What is a potential consequence of long-term use of antipsychotic medications?

Long-term use of antipsychotic medications is associated with various side effects, one of the most concerning being tardive dyskinesia. This condition is characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements, often affecting the face, tongue, and limbs. It is a results of long-term exposure to dopamine receptor antagonists, which are primarily found in many antipsychotic medications. The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia increases with the duration of antipsychotic therapy and can result in irreversible movement disorders.

While weight gain is indeed a common side effect of some antipsychotic medications, it's typically more associated with specific medications and not all antipsychotics. Insomnia may occur as a side effect, particularly when starting treatment or adjusting dosages, but it is not a direct result of long-term use of antipsychotics. Memory loss can happen for various reasons in psychiatric conditions but is not a well-documented consequence of long-term antipsychotic use, unlike tardive dyskinesia, which has a clear and established association.