Now TikTokers claim that getting a song stuck in your head is a sign of ADHD – here’s what experts say
It’s a well-known annoying phenomenon: you’re trying to fall asleep, read or concentrate, but a catchy song keeps playing in your head.
According to some commenters on TikTok, this is not a normal part of life; it’s actually a sign that you have the behavioral disorder ADHD.
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a condition characterized by inattention and impulsivity. It is estimated that at least 14 million Americans have it, and the numbers have been true has increased steadily over the past decades.
The number of people in the US with ADHD more than doubled between 2007 and 2016, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA.
The rising prevalence has led some experts to accuse professionals of over-diagnosing the condition and following a ‘trend’, angering ADHD patients themselves.
The man, who has 70,000 followers, uses the strange term “earworms” – which describes a catchy or memorable piece of music that is persistently in someone’s mind even after it is no longer played or talked about
In the clip, which has been viewed more than 4 million times, a young man who shared videos under the username ‘@himroids’ says: I just learned five seconds ago that having songs stuck in your head repeatedly is not normal.
“A friend of mine just gave me a life update, and she said she was off her meds because she wasn’t going for a refill — and now that she’s back on her meds, she no longer has any songs stuck in her head all day. ‘
The man, who has 70,000 followers, uses the strange term ‘earworms’ – which describes a catchy or memorable piece of music that is persistently in someone’s mind even after it is no longer played or spoken about.
Dr. Stuart Fischer, an internist in New York, told DailyMail.com that 90 percent of people regularly get songs stuck in their heads, or “earworms.”
He said, “When you hear a new, catchy pop song, you’ll think about it and maybe hum it once you understand the melody. This does not mean that you have a mental illness. Thats crazy.’
He added, “Certain tunes, let’s say the can, or if you’re going to see something on Broadway, the composer would like you to sing their hit song as you leave the theater.
“If it happens, they’re not people with ADHD, not at all.”
In fact, earwigs are simply the result of the activation of specific brain areas, including the auditory cortex located near the earlobes, as well as other lobes of the brain involved in memories and emotional connections.
A 2020 study showed that 97 percent of the people surveyed had had an earwig in the past year.
ADHD is a lifelong condition typically diagnosed in childhood, but in recent years there has been an increase in the number of diagnoses in adults.
Neuroscientists have not yet determined a cause, although genetics are thought to play an important role.
The main symptoms, which usually manifest before the age of 12, include difficulty paying attention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.
People with ADHD may be constantly restless, unable to concentrate on a particular task, talk excessively, interrupt others, and become easily distracted.
In adults, ADHD symptoms often include impulsiveness, poor time management, trouble concentrating on a task, disorganization, mood swings, moodiness, and poor planning.
Dr. Fisched said, “ADHD is over-diagnosed…children are medicated and some of them may not actually have a chemical abnormality. They get a medicine for a problem that they may grow out of very easily.’
Someone with ADHD “would likely exhibit altered behavior,” Dr. Fischer said, but he would also have “repetitive physical behavior and a repetitive vocabulary.”
‘Symptoms of ADHD occur in many different areas of life.’
He added: “People are looking for diagnoses to validate their behavior…they are diagnosing themselves based on the internet. They come up with very strange ideas.
“There is no disease that makes people repeat tunes over and over again.”