There was a brief time years ago when I had outrageously bad "checking" compulsions coupled with debilitating panic attacks. To this day I don't know for certain what caused that ridiculously severe symptom "flare up". I suspect a sudden increase in job responsibilities coupled with stresses in my personal life set it off somehow.

When people noticed my behaviors, I was given "advice" such as "Dude, seriously, get help"! I can only describe what I felt as terminal embarrassment!! What worked for me at the time was Prozac - within weeks it stopped the OCD symptoms completely.

You mention that focusing on the "tics" makes it worse. I know what you mean, for me it was like a negative feedback loop I couldn't escape from at the time. I think being acutely self-conscious about it increases anxiety until your mind "goes blank" and you can't remember that yes, I already checked something five times in the last ten minutes. Calming exercises and distracting myself also helped. Focusing on anxiety increases anxiety.