The Rise of POTS Among Teenage Girls: Social Contagion, Chronic Illness, and Future Trends, By Mrs. Vera West and Mrs. (Dr) Abigail Knight (Florida)

The increasing visibility of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) among teenage girls, as noted in a July 7, 2025, Daily Sceptic article, raises questions about whether this chronic illness is a genuine public health concern or a social contagion amplified by social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The article describes teenage girls using walking sticks in schools and further education colleges, often self-identifying or receiving diagnoses of POTS, alongside related conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). These conditions, marked by symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and joint pain, are gaining traction online, with hashtags like #potslife and #spoonenergy amassing over 77 million views. This blog piece explores the phenomenon of POTS as a potential social contagion, its societal implications, and what might come next, drawing on medical evidence, social trends, and conservative scepticism of over-diagnosis in the context of shifting cultural narratives.

POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterised by an excessive heart rate increase (30 bpm in adults, 40 bpm in adolescents) upon standing, without orthostatic hypotension. Symptoms include light-headedness, fatigue, palpitations, and brain fog, often exacerbated by upright posture and relieved by lying down. It disproportionately affects women, particularly adolescents and young adults, with estimates suggesting 1–3 million cases in the U.S. and a prevalence of 1 in 100 teenagers. POTS is often associated with comorbidities like hypermobile EDS and MCAS, forming a "triad" that complicates diagnosis and treatment. Triggers include viral infections (e.g., COVID-19), trauma, or autoimmune conditions, though the exact pathophysiology remains unclear.

Google Trends data show a dramatic rise in POTS-related searches from 2022 to 2025, reflecting growing public interest. The NHS does not track diagnosis rates, but anecdotal reports, like those in the Daily Sceptic, describe teenage girls increasingly presenting with POTS symptoms, often using walking sticks decorated with stickers as a visible marker of their condition. Social media platforms amplify this trend, with #potslife posts offering advice on managing symptoms (e.g., ice packs, salt sachets) and fostering a sense of community among sufferers. Celebrities like Solange Knowles and Jameela Jamil have publicised their diagnoses, adding cultural legitimacy.

The Daily Sceptic suggests POTS may be the latest "trend" for "miserable teenage girls and their anxious mothers," filling a void left by waning focus on transgender identities, ADHD, and autism. This perspective aligns with conservative scepticism of over-diagnosis, viewing POTS as a potential social contagion driven by social media's echo chambers. The article cites a teacher's observation that unhappy girls historically gravitated toward trends like Goth culture, eating disorders, or self-harm, with POTS now serving as a new outlet for distress. Social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram, plays a pivotal role, with visually appealing content, featuring pink or blue hair, piercings, and decorated mobility aids, creating an aestheticized identity around chronic illness.

This theory draws parallels to historical cases of social contagion, such as the 2010s "rapid-onset gender dysphoria" phenomenon, where social media was implicated in amplifying transgender identities among adolescents. Studies on POTS and related conditions note that vague, subjective symptoms (e.g., fatigue, dizziness) overlap with other disorders, making misdiagnosis or over-diagnosis possible. A 2020 study found no robust evidence linking POTS, EDS, and MCAS as distinct clinical entities, suggesting their association may stem from overlapping symptoms rather than a shared pathophysiology. X posts reflect similar scepticism, with some users dismissing POTS as an "internet diagnosis" or attributing it to minor issues like low blood pressure, though such claims lack medical rigour.

However, dismissing POTS as purely psychosomatic risks oversimplification. Medical literature confirms POTS as a measurable condition, diagnosable via tilt-table or standing tests, with links to post-viral syndromes (e.g., 30% of Long COVID cases) and autoimmune markers. A 2022 Nature Cardiovascular Research study found a higher incidence of POTS post-COVID-19 vaccination compared to pre-vaccination periods, though the risk was 5.35 times lower than post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. This suggests a biological basis, particularly in the context of post-viral or immune-mediated triggers, which may explain the rise in diagnoses since the pandemic.

The Daily Sceptic argues that POTS' rise reflects deeper societal malaise: broken homes, economic hardship, unrealistic wellness ideals, and inadequate education, all exacerbated by excessive screen time. Teenage girls, facing bleak prospects, may find solace in online communities that validate their struggles through a chronic illness identity. The "spoon theory" (#spoonenergy), where energy is measured in finite "spoons," provides a framework for articulating limitations, fostering a sense of belonging. This mirrors conservative concerns about over-reliance on digital spaces, which can amplify psychological distress and encourage self-diagnosis.

From a conservative perspective, the POTS trend underscores the failure of institutions, schools, healthcare systems, and families, to address adolescent mental health and resilience. The NHS's slow diagnostic process, often requiring specialist referrals, leaves room for self-diagnosis via online content. X posts highlight frustration with medical gaslighting, particularly for young women whose symptoms are dismissed as anxiety, reflecting a broader critique of a healthcare system that values bureaucracy over patient care. The Daily Sceptic's reference to "DEI hires" and "bureaucratic government" further ties this to conservative distrust of progressive policies that may enable over-diagnosis without addressing root causes.

The societal impact is significant. POTS diagnoses can qualify teenagers for disability benefits like PIP, as seen in the case of "Annie," who faces challenges with a 80-minute bus commute to college due to her symptoms. This raises concerns about dependency and the economic burden of chronic illness labels, a conservative worry when young people's productivity is curtailed. Moreover, the visibility of mobility aids in schools risks normalising disability as a social identity, potentially discouraging resilience or recovery-focused interventions.

The trajectory of POTS as a cultural and medical phenomenon depends on several factors:

1.Medical Advancements: Research into POTS is underfunded, with no FDA-approved medications and limited evidence for treatments like beta-blockers, ivabradine, or fludrocortisone. Studies suggest exercise therapy can improve symptoms, particularly for those with EDS, but must be tailored to avoid post-exertional malaise. Increased NHS investment in Long COVID clinics could improve POTS care, but diagnostic delays and scepticism from healthcare providers may persist. If a clearer pathophysiology emerges, e.g., autoimmune or genetic markers, POTS may gain legitimacy, reducing perceptions of it as a "trend."

2.Social Media's Role: TikTok and Instagram will likely continue amplifying POTS, with #potslife and similar hashtags sustaining communities of young women sharing coping strategies and aestheticized disability identities. This could drive further diagnoses, particularly among impressionable adolescents, but may also raise awareness, as seen in Emma Daniels' EDS advocacy. However, the risk of misinformation or self-diagnosis remains, as online content often simplifies complex conditions.

3.Cultural Shifts: As scepticism grows around over-diagnosed conditions like ADHD and autism, POTS and related syndromes (EDS, MCAS) may face similar scrutiny. Conservative voices, like those in the Daily Sceptic, will likely push back against perceived social contagions, advocating for mental health interventions over medicalisation. If societal conditions, economic instability, social isolation, persist, new chronic illnesses may emerge as outlets for distress, potentially focusing on vague, multisystem symptoms like those of MCAS or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS).

The Daily Sceptic's vacuum analogy suggests that if POTS loses cultural traction, another condition will take its place. Likely candidates include:

MCAS and EDS: Already linked to POTS, these conditions share overlapping symptoms and online communities, with #spoonenergy uniting sufferers. Their complexity and lack of clear diagnostic criteria make them ripe for social amplification.

Long COVID Variants: With 30% of Long COVID patients showing POTS-like symptoms, new dysautonomia-related diagnoses could emerge, particularly if post-viral syndromes gain attention.

Mental Health Rebrands: If medical scepticism grows, psychological conditions like "functional neurological disorder" or "health anxiety" may be reframed as chronic illnesses, offering new identities for those seeking validation.

The rise of POTS among teenage girls reflects a collision of medical, cultural, and social forces. While POTS is a legitimate condition with measurable criteria, its surge, amplified by social media and linked to vague comorbidities like EDS and MCAS, raises conservative concerns about over-diagnosis and social contagion. The societal implications, from increased disability claims to normalised mobility aids in schools, underscore the need to address underlying issues: fractured families, economic precarity, and over-reliance on digital validation. Moving forward, conservatives should advocate for rigorous diagnostics, mental health support, and societal reforms that empower young women to find purpose beyond illness identities. Without addressing this malaise, as the Daily Sceptic warns, we risk a cycle of new "trends" filling the void, each more debilitating than the last.