1. Use Behavioral Therapy
Tourette's Syndrome tics can often be controlled by behavioral therapy, such as Habit Reversal Training. Using this therapy, you can become more aware of your tics and develop a counter-response to use when the tic begins. This kind of therapy can prove very effective, and produces none of the side effects that accompany medication.
Sometimes therapy is useful to counter other mental disorders that arise as the result of Tourette's Syndrome. Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been used to help people overcome coexisting disorders that are associated with Tourette's, such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2. Try Medication
If your Tourette's Syndrome can't be controlled through therapy, you may be put on medication until the tics subside. Part of the problem with medications is that they all produce side effects, so doctors may need to experiment with the medicines available until they hit on a type and dosage that work. If you have coexisting mental disorders, the doctor will need to prescribe a combination that will not result in complications.
Traditional antipsychotic medications are currently the favorite choice for controlling tics. However, they can cause side effects such as depression, weight gain and a type of separation anxiety called "school phobia." Another side effect is Parkinsonism, which is the inability to move when you want to. Haloperidol and pimozide are the two most commonly used traditional antipsychotic medications. Newer medications have been used to treat Tourette's Syndrome, such as next-generation antipsychotics and antihypertensive medication. However, they have not yet been tested as extensively as haloperidol and pimozide.
3. Undergo Neurosurgery
It should go without saying that surgery should be your last resort. Since the disorder is biological, in severe cases of Tourette's, surgeons have implanted a pacemaker in the brain. This pacemaker sends signals to the brain that stimulate the areas believed to be responsible for the Tourette's generated tics. While the procedures done so far are initially reported to be successful, this is a dangerous treatment option and should only be considered if the disorder is very severe and psychotherapy and medicines have not had any effect.
