Plague of tics

When i first started reading this story I was a little confused to what the topic referred to, but once getting into the story it was very clear.  The main character in this story, a boy, has a severe case of OCD.  It is hard for him to go a minute or two without touching his nose to something or licking a random object.  For years his teachers notice these habits and ask to have a meeting with his parents.  When his teachers would come to their run down house, his mother would poke fun at his unusual habits saying he will grow out of them, meanwhile she is getting drunk and smoking cigarettes with the teachers as if they are old friends.  The parents seem to have no clue from where these habits come from but I believe they are just in denial.  In one part of the story in mentions how they have boxes and boxes of old stamps, used floor tiles and other useless piles of junk that his father has neglected to throw out.  I believe his father also probably has a slight case of OCD in the fact that he likes to hoard things and not part way with them.  On the other hand it is unsure whether or not his mother has OCD also but she sure seems to drink and smoke a lot which may be a way of covering up or treating her disease.  For years the boy in the story was able to practice his tics, or rituals alone in his room but when he went to college he was forced to lie to his roomate so he did not look like an eccentric retard.  Thoughts would fill his head, such as his roomate getting in a car crash, going to war, or just never coming back.  His brain and thoughts were controlling his every day routine and basically his social and scholastic life.  He finally finds serenity when he first experiences cigarettes.  It gives him a reason to get up and move, to use his mouth and to touch something all at the same time.  Basically all he did was trade one bad habit for another....(plague of tics).  The tics slowly begin to fade as he grows older but he still finds himself wanting to rock in his chair listening to music all night, but the urge is not as strong.  I really enjoyed this story because I have heard and watched about other cases of OCD.  I couldn't even imagine if my brain would control my actions throughout the day.  Its almost as if someone else is in your head telling you what to do.  And when you do not do it, it just consumes your whole day thinking about it.  I think this disease can be beat but it takes a lot of metal strength.  I have no room to talk because I can't even imagine the feeling or obsession.