Influence of social media on disease perception

Abstract

Background. Mass hysteria or mass psychogenic illness as termed by the rapid spread of medically unexplained symptoms within a social group. Symptoms such as fainting, headaches, and paralysis appear suddenly; this may be closely linked to the impact of social media, especially in the teenage population causing various problems such as tics, depression, etc. Objectives: To explore how social media influences the emergence and spread of sociogenic illness, particularly during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Analysis of historical cases of sociogenic illness and review of recent studies examining social media’s impact on public risk perception during COVID-19. Results. Social media plays a dual role in spreading accurate COVID-19 information and misinformation, complicating public risk perception. Real-time updates and personal stories on social media heighten emotional responses, increasing anxiety and fear. Health organizations are more trusted than individual accounts, but the overall credibility of information on social media varies widely. Social media significantly affects public behavior, including impact on health guidelines and vaccine acceptance. Instances of teenagers developing Tourette-like tics linked to TikTok videos show how social media impacts mental health. Conclusion. Social interactions and media consumption significantly influence mental health and behavior. Effective public health strategies must enhance social skills and ensure the credibility of information disseminated through media. Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions and communication strategies to mitigate the impact of sociogenic illness exacerbated by social media.