(BPT) - This article was sponsored and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Allison was compensated by Neurocrine Biosciences to share her story. The first week of October is recognized as Mental Illness Awareness Week, an essential time to support and advocate for the one in five adults in the United States living with a mental illness.
As advocates work to raise awareness for these individuals and their care partners, it’s important to remember that those taking antipsychotic medication to treat mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, may also have tardive dyskinesia (TD).* TD is a persistent, involuntary movement disorder associated with use of antipsychotic medication that affects approximately 600,000 or more people in the U.S.
Allison grew up in San Diego and has been participating in performance arts since she was a kid, including theater, acting and writing. While working at her first night shift radio job at the age of 28, she began losing sleep and started behaving erratically. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed both an antipsychotic and antidepressant.
Allison’s doctor discontinued the antipsychotic after only three days, but she continued taking the antidepressant and a mood stabilizer. She later moved to Florida for a fresh start but saw her bipolar disorder symptoms increase after her antidepressant suddenly stopped working. She was again prescr.