one has brought unexpected freedom. By repeatedly returning to the present, I uncover the stillness always available beneath the churning.

This journey has required dedication - even just 10 minutes of meditation each day. But with regular practice, I've learned to find calm within the chaos. The refuge of the breath is always just a few inches away.