Tardive dyskinesia is caused by the chronic use of antipsychotics, also known as neuroleptic drugs or, specifically, Dopamine Receptor Blocking Agents (DRBA's). Antipsychotics are primarily used to treat mental illnesses such as:

The first generation of antipsychotics is more likely to cause TD. The second generation of antipsychotics was recently approved by the FDA and is significantly less likely to cause TD: tetrabenazine and valbenazine.

Side effects include persistent, repetitive, and uncontrollable motions: rapid blinking, sticking out the tongue,