'Helicopter Brain' Can Make You Feel Sick: How to Recognize It and What to Do

Vertigo is linked to greater anxiety and psychological distress, but a neurologist says it may also trigger what he calls 'helicopter brain.'

A neurologist warns that constant information overload may have hidden effects on your body

Board-certified neurologist Dr. Steven Resnick discusses how overstimulation can lead to the "helicopter brain" effect, which can manifest as physical symptoms, and shares how to reverse it.

A new analysis of 44 studies has linked "doomsday crashes" to higher levels of anxiety and psychological distress — but for some, information overload may contribute to a phenomenon one neuroscientist calls "helicopter brain."

The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found an association between excessive consumption of negative online content and poorer mental health, although it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Board-licensed neurologist Dr. Steven Resnick uses the term "helicopter brain" to describe a nervous system that is constantly on alert, much like a "helicopter parent" hovering over a child to protect it from harm.

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Information overload may also contribute to a phenomenon one neurologist calls "helicopter brain." (iStock)

This neurologist said: Information overload, overstimulation and uncertainty can keep the brain on alert and activate the autonomic nervous system.

"The brain is assessing risk," Resnick said. When it detects danger, then you have an automatic nervous system that presses the accelerator.

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The neurologist, who also hosts the "Healthy Mind" podcast, said he often sees patients who experience symptoms including headaches, digestive problems, fatigue, sleep problems, tingling and dizziness.

In some cases, patients are evaluated by multiple specialists before a potential explanation is identified.

This neurologist said: The brain is investigating the danger. When it detects danger, then you have an automatic nervous system that presses the accelerator. (iStock)

"They end up going to a neurologist, who sends them to a gastroenterologist, who sends them to a cardiologist and then a rheumatologist," he said.

"They don't know that what they're feeling is real, it's the nervous system that's actually being activated."

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Although constant information overload can contribute to this heightened state of alertness, Resnick said the same patterns can emerge in response to everyday stressors and deeply ingrained habits.

The neurologist outlined the following five strategies for recognizing these patterns, calming the nervous system and creating healthier responses to stress.

When seeing patients, Reznik said her first step is to listen to them to make sure how they feel.

When seeing patients, Reznick said his first step is to listen to them to make sure he understands how they feel. (iStock)

When patients feel truly heard, safe, secure and connected, the nervous system can calm down, the neurologist said.

"The solution can be done later," Resnick said. And we should stop using the word 'fix' because a lot of things can't be fixed - but over time, you can feel better."

Recognizing recurring patterns — in thoughts, behaviors and reactions — is an important first step toward changing them, Resnick said.

"Mindfulness is not just meditation, it's paying attention," he said.

According to Resnick, this could mean finding the same conflict with a co-worker happening over and over again, lying awake every night with racing thoughts, or turning to food or smoking during periods of stress.

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When these behaviors are repeated, people can go on "autopilot," he said.

"The brain wants to resort to things that are familiar, safe, and known," Resnick says. "It keeps coming back to it because the brain understands it, retrieves it, and does the same thing over and over again."

He added that breaking this cycle requires recognizing the pattern and making a conscious effort to respond differently.

Next, the neurologist said it's important to "get the cue" or trigger that starts the pattern.

He said: This is a stimulus. "It's something that goes very subtly below the surface of your consciousness."

"It could be your boss's face. It could be a phone. It could be a chair or a couch in a room. It could be a smell or a feeling."

The neurologist said it's important to get the "cue" or stimulus that starts the pattern. (iStock)

The cue can trigger a nearly automatic behavior, such as procrastinating, eating, reaching for a drink or whipping, Resnick said.

If the behavior brings pleasure or helps someone avoid an uncomfortable feeling or situation, it is more likely to be repeated in the brain.

Even worry can be part of this cycle. If the feared outcome does not occur, the brain may interpret the worry as protective and reinforce the habit, Resnick said.

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According to this neurologist, breaking the pattern begins with identifying the specific cues that set it in motion.

Rather than treating anxiety or overthinking as something that happens "always," Resnick encourages patients to identify a specific episode, consider what triggered it, and recognize the behavior and potential reward that followed.

The next step is to replace the unwanted behavior with a healthier habit that offers a significant reward, Resnick said.