Living with a popcorn brain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an article by Tracy Swartz at the New York Post on February 18, 2024 titled What is ‘popcorn brain’? How social media may be killing your attention span. She quoted clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel Glazer as saying that:

 

“Popcorn brain refers to the tendency for our attention and focus to jump quickly from one thing to another, like popping corn kernels.”

 

It’s a very vivid term for describing behavior that does not rise to the level of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. On page 96 in her 2024 book The 5 Resets: Rewire your brain and body for less stress and more resilience Aditi Nerurkar describes A Classic Case of Popcorn Brain as follows:

 

“Julian was suffering from an increasingly common condition known as popcorn brain. While not a true medical diagnosis, popcorn brain is a growing cultural phenomenon. It’s a term coined by researcher David Levy to describe what happens to our brains when we spend too much time online. Our brain circuitry starts to ‘pop’ from being overstimulated by the fast-paced information stream Over time, our brains get habituated to this constant streaming of information, making it harder for us to look away and disconnect from our devices, slow down our thoughts, and live fully offline, where things move at a much different and slower pace.”

 

And on pages 103 and 104 she describes how to cure your popcorn brain:

 

“Aim to spend no more than twenty minutes a day scrolling on your phone. At all other times, use your phone only for essential calls, texts, and email. Set a timer and stay accountable. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re in the digital space.

 

Opt out of push notifications and automatic pop-up features. Trust that if there’s something you need to know about, you’ll hear about it on your time.

 

While working, aim to keep your smartphone at least ten feet away from your workstation, At home, consider doing the same, especially when you’re with your family members.

 

At bedtime, keep your phone off your nightstand. This will help prevent nightime phone checks and also prevent you from reaching for your phone the first thing in the morning. Tell family members or colleagues to call you if there’s an emergency.”

 

 

My image was constructed by filling a silhouette of brain activity from Openclipart with an image of popcorn from Wikimedia Commons.