Below the Fold - infected with tics from TikTok

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WELLNESS CHECK
This edition leans...

Hey Below the Fold fam,

We’ve read (and potentially experienced) the toll social media can have on mental health. But now, early signs of its influence on our physical health — particularly young girls — are starting to emerge.

TODAY'S STORY

Bonding over tics may be triggering tics
Tue Oct 19

What makes a disorder up to four times more likely to affect young boys suddenly spike in girls? The answer might be social media. Tourette Syndrome is a condition that causes tics, which are repeated, uncontrolled, and sudden movements or vocal sounds, typically appearing in children between the ages of five and nine.

But now, teenage girls worldwide are showing up at doctors’ offices with tics at record rates. Reports in the U.S. show...

60 cases since March 2020, up from 1-2 cases a year, at the Texas Children’s Hospital
10-20% of pediatric patients diagnosed with Tourette’s, up from 3%, at John Hopkins University Tourette’s Center
20 cases this year, up from 10, at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center.

Doctors from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. banded together to discuss the phenomenon and found one thing in common: TikTok. People with the condition began posting videos sharing their life with tics, such as one user whose symptoms made her involuntarily throw eggs while baking, to gain support and build community during the pandemic. But, unintentionally, exposure to these videos seems to be triggering tics in those watching them, affecting teen girls the most — the hashtag #tourettes now has ~5 billions views. TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t help, as engaging with a single #tourettes video can result in dozens taking over your recommended videos feed.

That said, TikTok isn’t the only factor. While the platform is being researched further, including by the company itself, doctors say anxiety and depression — both of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic — are major contributing factors as well.

🎬 Take Action

Know someone living with tics? Consider these recommendations: taking a break from social media, talking to a specialist, maintaining a normal routine, or getting physical (such as sports or yoga). Learn more from the CDC.

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RESOURCE CENTER

Wall Street Journal:
(Where we found this story)
2 weeks old | 16 minutes long

Movement Disorder Society:

Study on TikTok tics
3 months old | 24 minutes long

BMJ:
COVID-19 and tics
7 months old | 13 minutes long

KidsHealth:

Tourettes in kids
5 years old | 8 minutes long

ICYMI (AGAIN)

Yesterday: Drones are being used to plant trees faster
Friday: The birth of the green burial
Thursday: Going green may mean giving up artificial scarcity

ASCII-ING ABOUT THE NEWS

o   \ o /  _ o         __|
/|\    |     /\   ___\o   \o
/ \   / \   | \  /)  |    ( \

Doing yoga every now and zen can help manage tics.

Art Credit: ASCII Art Archive

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Below the Fold - infected with tics from TikTok

🎬 Take Action

RESOURCE CENTER

ICYMI (AGAIN)

Older messages

drones are being used to plant trees faster

the birth of the green burial

go green or stay exclusive?

kids locked up for fake crimes

from Vienna to Berlin

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