The razor-thin line between contagion and connection | Dan Taberski

In this TED Talks Daily episode, host Elise Hu introduces Dan Taberski's investigation into a 2011 case in LeRoy, New York, where several high school girls developed Tourette's-like tics. Taberski's exploration, stemming from his podcast "Hysterical," delves into the phenomenon of mass psychogenic illness, or mass hysteria, and its connection to stress and trauma. The talk covers the initial outbreak, the skepticism surrounding it, and the eventual diagnosis of mass hysteria, further discussing historical examples like the Salem Witch Trials and a post-9/11 rash outbreak. Taberski also examines a modern manifestation: police officers experiencing symptoms resembling fentanyl overdose without actual toxicological evidence. He concludes by highlighting the fine line between contagion and connection, illustrated by the story of a girl with Tourette's whose symptoms worsened during the outbreak but who now finds community and acceptance at a Tourette's syndrome camp.