The increased use of phones is associated with popcorn brain.
According to studies, our mind cannot stay at one thought for a long time and the continuous leaping of thoughts is akin to a popping of popcorn in a pan.
As the world progresses, expressions, humans, and mental or physical illnesses also keep changing or evolving. With this context, have you ever heard of the term “popcorn brain?” Is our mind like a jumping popcorn? If yes, then why is that?
Thanks to the frequent usage of our phones and social media, our brain has developed the tendency to jump from one thought to another in moments. According to studies, our mind cannot stay at one thought for a long time and a lot of ideas keep barging on our minds. This continuous leaping of thoughts is akin to a popping of popcorn in a pan. Hence, the expression, “popcorn brain’.
It is a state of distraction, which causes the thoughts to rise randomly in our minds and we have no control over it. A popcorn brain can badly affect our productivity and creativity, becoming a big hindrance in our lifestyle. An individual may find it hard to pay attention to a task and may feel overwhelmed. Furthermore, it can increase stress and negatively affect our decision-making process.
The problem of popcorn brain is attributed to the reels, shorts or TikTok that are so prevalent in our generation. Every 30 seconds to 1 minute, the reels keep changing, prompting us to continue. So, because of that, our minds are not able to stick to a single thing. According to the wellness expert Riri Trivedi, the continuous changing of reels stimulates our brain and keeps it in a state of excitement. The feeling is given by a hormone called dopamine, which releases and keeps us excited.
The constant feeling of ecstasy keeps the brain active, which is not good for our mental health. The side effect of such a situation is that it can cause depression and anxiety. The increased usage of phones means an increased risk of anxiety as well as insomnia. So, make sure to not use social media for 6 hours straight. It can increase the risk of depression by 11 per cent.