Paediatric experts at hospitals across the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK have all said that TikTok could be the cause of teenage girls across the world developing involuntary tics and Tourette’s syndrome-like traits.
According to recent medical journal articles, doctors have linked these baffling symptoms to the teens consuming content from TikTok influences who say they have Tourette’s, a nervous-system disorder that causes repetitive, involuntary movements or noises.
Doctors are also saying that it could be linked to anxiety and depression brought on or worsened during the pandemic.
Neurologist Dr Donald Gilbert told The Wall Street Journal: “There are some kids who watch social media and develop tics and some who don’t have any access to social media and develop tics.
“I think there are a lot of contributing factors, including anxiety, depression and stress.”
Since March of last year, Texas Children’s Hospital has seen about 60 teens with tics, where doctors reported just a handful of cases before the pandemic.
Between March and June of 2021, Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago reported 20 patients with tics, double the amount from the year before.
The Tourettes hashtag on TikTok currently has over 4.9 billion views. Many doctors are even questioning whether TikTok creators that claim they have Tourettes are legit cases at all.
Doctors are recommending the teens go through some cognitive behavioural therapy and tell teens with tics to stay off TikTok for several weeks in order to unlearn the behaviour.
