Veteran Soap Star Tyler Christopher Brings Awareness To Disorder Risk

Former General Hospital and Days of our Lives star, Tyler Christopher, has been very upfront with his mental health struggle and trying to stay healthy. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the actor recently brought attention to a risk that so many who take prescriptions for mental health have to know about.

Tyler Christopher Shines A Spotlight

The actor who made us fall in love with Nikolas Cassadine on GH and Stefan O. DiMera on DAYS has been incredibly brave and honest with his mental health struggles, opening up to former GH co-star Maurice Benard in a must-see episode of the latter’s video podcast series, State Of Mind, as well as to Soap Hub in a two-part interview. The actor recently took to Instagram to let people know that sometimes what helps can also lead to harm.

“This evening Tanka and I took a walk though Balboa Park as we often do and noticed the entire park was lit with blue lights,” he wrote in the caption, alongside a few images of the beauty of his walk. “I was informed it was in honor of #tdawarenessweek.”

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According to Wikipedia, “Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder that results in involuntary, repetitive body movements…it occurs in some people as a result of long-term use of dopamine-receptor-blocking medications such as antipsychotics and metoclopramide….usually used for mental illness but may also be given for gastrointestinal or neurological problems.”

“As an actor who has been open about my mental health struggles I am acutely aware of the risk of TD for people utilizing mental health medications,” continued Tyler Christopher. “Fortunately, in California being seen in person by my doctor is a right so I can be screened regularly for TD. This is important and I encourage anyone who takes medications for their mental health diagnosis to ask their doctor about being screened and learning more about #tardivedyskinesia.”