I understand how the disease can be funny to you. If I didn't have experience with it I'd probably laugh, too. But I'm asking of you to PLEASE, have respect, and try not to.  

I am the only person in my family without Tourette's Syndrome, but my father is the only person with Coprolalia (verbal tics). He has an extremely severe case, and countless times has come home and actually starting crying because people have ridiculed him in public, or socially rejected him because of his illness. His entire life he was never accepted, especially in the closed-minded community he grew up in. He has great friends now, but they're hard to find. I'm speaking of someone who has seen the extreme emotional pain this causes people. My parents knew someone who actually had a suicide attempt because he didn't want to live with such an "embarrassing" disease that makes people so dislike him.  

Once again, I understand that there IS humor involved in TS. However.... I'm just asking you to try. If you must smile or giggle, that's fine. Hell, *I* do that sometimes -- some of my dad's tics are pretty funny! But don't RIDICULE it, and use it for your entertainment. That's just cruel.

I really want to spread awareness of this somehow as I progress through life. I know I am one person, and I can't make all the difference. But I want to spread the word, and this is an easy way to do it -- posting on a teenage forum with hundreds of daily visitors.

Post edited at 7:02 am on Mar. 22, 2008 by xoxo1234

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Yes, I admit I sometimes smile...but to ridicule someone for it is just cruel.

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People are like that about a whole range of disabilities.

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We beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

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Inspired by this topic by any chance? I have no personal experience with Tourette's Syndrome, but it offended me.

People are like that about a whole range of disabilities.

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Haha, well I've been thinking of making a topic like this for a while, but that topic reminded me.

People can be so great sometimes.

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Maybe if I pick my nose long enough, someone will think it's art.

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I completely agree with you.
I was diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder, and mild depression a few years ago, and I get made fun of for it constantly. Not many people seem to think that it's actually a serious disease, and that it should be treated that way.
I don't brag about it, but I went into the hospital last year, and people did ask questions. So I told them the truth - and got completely shot down for it.

People can be so great sometimes.

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I actually have the same issue, although I don't experience such negative reactions when I tell them about my clinical depression as I do with TS. Especially in this day and age, I constantly get called emo.

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Quote: from CeriseGlitterspark at 4:35 pm on Mar. 22, 2008

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I completely agree with you.  
 I was diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder, and mild depression a few years ago, and I get made fun of for it constantly. Not many people seem to think that it's actually a serious disease, and that it should be treated that way.  
 I don't brag about it, but I went into the hospital last year, and people did ask questions. So I told them the truth - and got completely shot down for it.  

 People can be so great sometimes.

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I actually have the same issue, although I don't experience such negative reactions when I tell them about my clinical depression as I do with TS. Especially in this day and age, I constantly get called emo.

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I never tell anyone... for fear of the same reaction.

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We beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.