Blue dolphin effect

A simple mental trick to replace unwanted thoughts with calm, positive ones

- Nitin S

Ever had a song stuck in your head that just won't go away? Yeah, me too. A few days ago, I heard this ridiculously catchy song, the kind that seems to follow you everywhere. It was playing in cafes, cars passing by, even in random Instagram reels. I didn't even like it, but somehow my brain decided it was the soundtrack of my week. It kept looping on repeat, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

Turns out, there’s a reason this happens, and it’s not just you losing your mind. Scientists call it ironic process theory, or more memorably, the white bear problem.

White bear problem

The concept sounds simple but is deeply ironic, the harder you try not to think about something, the more your brain brings it up. Imagine someone tells you, ‘Whatever you do, don't picture a white bear.’ Instantly, your mind conjures up a big, fluffy white bear. You cant help it. That’s just how the human brain works.