Brain rot - the 21st-century pandemic nobody talks about
- Zonaira Chaudry
- Mar 13
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
What it's like to live in an age of doom-scrolling and digital decay!
Evolution of the great brain rot
“While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot – which prevails so much more widely and fatally?”; this was a fascinating question asked by Henry David Thoreau, who first introduced the term brain rot in his book ‘Walden’ in 1854. He was critical of society's moral decay in intellectual thought and creativity.
Individuals were becoming blind conformists and shallow thinkers who lacked self-reflection. Fast forward to 2024: brain rot became the Oxford word of the year. Gen Z and Gen Alpha first started using the term brain rot on social media, making it a popular slang term. You probably have seen, heard or scrolled down on this word, and chances are that you might be suffering from it.
Experts define brain rot as the "degeneration of an individual’s intellectual or mental being due to consumption of useless or low-quality online content."
Becoming an avid digital user in today’s world has turned into an undeniable reality. Let’s face it! We are all addicted to our screen time, whether we are doom-scrolling our Insta feed, checking out Pinterest boards, or just merely watching TikTok reels. The compulsion is real and intense! The use of social media apps like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram has also taken its toll on mental health.
Who does it affect?
Brain rot can happen to people who spend too much time on screen and do activities which are physically and mentally challenging. The state of not being in touch with the real world by consuming hyperstimulating content may rot your brain much sooner than you think. Teenagers and children are more at risk of having brain rot as their brains are still developing. What is the point of knowing meaningless web-oriented buzzwords like rizz, skibid etc?
Being online keeps us connected, updated, and collaborative, but the fatigue and physical harm caused by it can also lead to anxiety and emotional stress. Spending excessive time online can cause damage to your cognitive health and make it harder to concentrate and pay attention. Other symptoms of brain rot can include feeling disoriented, problems in memory retention, mood swings and an impact on decision-making abilities.
How to avoid brain rot?
Image Credits - Wix
To improve your digital well-being, try changing your digital habits. Some short-term solutions are:
Manage your content; don’t let it manage you – Learn to make intentional media choices. During daily screen use, take breaks and set time limits. Download apps which will help you track total screen time, and help you monitor your daily usage.
Be smart with your online addictions - Download computer games and programs which are designed to improve memory and cognitive abilities.
Strike a balance between your online and offline life - Digital detoxing is a great way to unplug and unwind from your digital life to engage in activities in real time. Avoid multitasking with your phone around. Leave your phone in your room and go out for a walk, read a book or talk to your family. It will help you immensely!
When things get out of hand
If you feel that brain rot has already set in, then you need to step back and evaluate your daily routines to improve your digital habits. Engage in lifestyle changes which are easy to adapt and sustainable in the long run.
Invest your time in leisure activities - These could endorse personal enrichment. Join a book club or a yoga class, or learn any new skill or a language. Mark your calendar to regularly hang out with your friends. This will boost your emotional health and strengthen your friendships.
Be a pet parent - Having to care for a pet induces mindful living. It reduces mental fog and improves your focus as you learn to be patient and attentive with your pet.
Learning and experiencing new things shields us from cognitive decline and reduces digital overload. However, mindless content consumption has the opposite effect and impacts the brain’s behavioural and cognitive functions. Brain rot is a real issue in this growing digital age. It is real, increasing and here to stay unless you fight it!
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