Some doctors across the US blame social media app TikTok for increase in reported teenage tics

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Doctors around the world have reported seeing a bewildering increase in the number of teenage girls seeking medical care for tics since the start of the pandemic trend that many have linked to TikTok videos, reports the Wall Street Journal. Doctors were reportedly left scratching their heads at the influx of teenage girls experiencing the physical jerks and verbal outbursts, as men are traditionally much more likely to develop the movement disorder. But when doctors in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK started comparing their scores, they realized that all teens shared a fondness for TikTok videos. They have also reportedly watched videos of influencers sharing their experience with Tourettes syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes people to make involuntary movements or sounds. Doctors say that teens who have recently experienced such behaviors are likely to have pre-existing diagnoses like depression or anxiety. There are children who watch social media and develop tics and others who have no access to social media and develop tics, said Dr. McGuire, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. I think there are a lot of contributing factors including anxiety, depression, and stress.

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