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Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder that causes involuntary, uncontrolled movements of the face, body, or limbs, caused by long-term use of certain mental health medicines (antipsychotics). Antipsychotics are often used to treat people living with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder.

Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week (TDAW) kicks off the first week of May—as part of Mental Health Awareness Month—and is dedicated to increasing awareness, encouraging conversation, and helping people recognize the signs of TD.

Why TD awareness matters

While TD is a result of treating mental health, it's often left out of the conversation.

That’s why we’re raising awareness—because TD may be more common than you think.

It's estimated that at least 800,000 adults in the US may have TD and yet about 60% of them remain undiagnosed.

What does TD look like?

TD is a chronic condition and is unlikely to improve without treatment. The movements can present as uncontrollable face twitching, involuntary eye movements, darting tongue, piano fingers, clenched jaw, rocking torso, and gripping feet.

See what the uncontrollable movements of TD can look like.


What Does TD Look Like? Video What Does TD Look Like? Video

Unsure if you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of TD?

TAKE THE SYMPTOM CHECKER QUIZ

Have you or a loved one felt the impact of TD?

For many people, TD can affect daily life more than they expect. TD and mental health are deeply connected. The uncontrollable body movements can affect social, emotional, and functional well-being—compounding the burden of mental illness.

SOCIAL 56% reported that they avoided
others or avoided going out in
public due to their TD symptoms*
EMOTIONAL 86% agreed that their movements
made them feel judged or stared at*
FUNCTIONAL 43% asked someone to help with
doing daily activities because of
their TD symptoms*

*The TD patient survey was conducted online in the US by The Harris Poll on behalf of Neurocrine Biosciences. The survey included 150 patients with mild/moderate TD (n=112) or severe TD (n=38). The survey was conducted from December 12, 2024, to December 31, 2024.

The more people talk about TD, the more we can normalize and destigmatize the disease

Keep the conversation going with a helpful resource

For additional information on TD, download our infographic.
You can also follow and join the conversation online by sharing #TDAwarenessWeek and #Screen4TD

Neurocrine Biosciences proudly supports
TDAW—because you deserve brave science

Neurocrine Biosciences is committed to bringing awareness to TD every day, but especially during Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. We aren't the only ones who support this mission. Since its inception in 2018, all 50 states, Washington, DC, and multiple mental health advocacy organizations continue to recognize TD Awareness Week.

At Neurocrine Biosciences, our purpose is simple: to relieve suffering for people with great needs, but few options. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders, because you deserve brave science. Our company's diverse portfolio reflects this dedication to discovery, including the very first FDA-approved treatment for TD.