ATLANTA – State Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta), chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, seeks to recognize Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week as a part of Mental Health Awareness Month throughout May. During the 2022 legislative session, Chair Cooper introduced House Resolution 856 to recognize May 1 through May 7, 2022, as TD Awareness Week in Georgia to help increase education and raise awareness around the condition.
“In Georgia, more than 1.4 million adults in the state live with a mental illness,” said Chair Cooper. “It is critical that we support and remember that those living with a mental illness who take antipsychotics for a prolonged time may develop or already have TD. It is so important that we continue to raise awareness around this involuntary movement disorder, which may have an impact on patients physically, emotionally and socially. We continue to use this time as a reminder to educate our citizens about mental health.”
The goal of TD Awareness Week is to help raise awareness and support for people living with the condition. Some people living with a mental health condition may also experience TD, an involuntary movement disorder that is associated with taking certain mental health medicines, such as antipsychotics, that treat bipolar disorder, depression, schizoaffective disorder or anxiety disorder. According to Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., TD affects approximately 600,000 people in the U.S. The uncontrollable movements of TD may appear mild, moderate or severe and can occur in one or more areas. These movements are often seen in the face, torso and/or other body parts.
For more information on HR 856, please click here.
Representative Sharon Cooper represents the citizens of District 43, which includes portions of Cobb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and currently serves as Chairman of the Health & Human Services Committee and Vice Chairman of the Special Committee On Access to Quality Health Care. She also serves on the Judiciary Non-Civil, Regulated Industries and Rules committees.
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