What is popcorn brain? How being chronically online is killing focus
- Social media has contributed to the widespread decline in attention spans
- Psychiatrist: "The experience is extremely addictive"
- Experts suggest reducing social media use and focusing on one activity
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(NewsNation) — Struggling to focus on a single thought or task? Finding yourself constantly distracted by social media? You may have what is known as “popcorn brain.”
Coined by researcher David Levy in 2011, the term popcorn brain refers to a person’s attention quickly jumping from thought to thought like the kernels popping in popcorn.
A 2003 study by the University of California Irvine found the average attention span was two minutes and 30 seconds. In 2012, the average attention span dropped to 75 seconds. Now, the attention span for most people is about 47 seconds, according to UC Irvine.
“Over time, this constant demand for attention and the rapid switching between tasks can lead to a feeling of mental restlessness or the brain ‘bouncing around’ as it struggles to maintain focus on any one task for an extended period,” Psychologist Dannielle Haig told Glamour UK.
Social media is a major contributing factor to the declining attention span, according to Dr. Kamil Atta, a psychiatrist at Plainview Hospital in New York.
“The experience is extremely addictive, more addictive than any other activity because you have these small amounts of dopamine being stimulated on a very frequent basis, and to stop the pattern is extremely difficult,” Atta told Fox 4.
Mental health experts suggest reducing social media time rather than trying to quit cold turkey. Experts also suggest participating in screen-free activities and focusing on one thing at a time rather than trying to multitask.
