Touted as "a pandemic within the pandemic", this kind of tics refers to functional tics that emerged in many teenagers, particularly girls, during the COVID-19 pandemic. These tics, often including repetitive sounds, gestures, or even obscenities, are thought to be a form of mass sociogenic illness or functional neurological disorder (FND), where witnessing others' tics on social media platforms like TikTok can unconsciously prompt similar behaviors in viewers. While social media may serve as a trigger, the underlying causes are co
After scrolling through TikTok for hours, I couldn’t believe I started mimicking those TikTok tics; it’s like I caught a case of them just by watching!
by Emotional Cruiser September 22, 2025
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