Really need some support right now

Posted on May 20, 2013 by RuthieP

OK, I need some support and kind words right now. Just had a big conversation with my mom. Basically, I don’t really tic around her because she just tells me to stop when I do and that it’s not socially acceptable. She has seen me tic before and has lived with my OCD and other conditions my whole life, though.

She tried to deny yet again that I even have TS.

She told me that if I just exercise more then maybe I wouldn’t have TS. Then, when I finally convinced her — probably just temporarily — that I do have TS because I was diagnosed by a neurologist with her in the room and my cousin also has TS and my dad and all of his brothers have OCD, she told me that I better tell my husband/guy I’m dating that I have TS/OCD because if my dad would have told her then maybe she would have thought a little harder before marrying him.

Yeah….. so I need some support right now because I’m not feeling very accepted right now.

Help & Hope for Daniel

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Teens4TS

NOTE: The following excerpt is taken from the http://www.gofundme.com/HelpforDaniel fundraising page for a teenage boy named Daniel who needs your help!

Until age 14, Daniel was for the most part a happy, healthy kid who loved life. For nearly 3 years now, he has suffered from a complex and debilitating form of OCD and Tourette Syndrome, which has dramatically impacted his quality of life and made it necessary for him to be in residential treatment and hospitalization.

I never imagined things would get to the point of needing to launch a fundraiser to help with Daniel’s treatment, but the financial burden has been tremendous and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

Funds raised through this site will help pay for what is quite possibly life-saving treatment for Daniel in the hospital as well as costs in the near future for things such as a special orthodontic appliance, a possible service dog, specialists, doctors and testing not covered by insurance and travel costs.

I wish there was something I could give back or do in return to show my indescribable gratitude for your donations to help Daniel. While I can’t repay you directly, it is Daniel’s hope and dream that he can one day pay it forward by opening his own residential treatment center to help kids suffering with OCD, Tourette and other disabling disorders.There is only one such facility in the country where Daniel is currently in treatment.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your love, support and generosity, and for helping Daniel have hope for his future. Please help spread the word by sharing this site with friends and family or perhaps holding a fundraising event to benefit Daniel.

Comments about depression and suicide, part 1

Posted on April 29, 2013 by EmmaO

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven’t written in a while, but I was diagnosed with depression a few months ago and I’ve just been trying to deal with it. Quite a few people recently bombed one of my videos about suicide and depression. I shall discuss all of their antics.

Why do you bash that girl for whining about her life, then whine about your life when you have so much? Has it ever occurred to you how privileged you are?

This is the first comment to speak of. If you have seen the video, I obviously did not “bash” this young lady. I only stated facts of what happens when she is at my lunch table. Second of all, I was not whining about my life. I only meant to discuss my latest feelings and try to help others.

The first sentence does not bother me at all. This person is clearly ignorant and wasted two seconds of my life by having me read it. The second statement states how clearly privileged I am, even though this person has never met me in his or her entire life.

Yes, I am very privileged. I have a great life even if I am suffering quite a few disorders. I don’t discuss quite a few aspects of my life on YouTube or my blog, since they are much too personal and would not in any way help others. I must admit that one of the things I do not discuss could help others by me discussing it, but I am not ready to reveal that part of my life yet.

Tourette is something most people can easily tell I have, but the aspect I’d rather not speak of is not noticeable at all. I will gladly discuss anything about Tourette, OCD, anxiety disorder and depression, though. Continue reading →

Call Me Crazy

Posted on April 23, 2013 by RuthieP

Mental illness is something that needs to be out there in the open more and become less stigmatized. A Lifetime movie is getting mental illness out into the open. Although I would have been a little more excited about this if OCD or generalized anxiety disorder was in there, I am excited about it none the less!

Through the five shorts named after each title character — Lucy, Eddie, Allison, Grace and Maggie – powerful relationships built on hope and triumph raise a new understanding of what happens when a loved one struggles with mental illness.

“Call Me Crazy: A Five Film” stars Academy Award and Golden Globe winners Jennifer Hudson, Melissa Leo and Octavia Spencer, Sarah Hyland, Sofia Vassilieva, Brittany Snow, Ernie Hudson, Jason Ritter, three-time Emmy Award winner Jean Smart, Lea Thompson, Oscar nominee Melanie Griffith and Chelsea Handler.

Check it out here!

And don’t forget to the fantastic mental illness PSA by the actors of “Call me Crazy!”

Check it out here!

Erasing Limits

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Logan Kurtz

We have decided on a name for the documentary project website and it is: Erasing Limits. The beginnings of the documentary website and documentary project are forming! I am so excited to be starting to see a real product for all the work that Ruthie and I have done!

Keep an eye out for future posts about the documentary project! Also, we have decided that it is going to be an ongoing project that will encompass videos of Tourette Syndrome to start off with but will also encompass videos of people with all sorts of disorders and differences.

So if you did not get a change to submit your video yet, submissions are open once again! You can submit a video about anything and everything: Tourette, OCD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism, etc.

Also, if you see an interesting video on YouTube that you think should be on the Erasing Limits site once we go public please post the link up on this wall!

Contact me at my Help Spread The Word About Tourette Syndrome Facebook page, or at RuthieP’s A Little Bit Different: Tourette Syndrome Facebook page.