Brain Rot is a real phenomenon of mental bewilderment that occurs from excessive screen use. Although it is not a medical condition, it has real effects on mental health, such as additional stress, anxiety, and depressive episodes. People begin to compare themselves to the snippets of someone’s life that are judged to be their reality; this can cause feelings of self-doubt and depression. Additionally, it forms a low attention span over time. As we scroll through social media we listen to the first ten seconds of a clip and decide whether it is worth our attention. This adapts the brain to receiving small pieces of information and creates a lack of patience in the real world when information isn’t given directly.
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Credit: Dimitris Gkanatsios
Brain Rot can begin from a need to be included. An individual spends time scrolling through social media because they experience a fear of missing out on “important” information that will essentially keep them relevant. This can cause an endless cycle of social media consumption. It can also be caused by pure boredom and a need to easily fill up time. However, this blocks the mind from being naturally creative.
In an article titled, “Brain Rot is Holding You Back”, the writer discusses the many effects of Brain Rot, the most common being unfiltered perceptions, mental colonization, and ego reactions. Unfiltered perceptions essentially implies that people who experience Brain Rot often uncritically accept their perceptions are reality; whether it is life experiences or believing that what is seen on social media is not just an advertisement. Mental colonization stems from the overstimulating feeling that our brain gets from consuming an immense amount of information in a short period of time. The mind becomes filled with distracting thoughts that make it hard to focus on the everyday tasks at hand. Lastly, ego reactions are a formation of negative self-concepts such as “I am lazy” and “Others are doing better than me” that prevent the brain from taking on difficult tasks because they believe they aren’t enough.
It is easy to believe that social media evokes happiness because of the misconstructed idea of what it means to be happy. In a Harvard article titled, “ Love and the Brain” the writer explains that a neurochemical named dopamine activates the reward circuit, which creates a momentary feeling of happiness, similar to the happiness one feels when eating a sweet treat or going shopping. Meanwhile, the chemical serotonin is a long-term feeling we get from getting a hug or being told we are loved by someone close to us. Whilst swiping on social media, our brain receives dopamine that we mistake for happiness and fulfillment. It is easy to mistake true happiness for a short-term feeling because at the moment they feel the same, but it is the end result that makes all the difference.
Although it’s easy to get stuck in a social media cycle, there are numerous ways that can help one take the first step in reconnecting with the world. In an article titled, “Brain Rot: The Impact on Young Adult’s Mental Health”, the writer mentions strategies that can help prevent this phenomenon from happening or getting worse. Based on the article, it’s crucial to have interests outside of the virtual world. Good habits create a good lifestyle which reflect onto one’s mood and perspective of the world. Additionally, it’s important to connect with people around you and create a nurturing and inspiring environment, as we feel positive when around good people. Though these strategies are broad, the article does mention specific methods to gain an understanding of one’s true self and interests. Going for a quick walk when having nagging thoughts creates a boost in mood as it helps focus on the world around you and rationalize your thoughts; as well as boost circulation in the body that helps the mind take a break. One can keep an inspirational notebook to jot down ideas and show gratitude that can be referred to when discouraged. Lastly, the article states that setting a timer when stuck on an unproductive task regardless of the progress and completion of the task can be a beneficial way to reduce Brain Rot; switching gears can help to think decisions through. Brain Rot effects both teenagers and young adults so it is important to accept it’s existence and be wary of it.
The students of BHSECQ had very interesting perspectives about the topic of Brain Rot as it’s occasionally discussed on the platforms they consume information from. One student who asked to remain anonymous said, “Social media platforms are a form of artificial happiness. When you watch a funny video you feel a sense of satisfaction that immediately goes away. It’s not real but it makes us feel good which causes people to uncritically accept it as real enough.” Another student stated, “Brain Rot causes overall disengagement. Social media benefits teenagers and young adults momentarily as they forget about the real world, however, many find it hard to break the cycle of being online. The worlds begin to morph into each other and it’s difficult to differentiate between the two.” The entirety of BHSECQ students who were interviewed for this article deem Brain Rot as a real effect of chronic screen use and say it has become apparent to them as they begin to feel the effects themselves and witness it happening around them.
Overall, brain rot is characterized by a lack of productivity, achievement, loss of creativity, curiosity, and the ability to self-direct one’s life. Although social media can bring young adults together by sparking conversation about relevant topics, it can create numerous issues regarding one’s individual mind.