Social Media ‘Influencers’ & the Spread of Mental Disorders
In October 2021, doctors from around the world gathered via Zoom to discuss a new type of tic disorder becoming increasingly prevalent among adolescents. While the disorder resembled Tourette syndrome (an illness characterized by involuntary movements and vocal sounds), these new patients displayed tics that did not fit a Tourette diagnosis. Most Tourette patients are male; they begin displaying symptoms in early childhood (around ages 5–7); and while their tics gradually worsen, very few progress to the point of extreme tics (such as uncontrollably shouting obscenities).
In contrast, the new cases tended to be in adolescent and teenage girls with no history of tics and with severe tics appearing suddenly; some girls...
is the Event & Executive Services Manager at The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. He holds a BA in psychology from Nyack College and MAs in church history and theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Get Salvo in your inbox! This article originally appeared in Salvo, Issue #62, Fall 2022 Copyright © 2023 Salvo | www.salvomag.com https://salvomag.com/article/salvo62/six-billion-tics