TikTok Tics / FND

Social media influencers with erroneous content related to tics and Tourette Syndrome have been linked to thousands of young people becoming overcome with what they think is Tourette Syndrome, even though they actually have a Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

TikTok Tics / FND has been documented across the globe, with symptoms almost identical  to the videos that have been viewed. Common actions include swearing, hitting their own heads, throwing objects, whistling, clicking with their tongues, poking or pushing  their mothers, head jerks, giving the middle finger, and saying words such as "whoa," "uh oh." and "beans" repeatedly. 

Racial slurs appear to not be said, although this sometimes occurs in people who have Tourette Syndrome, due to a condition called Coprolalia. Similarly, people with Tourette's tend to feel remorseful when they make a vocalization or say something that others may find offensive. People with TikTok Tics tend to respond with laughter or anger.

 ln the United States. medical professionals are finding that this disorder occurs almost exclusively in middle to upper-class white girls and non-binary youth ages 10 to 22. Many patients with TikTok Tics have a significant history of social anxiety, ADHD, and OCD. Many also appear to have high functioning Autism and are immature in relation to their peers. It is also common for patients to have insufficient daily exercise and limited responsibilities at home. At this time, it is unclear if sleep disturbance related to being on screens late at night is related to this disorder.

They also have difficulty communicating emotional concerns such fears related to becoming ill from COVID and feeling isolated during the pandemic. The loss of school, extracurricular activities, and  opportunities to just hang out with friends is replaced with social media.  

It is believed that people with TikTok Tics view a massive number of "tic" videos prior to having vocal and motor behaviors of their own. Associating with others who have TikTok Tics quickly exacerbates the symptoms.

Social media use is frequently kept hidden from parents and medical providers, even after symptoms have spiraled out of control.  It seems that this secrecy is in part out of fear of losing phone privileges and concern of no longer belonging to the online and in-person community of others with TikTok tics.

The patients believe content they have viewed on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube is directly related to Tourette Syndrome because the influencers state they have this medical condition although no proof is given. Most TIkTok patients do not know anyone who actually has Tourette's.

When symptoms occur, patients frequently reach out to other youth online and form a bond related to common behaviors including head jerks, Iip popping, tongue clicking, whistles, hitting or slapping their head or chest, saying words that are out of context,  dropping items, throwing objects, touching others inappropriately, excessive blinking and more.  Additional tic-like behaviors are also picked up within these support groups and passed on to others as a sort of psychogenic contagion.

Since TikTok Tics are a Functional Motor Disorder, which is a form of a Functional Neurological Disorder, the symptoms are real but tend to be much more closely related to a mental health concern than a neurological cause. So, even though the videos may not accurately portray what tics are, those with TikTok Tics believe they are ill. These behaviors become more prevalent when parents and peers pay extensive attention to them and during times of heightened stress. Patients benefit from finding ways to decrease anxiety, build in-person community, and address overuse of social media. It is especially important to unsubscribe from anything with tic-related content.

Healing also  centers around addressing concerns related to the pandemic and the many stresses and losses it has caused. 

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) has been found to be the most effective therapeutic treatment for TikTok Tics. CBIT Therapy is an occupational therapy practice that utilizes video calls to treat patients in their homes, where most of the social media is consumed and stressors and supports can be identified. We train patients how to stop disruptive motor and vocal activity by doing a blocking technique called a Competing Response, which is also successful with traditional forms of tics. Daily exercise is another important component.