This article provides a critical commentary on the phenomenon of ‘Tics on TikTok’, referring to the abrupt increase in consultations for motor and vocal tics during the COVID-19 pandemic. As clinicians sought to understand the change in volume in patients consulting for tics and its distinctive presentation, a common denominator emerged: social media. This article mobilizes Hacking’s theory of ecological niches to analyse this phenomenon, revealing how four vectors (medical taxonomy; observability; cultural polarity and release) converge, allowing this transient mental illness to exist and flourish. In this perspective, Tics on Tiktok are understood within the sociotechnological context in which they emerged, perhaps reflecting embodied connection at a time when this was largely proscribed. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed, highlighting the importance of attending to the intersection of embodied relationships with technology within the discipline.