THE NETWORKED MIND:

What mass psychogenic illness reveals about fears, beliefs, and the human body: from a dancing plague in 1518 to TikTok tics today

By Ardhendu Bhattacharjee

Mass psychogenic illness reveals how fears and beliefs can spread across a population, manifesting physically in the human body.

Copyright Status: Public Domain (Worldwide). The original artwork is over 400 years old, making it completely free to use for digital formatting, academic syndication, or article headers without requiring permissions.

The Ghost in the Washroom

In June 2013, after a ghost was reported to have attacked a woman in the washroom of a garment factory in Gazipur, 3,500 workers went on strike. The factory reopened only after police arrived — summoned by management, who provided food and arranged prayers.

A few days after the Gazipur incident, workers began suffering spells of dizziness and fainting. Authorities attributed these symptoms to acute fear, and the episodes ceased once counselors reassured workers that there was no immediate danger.

What Is Mass Psychogenic Illness?

Medical professionals refer to this phenomenon as mass psychogenic illness (MPI), also termed mass sociogenic illness. It stands among the best-documented phenomena in modern medicine.

Three core factors define mass psychogenic illness:

• 1. Physical Reality: The…