No one’s immune to an occasional brain freeze; and not the one you get after eating ice cream too fast. We’re talking about the moments you zone out for a second and do something completely without thinking.
Sometimes such moments have no unusual consequences. But they can also result in something as bizarre as leaving your comb in the fridge or throwing the spoon into the trash can while the empty yogurt cup is sent flying towards the sink (likely a been there, done that kind of deal to most of us here).
People on Reddit showed that brain freezes go way further than throwing utensils away. They shared their stories after user ItsaHelen asked the ‘Ask Reddit’ community what’s something weird, funny, or embarrassing that they’ve done on autopilot. Redditors provided lots of examples ranging from regrettable to hilarious, which you will find on the list below.
In order to better understand what happens in our brain during such autopilot moments, Bored Panda has reached out to a professor at the department of psychiatry at McGill University, Maria Natasha Rajah.
#1
I always take my shirt off after my shoes when I get undressed.
So there I was at around 4:30 in the morning headed through security to fly across country for a festival. I'm nowhere close to awake and I'm totally running on autopilot. I'm throwing my stuff on the conveyor, I take my shoes off, and I started to take my shirt off and the (FFS why was she attractive) TSA lady was like "Slow down sir we just met".
I didn't know they came with a sense of humor.
Report
317points
#2
The pipe underneath my sink was broken so I put a bucket below it to catch the water leaking out. When it was full I poured it back in the sink...and proceeded to flood my kitchen.
287points
#3
Stopped at a stop sign and waited at least a minute and a half for it to turn green.
Report
253points
Prof. Maria Natasha Rajah explained that the moment our brain seems to shut down for a sec is actually a lapse in attention and/or absentmindedness at play.
“When we engage in planned motor behaviors we usually need to sustain our attention and also utilize cognitive control and executive functions that help us to prepare and behave in a strategic, organized manner,” she told Bored Panda.
“These functions are associated with the intact functioning of the frontal-thalamic-parietal system. However, when we are tired or distracted our attention can lapse and there is a resulting disorganization in the execution of a planned behavior.”
#4
I used to work for Comcast in their call center. I worked 3PM-12AM so the only thing that was open when I would get off work was McDonalds.
During the holidays they have unlimited overtime. Me being 19 and having no obligations at the time decided to just work non-stop until I fell down at my desk. I worked 3 days straight of OT taking my mandatory breaks every couple of hours and napping in the lunch room here and there.
Finally I decided I'd had enough and started on my way home at around 2AM one morning. I stopped at the McDonalds drivethrough because I wanted something hot to eat. Up until this point I'd subsisted on mints and packs of crackers from a vending machine.
The conversation went something like this:
Drivethru lady: Go ahead and order when you're ready
Me: Thanks for calling comcast, home of the triple play, My name is lbaile200 how can I assist you today!?
Me: Thanks for calling comcast, home of the triple play, My name is lbaile200 how can I assist you today!?
*A very long pause*
I ended up sleeping in the parking lot of that McDonalds for about 12 hours in my car. The manager eventually knocked on my window and asked me if I was homeless and if I needed to come in and warm up.
Report
241points
#5
I was looking all over for my keys and finally thought that I might have left them in the car. I went outside and my car was locked. So I pulled my keys out of my pocket, unlocked the door, opened the door and realized how much of an idiot I am.
Report
229points
For those interested in what is responsible for our actions done on autopilot, the professor revealed that it’s mostly habitual behavior evoked by certain stimuli. “When your sustained attentional and cognitive control systems are compromised, you will behave in very bottom-up, perceptually driven and habitual ways; for example, you see the trash so whatever is in your hand (e.g. spoon) gets thrown in,” she explained.
She expanded on what parts of the brain are responsible for the brain freeze-like moments: “'Autopilot' is when you are engaged in highly learned habitual behaviors that are inflexible and stimulus-response mediated. This type of behavior has been linked to decreased involvement of prefrontal and parietal regions and are more related to engagement of the basal ganglia, brainstem and dopamine rich substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area.”
According to Prof. Rajah, the way to avoid such autopilot moments is “maintaining attention and being in the present moment and monitoring ongoing behaviors.”
#6
I kissed my wife's best friend. It was totally innocent and something we laughed about.
I had to take a bus to work everyday at about 4 am. My wife usually drove me to the stop so that I didn't have to leave my car there for 14 hours.
My wife's friend was staying with us while she looked for a job and house in the area. She was getting up early anyways so she decided she would take me and let my wife sleep. When we got to the stop, I just instinctively leaned over and kissed her goodbye. She had a dumbfounded look on her face, and mine instantly turned red as I realized what I'd done. I just said "sorry, it was a habit."
My wife poked fun at me for days for putting the moves on her friend.
Report
221points
#7
As a teenager, I worked at McDonald's. My McDonald's was 24 hours and, during the summer, I worked the overnight shift. My sleep schedule would get all messed up.
My parents woke me up for dinner one evening. I zombie walked to the table and sat down. My dad asked me to say grace. I bow my head and say, "thank you for choosing McDonald's, may I take your order?"
Report
215points
#8
I was talking to my boyfriend while he was eating a sandwich.
In mid sentence, he ripped a piece off and threw it at my face. He looked stunned when I didn't open my mouth and catch it (we have a dog)
In mid sentence, he ripped a piece off and threw it at my face. He looked stunned when I didn't open my mouth and catch it (we have a dog)
We both nearly pee'd laughing
Report
209points
#9
I was feeling an encroaching sickness coming upon me one time, so I decided to be proactive and make myself a couple of days' worth of the most baller chicken soup I could manage in advance, so I'd be able to eat well even when I was dying of the lurgy. I chopped the carrots, I sorted the onions, I stewed the chicken bones, and I cooked that m**********r down for eight hours into the most delicious stock you could imagine.
Then I poured it all through a colander into the sink.
Report
193points
#10
"have a good day sir."
"Love you too."
Awkward shuffle out of Panera.
Report
192points
#11
I lived in the same house for 16 years. Moved out. Years later I did some summer work as a construction worker....on MY old house! First day I walked in, mindlessly did what I ALWAYS did when I came in , waltzed Into the kitchen during the family’s breakfast, opened the fridge and peered inside for a long while looking for something to eat.
I came to myself (dude I don’t live here anymore), looked up, and the family was all staring at me from the breakfast table, forks in mid air. At this unknown construction worker making himself right at home. I was so embarrassed I backed out, stammering the whole time and trying to have them understand “I’m so sorry I used to live here”. Wasn’t allowed inside work at that job site for a while
Report
188points
#12
I had recently been attending a lot of martial arts classes at night. One morning at work I accidentally bowed at my boss when I entered his office. This was in the US, neither of us are of Asian descent, and yes he noticed.
It was awkward.
Report
186points
#13
I’m an ex-bus driver and many times on my way home from work, I would go to pull into a bus stop, in my car...
Report
174points
#14
Go to the cinema to watch Quantum of Solace. Walk in five minutes late. Furious car chase on screen.
Instinctively try to find my seatbelt.
Report
155points
#15
I was working the backline at an Arby's WAY back in the day. We used to get our sub buns footlong, but all the subs we sold were 6 inch. I literally reached into the bag, grabbed a sub roll, cut it in half, and then put the knife back in the bag and tried to cut another sandwich with the sub bun. My manager saw it and DIED.
Report
151points
#16
"Here you go, if you need anything else, just let me know!", as I graciously put down the plate with food I cooked for the only person in the room. Me.
Report
151points
#17
Washed an apple at the sink. Dried it with a paper towel. Turned and tossed the apple in the trash and stood there holding the towel like an idiot.
Report
146points
#18
I've been working with children for 7 years now. When I'm drunk/tired/otherwise distracted, I go into teacher mode. If I'm travelling with people, I'll count them on and off public transport, I offer everyone water and snacks if I have them, and even tell complete strangers to "use your walking feet/inside voice" if they're running or shouting.
I didn't even know I was doing it til my boyfriend pointed it out to me.
146points
#19
I've worked as a caregiver for adults with mental and physical disabilities for more than a decade now. I'm a caregiver. I do basic cares, which include helping many adult men do their daily activities, things like: shaving, buttoning shirts, making sure belts are on correctly, so on and so forth.
Once on a date, I was a bit buzzed. I fixed my date's shirt, and told him he needed to look in the mirror and see if he wanted a shave.
Report
140points
#20
Reposting my own comment from a few years ago in a similar thread, because I still think this is my best response to this question.
Came into work to work front of house after several extended nights of profound insomnia. I was holding up ok until a gal walks up with a dog in her arms. I always chat people up about their dogs because A. Dogs are awesome and B. people love to talk about their dogs, and often tip a little more when they feel like they've actually connected with you.
Today though... I didn't have two neurons to rub together to break from the script of "hey what can I get you... here's your total... do you want a receipt?" and so I lean over the counter like a drunk, lock my sleep-starved, unfocused googly eyes on this poor lady, and blurt out-
"your dog. Who is he" and then expectantly stare at her like that was a normal and not at all insane thing that I just kinda vomited at her. She kinda stared at me and clutched her dog a little closer and I think I probably went a little cross-eyed and tried to salvage the conversation by talking more. I don't remember what I said but it was definitely not an improvement on the situation. It may not have even been a coherent sentence.
Report
126points