A Comprehensive Breakdown of Mental Tics
A mental tic is a phenomena in Tourettes Syndrome and Tic Disorders in which a phrase, sound, image, or word repeats in the mind, similar how how a motor of vocal tic would physically.
Sometimes the mental tic can lead to a motor tic, for example if the mental tic is thinking "big boobs" repeatedly, the person then may also tic and touch out to reach any 'big boobs' in person. Same goes with a mental tic leading to a vocal tic.
These are sometimes referred to as Cognitive tics in clinical settings.
What types of mental tics are there?
Coproskepsi: repeating swear words/slurs/inappropriate phrases or thoughts in your head.
Echoskepsi: repeating words/phrases/etc in your head that another person has said.
Paliskepsi: repeating your own thoughts in your head.
So.. Isn't this the same thing as having intrusive thoughts??
Intrusive thoughts are common in OCD, which is certainly a comorbidity of TS however, mental tics are not the same thing as intrusive thoughts seen in OCD.
In OCD, the intrusive thought will lead to distress that can be neutralized by a compulsive act (checking the door, turning the lights three times, etc). While mental tics may be annoying, they typically do not cause extreme distress and are not neutralized by any behaviour.
If the mental tic is relieved briefly by a physical tic, its still different because this action goes with thought, whereas in OCD the action is to go against the thought to neutralize it.
