cCan Riannon Chaplin
As the world went into lockdown in 2020, a strange phenomenon emerged: a sharp rise in young people with Tourette-like tics in Germany.
The affected teenagers were too old to develop Tourette’s syndrome, which usually presents in early childhood. While the sudden-onset symptoms were genuine, most recovered after professionals told them they didn’t have Tourette’s. But, in addition to tics, the patients had something else in common.
They were all fans of Jan Zimmermann, a popular German YouTuber with Tourette’s. Many of the teenagers had the same tics as him.
“Many sufferers will come up with explanations for their symptoms”
Researchers from Hannover Medical School dubbed it the first recorded case of ‘mass social media-induced illness’. They suggested the teenagers had functional tics distinct from Tourette’s. And although their symptoms were real, they were caused by ‘mass hysteria’.
But what is hysteria? Why does it mainly affect women? Can social media make us ill – and should we be worried?
What Is Mass Hysteria?
What was previously known as mass hysteria is now called mass psychogenic illness (MPI).
MPI occurs when members of a group begin feeling ill at the same time despite no physical or environmental causes. The clue is in the word ‘psychogenic’: this disease originates from the mind. Cases usually occur in tight-knit communities, such as schools and workplaces. The oldest examples can be traced back to the Middle Ages, although others may be undocumented.
The symptoms of MPI vary from case to case but can include headaches, rashes, fainting, and nausea. These symptoms are caused by stress or anxiety. Many sufferers will come up with explanations for their symptoms, believing they were poisoned or have another illness (such as Tourette’s).
Sociologist Dr Robert Bartholomew, an expert on MPI, emphasises that anyone can be affected: “It’s based on a belief. We all have beliefs, so we’re all susceptible. Think of MPI as a collective stress reaction predominantly involving otherwise healthy people.”
MPI Through The Ages
The famous MPI case is the 1518 Strasbourg dancing plague. As many as 400 people danced non-stop for days, with the epidemic lasting up to three months. Many collapsed, with some dying of stroke or heart failure. One theory is that they had ingested ergot, a fungal disease which can cause convulsions.
Medical historian John Waller suggests it was MPI caused by the stress of disease and famine. He disputes the ergot theory because the area affected had “quite different climates and crops.” Dancing plagues were common in Europe during the Middle Ages. One had even happened in Germany 144 years before the Strasbourg case.
Another famous example is the Salem Witch Trials, which is speculated to be an example of MPI.
In 1962, dozens of women working in a US textile mill exhibited symptoms, including rashes, nausea, and numbness. They blamed June bugs, but no evidence of the beetles was discovered. Psychologists found that over 90 per cent of the women worked the same shift, and most worked overtime, causing stress. Following the Industrial Revolution, factories were often home to MPI epidemics.
Schools are also a common site for MPI outbreaks. In 1892, students in Germany and Switzerland experienced involuntary tremors due to tedious and repetitive writing exercises. Tanzania was forced to close schools in 1961 due to schoolgirls having uncontrollable laughing fits, among other symptoms.
MPI In The Online World
The researchers do not suggest that young people involved in the so-called ‘TikTok tics’ faked their symptoms but believe a desire for belonging and attention during the stress of the pandemic may have contributed.
According to Dr Bartholomew, mass social media-induced illness (MPI) differs from MPI in one key way: you don’t need to be in close physical proximity to others to be affected. He said, “It’s a game-changer. In the future, we could be looking at an outbreak affecting tens of thousands of people at the speed of light, in all corners of the earth.”
But the TikTok tics aren’t the first example. In 2011, a high school cheerleader woke up with uncontrollable twitches in LeRoy, a town in New York. The symptoms spread over the next few weeks until 20 people were affected. Only one was male.
The story took off online and in the national media. Marge Fitzsimmons, a nurse who developed tics and a stutter, had never met the teenagers and was only connected to them through Facebook posts about their symptoms.
Other phenomena, such as the 2016 clown sightings and Halloween candy-tampering hoaxes, may also be examples of MPI spreading through the internet.
Are Women More Vulnerable To Mass Hysteria?
Of the thousands of MPI cases Dr Bartholomew has collected, over 99% are majority female. The term ‘hysteria’ has historically been used to portray women as unstable, which Bartholomew thinks is one reason for the stigma surrounding MPI.
“Red flags were raised about how social media content affects mental illnesses”
He believes that nurture, more than nature, is at the core of this gender gap. Women are often more likely than men to talk about their symptoms and seek medical attention, which could contribute to the spread of MPI. Women also deal with conflict from the demands of gender roles. Additionally, sickness is one of the few ways it is socially acceptable for women to reject or escape from society without judgment.
The ‘TikTok tics’, which mainly affected women, suggest this gender gap may carry over into cases of mass social media-induced illness. Dr Bartholomew believes we should be worried: “Social media should come with a health warning. It’s kind of the Wild West right now.”
Can Social Media Make Us Sick?
The desire to belong to a group is natural. Social media provides endless possibilities for connection. But is it a double-edged sword?
Red flags were raised about how social media content affects mental illnesses following the case of Molly Russell, who was 14 years old at the time of her death in 2017. Russell had been viewing depression, self-harm, and suicide content on social media. Her father, Ian Russell, is still campaigning to improve content regulation online.
Dr Bartholomew urges caution: “There needs to be a better system to monitor what ages use social media. In terms of steps to reduce the risk – well, that’s the $10,000 question. More research and better education seem like a good place to start.”
Can Social Media Make Us Better?
Sam Thomas, 38, is a writer and campaigner based in Brighton who developed alcoholism in his mid-twenties. He quit drinking in November 2019 and founded the #RecoveryPosse community on X. The community helped him remain sober during the pandemic. He believes more nuance is needed in discussions about social media.
“Many in our community have no one else to support them”
“A lot of people weren’t able to engage with their usual recovery methods, like in-person groups.” Sam says, “It really became a lifeline. We could support one another no matter where people were. It was a real mix of different people at different stages, with different addictions.”
Olivia Bell Macdonald, a nutritionist based in Sydney, believes an online community could be especially important for women. The 26-year-old runs Bloom, a six-week programme that combines coaching and an online support network to help women change their relationship with food.
“Whatever journey you’re on can be incredibly isolating. Many in our community have no one else to support them.” Olivia explains, “Having an online community of women whom they would otherwise never have met is unmatched.”
Social media can be a positive force for our physical and mental health. Yet, as the digital world is increasingly ingrained, mass hysteria (like the ‘TikTok Tics’) might become more common.
Featured image courtesy of Amanda Vick on Unsplash No changes made to image. Image license here.
Riannon Chaplin
Riannon is a trainee journalist from Essex with a degree in History from Cambridge University. She is especially interested in social affairs, particularly education, disability and health and wellbeing.