GLAMOUR speaks to psychologist Dannielle Haig about popcorn brain and the impact of social media on our minds — and what we can do about it.
Sometimes, the inside of my brain feels a little bit like the inside of a bag of microwaveable popcorn. You know, more and more distracting little idea kernels popping around in every direction and very little, well, sustained thought. It seems I am not alone in my manic, popcorn thoughts. In fact, “popcorn brain” is actually a phenomenon in the psychology world.
“It's not necessarily that the brain is being damaged, but rather its neural pathways are being rerouted or adapted to accommodate the demands of multitasking and rapid information processing,” she says. One of the biggest changes? Our ability to focus on one specific thought. “It can lead to a reduction in the brain's ability to engage in deep, focused, and sustained attention — skills that are crucial for complex analysis and critical thinking,” she explains.