Describing the emotional impact of TD

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) can be a lot to deal with. Beyond the physical symptoms, the condition can be a burden on emotional and mental health.

Keeping your healthcare provider in the loop about what you are feeling is important. This information can help your healthcare provider make adjustments to the medications you take and the other aspects of your treatment, such as counseling or therapy.

Sometimes describing emotions can be tricky. With that in mind, the below is a glossary of terms that may be helpful when trying to describe the emotional impact of TD. If you have TD, these terms may help you put words to what you are experiencing. If you’re caring for someone with TD, these definitions and explanations can help you understand some of the ways TD may be affecting your loved one’s emotional health.

• Stigma involves discrimination or a negative attitude toward someone, based on a characteristic or circumstance. TD is often the result of long-term use of medications for psychiatric disorders. This means that those with TD may face the stigma of TD symptoms on top of the stigma of mental illness.
• Social isolation is the absence of social connections or relationships with people, or even with society on a broader level. You may find yourself purposely isolating from people due to embarrassment about what others may think. You may even be resistant to forming friendships or getting involved in romantic relationships. It may be the other way around, too—others may avoid you due to their own stigmas or assumptions about TD. Over time, social isolation and the loneliness that goes along with it can take a significant toll on your mental health.
• Embarrassment is an emotional state associated with varying levels of discomfort or self-consciousness. The involuntary movements that are the hallmark symptom of TD can cause you to feel embarrassed. This embarrassment, or fear of being embarrassed, may cause you to refrain from basic social activities and can lead to social isolation over time.
• Distress goes beyond sadness. It can also have you feeling fearful, angry, helpless, hopeless, panicked, or out of control. TD can cause feelings of distress, and distress can make it harder to cope with having TD. You may have trouble focusing on treatment decisions, making follow-up appointments, or even taking medications that are important for the management of other conditions.
• Anxiety is your body's response to stress. It's a feeling of fear or apprehension about what's to come. You may feel anxious about going out in public because you’re nervous of what others might think. Or you may worry about how your symptoms will morph or change. It’s normal to feel anxious about things from time to time. However, if you’re finding yourself experiencing extreme levels of anxiety—to the point where it’s debilitating—it could be a mental health disorder.
• Depression should not be confused with sadness. Sadness is a natural reaction to an emotionally upsetting or painful situation. Depression is a longer-term mental illness that causes persistent feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.

The feelings described here can seem overwhelming. Remember that you do not have to manage them on your own. If you’re experiencing negative feelings and emotions, it’s important to tell your healthcare provider, who can guide you toward treatment and support that can help.