Teenage girls eat and behave more abnormally during the pandemic
In addition to a pandemic, there are many other factors involved.
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In addition, tic disorders, which are usually very rare in girls, are becoming more and more common in this demographic.
Usually, tic disorders begin earlier in childhood and are more common in men. But pandemic-related stress or exposure to more social media platforms may be linked to an increase in hits by tics and tic-like behavior among teenage girls.
Adolescents who have been previously diagnosed with anxiety or depression may be more susceptible to developing tic-like behaviors. In some cases, the physical symptoms of stress can manifest in a way that one patient has seen manifesting in another.
Historically, these phenomena have been seen in people living in the same location before. But widespread access to social media has created a much broader outbreak that is not location-specific.
Early intervention is key for both eating disorders and tic disordersand seeking medical treatment and mental health therapy for any new symptoms or concerns you may have about your child’s behavior is the first step.
Excessive changes in eating habits, skipping meals, excessive exercise, and more isolated behavior regarding food and eating are all signs of an eating disorder.
Repetitive nose wrinkles, winking, shrugging or kicking, skipping, jumping to repetitive words and phrases, animal sounds, screaming are symptoms of a tic disorder.
If you’re concerned about their social media use in general, it can be helpful to set up an agreed-upon device usage policy, as well as maybe a regular social media break and block certain types of professional eating disorder content and tic-focused content on social media.
Source: Medindia