Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Sahib Khalsa shares research on interoception and benefits of unplugging from tech to tune into our body signals. Discusses 'TikTok tics' outbreak and a school in DC promoting movement. Explores future tech for a healthier body-mind connection.
Sudden TikTok Tic outbreak linked to environmental overstimulation.
Deep dives
The TikTok Tourette's-Like Symptoms Phenomenon
Teenagers globally suddenly displayed severe Tourette's-like symptoms, believed to be triggered by TikTok videos. Previously mild tick disorders now presented abruptly and severely, leading to frequent emergency room visits.
Interoception and Mental Health Connection
Interoception, the awareness of internal body signals, plays a crucial role in mental health. An imbalance in interoception can lead to health issues like anxiety disorders and eating disorders. People with such conditions often exhibit heightened sensitivity to internal sensations, contributing to their symptoms.
Environmental Stimulation and Body-Brain Connection
Environmental overstimulation, particularly through technology and social media, can disrupt the body-brain dialogue, leading to stress and mental health challenges. Reduced environmental stimulation therapy, like sensory deprivation in float tanks, helps reset the nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety and stress levels.
In part five: host Manoush Zomorodi investigates what information overload does to our physical and mental health. Could our tech use be interfering with the critical dialogue that takes place between the body and the brain? Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Sahib Khalsa shares his latest research on interoception — the brain's ability to sense how the body is feeling — and how finding time to unplug from our devices can help us tune into our body's natural signals.
Also in this episode: neurologist Caroline Olvera takes us inside the "TikTok tics" outbreak — exploring why thousands of teens developed Tourette's-like symptoms after watching TikTok videos in 2021. Plus, how a school in Washington, DC helps kids stay connected to their bodies by creating a high-movement, low-tech environment.
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