When is a psychiatric consultation indicated for patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD)?

Updated: Oct 17, 2018
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Psychiatric consultation is indicated for people with possible psychogenic movement disorders. These conditions include some of the most bizarre and florid movement disorders known. Typically, psychogenic movement disorders do not demonstrate the usual phenomenology and topology of TD, though it is possible for a patient to have both a psychogenic movement disorder and TD.

If a psychological component is suspected, the primary clinician must tactfully and diplomatically suggest to the patient that a consultation to investigate psychological aspects may be helpful. The patient should agree to psychiatric consultation before the specialist is asked to visit. A course of psychotherapy likely carries less morbidity than pharmacologic interventions.

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