Wellness
As millions of people
around the country practice
social distancing and
are staying at home for weeks
on end, many people may fi nd
themselves feeling lonely and
alone, maybe even anxious or
uneasy, for the fi rst time.
Others are all too familiar
with the emotional impact
of feeling alone and separated
from friends and loved ones
while also managing their emotional
health. Among them are
people who live with a mental
illness such as depression,
bipolar disorder and anxiety,
who sometimes opt to social
distance because being around
other people makes them uncomfortable
or self-conscious.
One in fi ve adults live with
some form of mental illness in
the U.S., and many of them also
deal with a relatively unknown
involuntary movement disorder
called tardive dyskinesia
(TD). TD is associated with prolonged
use of antipsychotics
prescribed to treat mental illnesses
such as depression, bipolar
disorder, and schizophrenia.
COURIER L 28 IFE, JULY 17-23, 2020
The physical symptoms of
TD can impact one’s emotional
and social well-being, causing
them to feel embarrassed
or withdrawn from society. At
least 500,000 people in the U.S.
are living with TD.
Shelly, a married mother
of one, was diagnosed with bipolar
disorder and spent two
years with her physician trying
to fi nd an antipsychotic medication
that helped. After being
prescribed a few different options,
she fi nally found a treatment
that worked for her. Just
as things started to get better,
however, she began noticing
uncontrollable movements in
her legs, mouth, and tongue.
After noticing these movements,
her doctor advised that
she might have TD. She learned
that while the symptoms can
look and feel different from day
to day, they may remain persistent
and often irreversible.
Shelly’s symptoms sometimes
embarrass her so much that
she often avoids communication
with others. “The days my
TD symptoms are really bad, I
won’t answer the phone because
my voice is so slurred from my
tongue movements, it’s hard
for people to understand me,”
Shelly notes.
So, whether people are in
self-imposed or mandated social
isolation, Shelly offers
the following suggestions to
weather the storm:
Seek virtual support groups
or connect with family and
friends. Comparing stories and
information with others facing
similar challenges can be enormously
helpful. “It’s so important
for people with TD to feel
connected and have a community,
because we are often so
isolated and stigmatized,” says
Shelly. It is important to stay
connected to family, friends
and those who make you feel
supported, listen and can help
uplift your spirits. “I know
what it feels like to be alone, so
I can relate to those people out
there struggling through this
tough time.”
Refl ect on your individual
needs. Acknowledge and legitimize
your own feelings. Know
that your feelings are valid.
Connect with people who make
you feel better and avoid those
who bring you down. “I call
my friends and family weekly
and my mother daily and I set a
weekly phone session with my
therapist to help me cope,” says
Shelly.
Stick to healthy routines. Do
everything possible to take care
of your own physical, mental
and emotional wellbeing. Take
time for yourself to exercise,
try meditating, and connect
with loved ones. “Taking short
walks with my husband every
evening around my neighborhood
makes all the difference,”
Shelly notes.
Optimize resources. Take
advantage of the wealth of online
mental health resources.
There are a lot of advocacy
groups who have support services
available to help manage
your mental wellbeing and if
you are living with the challenges
of mental illness, including
TD, you can learn more
about the disorder and how to
get help at TalkAboutTD.com.
Dealing with isolation
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/TalkAboutTD.com
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