Msmi induced by social networks

He MSMI (mass social media induced illness), known in Spanish as Disease induced by social networks It is an increasingly frequent disorder that is worrying the community of professionals dedicated to mental health. Many followers of a young German YouTuber, Jan Zimmermann, who suffers from Tourette syndrome, They have attended a clinic in Tourette in search of an explanation for the acquisition of a series of ICTs. What's going on? Let's look more in depth what the MSMI consists of and this specific case.

Content

• MSMI: SOCIAL NETWORK IN DISEASE
• Do you really spread Tourette syndrome?
• What hides behind MSMI
• Differences between this MSMI and Tourette Syndrome
• Final reflection
  • Bibliography

MSMI: SOCIAL NETWORK IN DISEASE

A team of researchers headed by Müller-Vahl (2021), has observed a new type of massive sociogenic disease (MSI, acronym for English Mass Sociogenic Illness). Unlike previous MSI reported episodes, This new disorder is spread only by social networks. A massive sociogenic disease refers to the fact that People belonging to a group begin to feel sick at the same time without an environmental or physical reason that justify it. Due to the nature of the phenomenon, Müller-Vahl and his team have baptized him as MSMI (Mass Social Media-Induced Illness), that is, induced by social networks.

The researchers claim that a large number of young people have been referred to their specialized clinic in Tourette syndrome by presenting symptoms similar to those shown by a young man Youtuber German Zimmerman in his videos and suffering from this syndrome. Apparently, as a Müller-Vahl team post, These young people acquire verbal tics to be constantly exposed to content that have been created by people with this syndrome. In this case, young people say without apparent reason the same expressions as those of Zimmerman, expressions such as: "pommes" (fried potatoes), "Heil Hitler" or "du Bist Häßlich (you are ugly).

Do you really spread Tourette syndrome?

Many of the young people who follow Zimmerman and who seem to present these tics, upload videos to social networks. These are videos in which you can see the alleged ICTs acquired after exposed to the young German Channel. And it is right at this point where the question of whether Tourette syndrome has the ability to get social networks through social networks. The answer is obvious: no. This syndrome is not spread as such through social networks, but If an acquisition of certain behaviors supposedly related to Tourette is observed.

In the videos of the young Zimmerman there is a slight form of Tourette in which Tics of functional character such as: movements, vocalizations, words, phrases and strange behaviors appear. However, both in the videos of the followers and in the young people who have been referred to the consultation the difference is obvious: Most only mimic what is socially believed typical of this syndrome. That is, young people present, above all, Coprolalia (obscene language), copropraxia (inappropriate gestures) and socially obscene and inadequate behaviors.

In addition, while Zimmerman seems to vary their behavior in videos, young people usually extend inappropriate words and expressions. It is because of that The spread of the disease is not such, since Tourette syndrome has an endogenous character, So infection is limited only to inadequate tics and behaviors.

What hides behind MSMI

Müller-Vahl's team wanted to get to the bottom of the matter to know the reason for this "contagion". None of the young people who present the ICTs have had narrow or direct contact with Zimmerman, only indirectly through social networks. In different interviews with these young patients, They all reported that they admire the young man Youtuber With this syndrome "for its open approach to the supposed Tourette syndrome and for success despite its condition" (Müller-Vahl, 2021). In this way, it would cause a high emotional impact on young people and trigger the infection.

All patients who presented themselves with the alleged Tourette tics did it about four months after Zimmerman began uploading videos to the network. They all confirmed to have seen their videos. In addition, a factor that the team of researchers determined as a potentiator of this infection was the confinement due to the sanitary pandemic. Due to the reduction of outflows abroad, young people were more exposed to the content that appeared on the networks since they spent more connected time.

Differences between this MSMI and Tourette Syndrome

Tourette syndrome appears at an early age unlike ICTs presented by young followers, that appear after watching Zimmerman's videos. On the other hand, Tourette syndrome still does not have a clear cause, but current hypotheses point to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It also seems to collect prominence in these neurotransmitter hypotheses such as serotonin and dopamine, which could be involved in the regulation of nerve impulses.

Final reflection

Because this type of MSMI is a fairly recent phenomenon, it still requires more research to find out what hides behind this form of infection. It is striking to observe that despite the fact that Tourette syndrome cannot be infected, they do some of their behavioral patterns, so, An interesting research path would be mirror neurons. Somehow and to give a simple and graphic example is as if a Youtuber Load will infect his followers. Suddenly, dozens of young people walk as if they were lame despite not being. Hopefully in a short time we have more information about this phenomenon.

Bibliography

• Müller-Vahl, k.R., PISARENKO, a., Jakubovski, e., and Fremer, C. (2021). Stop that! It's not Tourette's But a New Type of Mass Sociogenic Illness. Brain.