So you think dating sucks? Try dating when you have Tourette’s syndrome.
Damian Friel is a mental health nurse from Derry in Northern Ireland. He also has Tourette’s.
“A lot of people will say they don’t really care, or that I seem like a nice person, and they just want to meet me anyway,” 26-year-old Damian says to Gay Star News.
Once they meet him, however, their feelings often change.
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Damian explains that he recently arranged to meet a guy for drinks. The guy never showed. Or so he thought.
Related: My Big Fat Disabled Relationship: Finding Love When You Have A Disability
“It turns out then after he met up with one of my other friends, that he saw me,” Damian says. “He saw me ticking. He thought I was crazy and walked away.”
In hindsight, Damian says he dodged a bullet.
“He’s not someone I would even want in my life as a friend, and not someone I would value a friendship with if they’re going to judge someone on a physical disability.”
Damian recently went on a date with a guy for the U.K. reality show First Dates, which follows people around on blind dates. He was paired up with a super cute guy named Kai.
“[Kai] didn’t bad an eyelid,” Damien says. “He just ignored it and carried on with the date. It just shows for people’s characters.”
Watch it all unfold below…
ChrisK
He’d be fun at a party.
Billy Budd
I am bipolar and while I am totally in control for VERY long periods of time due to medication, my anxiety problem shows, especially in dates. That has made some people run away without knowing me for real first. Mental health issues suck. It is a second stigma I have to live with.
Billy Budd
He would be fun at a party? Don’t make fun of the guy unless he expressly declares it is OK to do so.
itzallan
It might take a little adjustment, but adjustment is necessary in any relationship. Often we have to see past the things that disrupt our idea of “normal” to see how amazing the other person is. Great post!
Frank
HE IS SO HANDOME
silveroracle
Agreed
Frank
That should have been spelled HANDSOME…
charlietex
I can’t stop smiling. He’s adorable and hey if you read this and things don’t work out with that guy hit me up.
Roan
Good grief.. Damien is ADORABLE!
Roan
If anyone is interested, here is longer profile on Damien:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ASVHyODeWM
sleepyd
Cute AF. Hope he’s a bottom.
John
He’s adorable! Not only is he eye candy but he seems like a very sweet guy. It would never be boring hanging out with him. LOL
h2146184
I am sorry , I have never met anyone with this condition. It seems a strange affliction. And how can someone want to be with this person if he says offensive things every minute?
John
The entire human race says offensive things every minute.
Frank
You just said something offensive, hurtful and small minded in nature…so I guess you are alone and should never find love with another person…
ChrisK
Now Frank. You just know if he was more on the average side in looks no one would be questioning h2146184’s logic.
Frank
While he is handsome (looks fad fast)…trust me his personality is what you live with and we can all attest to many gay men with stellar looks and body but their personality is on par with Donald Trump if not worse…sure you may sleep with them and tell your friends that you “scored” but staying with that type of person rarely happens unless you are as vapid and shallow as he/she is…I see them now as I am 50 over Pride weekend single and still convincing themselves that they “love being single and just have not found the right one”…I had to tell someone just Sunday…”remember wherever you go there you are”…
Also I noticed that the more relaxed he was the less his Tourette’s was so what we saw might be exaggerated due to cameras and nerves…
lambdaent
Thank you for this. As someone who also has Tourette’s, it was very beautiful.
lambdaent
And he’s cute AF! If he’d like a fellow bearded man with Tourette’s for a date, I’d love another trip to Ireland.
psk
Oh my God, this is adorable. I hope they make it, SO cute together.