An impatient family member, one who is insisting on our individual attention, can be very annoying. Huntington's Disease can certainly make one appear selfish, demanding and egocentric. Difficulty controlling impulses and inhibiting the expression of feelings, especially negative ones directed at you, can create a very demanding, imposing figure. Understanding that this impatience is based on a neurologic condition and is not a character flaw helps to see through the veil. Other aspects of HD tempt us to make negative presumptions about people with Huntington's.
Fatigue can make people appear lazy, disinterested or irritable.
Difficulty controlling movements can make one look drunk, or worse, aggressive. In some instances speech takes on a loud, explosive quality that makes one appear angry. In others, depression is misleadingly veiled by outbursts of anger. All these aspects combine to weave a veil that conceals the person you know so well and love so much. Understanding and teaching others about HD allows us to lift the veil, remove the mask and see their real face once again.