EDITOR’S NOTE: Every Tuesday, noted Tourette Syndrome advocate Troye Evers shares his “52 Weeks of TS” blog journal with the TSParentsOnline community. With just 12 weeks remaining in this series, there’s a chance you missed one more entries from his exciting, revealing journey. You can read all of them here. For more information about Troye, please click on his name or visit his website.
How closely is addiction to OCD? I guess it depends on the type of OCD you have. As I’ve said before, my OCD revolve mostly around germs and organization. With my OCDs I have created little addictions. I’m addicted to cleaning, addicted to the use of hand sanitizer, and a bad addiction I have developed, is a shopping and couponing addiction. I guess there are worse things to be addicted to, but it still has its effects on my life.
I could spend hours a day, organizing my couponing, and coordinating my next shopping excursion. You might think, what is wrong with shopping, especially if you have coupons? But I think there are times I go overboard. I only buy something if it’s on sale, and I have a coupon. It’s even better if I also receive a bonus store credit.
This week I went on my little shopping spree, I spent almost $700, saved about $300 on sales, $150 in coupons, and received a store credit of $150 to use on my next purchase. So all together, I spent about $100, but when I got home and looked at all the items, I just purchased and wondered how this tied in with my OCD. I sat there and looked at my stockpile. Do I really have a need for what’s in my stockpile?
- 11 jars of jelly
- 20 cans of Pringles
- 9 boxes of granola bars
- 10 boxes of dryer sheets
- 14 bottles of laundry detergent
- 5- 12 packs of paper towels
- 16 boxes of tissue
- 21 bottles of hand sanitizer
- 13 tubes of toothpaste
- 8 bottles of mouthwash
- 14 bottles of Nyquil
- 16 sticks of deodorant
- 13 bottles of shampoo
- 10 bottles of conditioner
- 19 bottles of body wash
This is just the half of it. The list goes on. Is this too much? Is this ridiculous? I think maybe a little.
Last week I spoke about my anxiety levels, and how I thought it was time for change. Maybe a change in lifestyle, daily routine, or even how I take care of myself. Well, I did it, I changed many things this week. I had my monthly doctor’s appointment to refill my medication. I sat in the waiting room looking at pamphlets and evaluating my life. How and what could I change?
One of the pamphlets in the waiting room was about acupuncture. It’s a terrifying thought, but was this a sign, an answer to my question? I said last week that I was going to look into it, so I did. When I went into the doctor’s office, I told him that I heard acupuncture might help with symptoms of TS, and I was wondering if my insurance would cover it. He said it would if he gave me a referral. Now I’m sitting on a referral and trying to get up the strength to call and make the appointment. I have the referral, and I’ll make the call after the weekend.
This week, during my coupon excursion, I found some coupons for vitamins. This was another change I have been talking about for a while. There have been many studies that different vitamins can help with TS symptoms. Vitamin D, a multi-vitamin, and especially fish oil. I have taken all sorts of vitamins in my past, but never looked at the effects from them. That’s what I’m going to do now. I have started taking Vitamin D, fish oil, and a multi vitamin. I have not noticed anything yet, but it has only been a few days. I’m sure I’ll have to wait a few weeks before I see or even notice any type of difference.
I can’t believe we are almost through this year. Week 40 is already here, and only 12 weeks to go. October is here, a new month and new changes. This week I also brought on one of the biggest changes this year. I brought on change that I hope will reduce some of my stress and my anxiety.
I quit my job at the hair salon. I didn’t quit doing hair, just left the negativity and immaturity that surrounds the salon that I was working at. I will be starting at a new salon next week, and I’m rather excited. I have not been excited about going to work in a very long time, and this new salon has a very comforting and relaxing atmosphere. At my old salon, everyone knew I had TS, but I still felt like I had to suppress and hide my tics. My boss made fun of me and mocked me for my tics a few years back. I quickly put him in his place, but still to this day had negative feelings about the incident. The fear and embarrassment still lived inside me.
I’m just happy to take this new step in my life to a new work setting, somewhere that I might be more comfortable to be myself, and not hide from who I am. I like the thought that I will not have to hide my tics, and maybe even have the chance to educate even more people about the truths of this mysterious syndrome. It’s a tiring life trying to hide and suppress who you are. How can we be honest with someone else if we can’t be honest with ourselves?
You hear this phrase all time, but if you really think about it, it’s true. I am making a very conscious effort to be myself, and bring on positive changes in my life. I am going to continue to do this in the upcoming weeks. There are still more changes that I want to make that I think will help with certain symptoms of my TS. If I can calm down my anxiety, maybe it will calm down my tics, and OCD’s, and if I can calm down my tics, maybe it will help with my anxiety. I told myself this was going to be the year for change and that’s what I’m going to do.
Until next week, “I’ll tic to you later.”
