Tardive dyskinesia, or TD, is a condition of uncontrollable movements affecting the face, torso, and/or other body parts. TD may develop after a few months of taking certain medications to treat bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. TD affects approximately 600,000 people in the U.S.1-4 By declaring the first week of May as TD Awareness Week, (FOR STATE OFFICIALS/LOCAL ADVOCACY CHAPTERS: [INSERT STATE is]; FOR NATIONAL ADVOCACY GROUPS: [states around the country are]) helping to raise awareness around:
• The impact TD can have on a person’s physical, emotional, and social well-being
• The signs and symptoms associated with TD
• The importance of working with one’s doctor to manage the condition, including
talking about available treatment options
May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, an important time to acknowledge the 1 in 5 US adults living with a mental illness.5
