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0 / 31 Fotos
What is brain rot?
- If you spend a lot of time scrolling on social media, you may have come across the term "brain rot." Indeed, someone may even have suggested you suffer from it!
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Slang term
- In the internet community, the term brain rot refers to when someone spends so much time on the internet that the way they speak and think becomes confusing to the average person.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Using the term
- You might accuse someone of brain rot, for example, if they use so much internet slang that their language becomes unintelligible, or they express an opinion that is completely out of touch with reality.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Another definition
- Brain rot can also refer to the mental decline that some people experience as a result of overexposure to the internet. This can include brain fog, poor attention span, and limited critical thinking skills.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Very real problem - While neither definition of brain rot refers to an actual medical phenomenon, that does not mean it is not a very real problem. Let's take a look at the signs and symptoms.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Internet addiction
- First up is internet addiction. A person experiencing brain rot will often find it very difficult to step away from the stream of voices they engage with on their phone.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Internet addiction
- They may spend hours per day scrolling through social media platforms, which are in fact designed to be addictive, rather than doing other, healthier things, such as exercising.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Strange expertise
- Brain rot is often accompanied by an over-familiarity with certain online subjects. Often, a person with brain rot will feel considerable pressure to keep up with the fast-moving online community.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Strange expertise - As a result, they may have extensive knowledge of niche online phenomena, and they may even try to use the slang or refer to memes in real life.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Short attention span - A person experiencing brain rot may also suffer from a short attention span. Indeed, the internet is an "attention economy," meaning that websites compete to hold our attention.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Short attention span
- As a result, there is a huge amount of content available for users to choose from, and they end up constantly switching between platforms, which over time can erode attention span.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Poor critical thinking skills
- Brain rot may also harm a person’s critical thinking and/or media literacy skills. They may become less likely to scrutinize the material put in front of them.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Poor critical thinking skills
- Often, a person experiencing brain rot will respond impulsively to the first thing they read online, rather than taking the time to think before voicing their opinion.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Doomscrolling
- Brain rot also goes hand in hand with doomscrolling, which is the practice of constantly scrolling through social media to feed off pieces of negative news.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Doomscrolling
- Doomscrolling can be very addictive, since there is always something new to read about. However, it can be very harmful to mental health, causing stress and even depression.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Brain fog
- Another related phenomenon that people may experience is brain fog. This is a term that entered common parlance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Brain fog
- Indeed, the symptoms of slowness that can arise when recovering from a virus, such as poor planning or decision-making skills, can also develop from spending too much time online.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Mental health issues
- People who spend so much time online that they experience brain rot will often also struggle with depression or low self-esteem.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Mental health issues
- Social media places a huge amount of pressure on people to collect likes and followers, and it makes people want to appear perfect. Of course, no one is perfect, and the pressure to appear so can cause serious self-esteem issues.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Aggression
- Finally, people with brain rot can become aggressive. Indeed, it is often a term used to describe people who are overly combative, either online or in the real world.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Aggression
- The idea is that the person has spent so much time online that they have become out of touch with reality, and they are more likely to argue about trivial things as a result.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Preventing brain rot
- If you are looking to prevent brain rot, the best thing to do is cut it off at the source. There is no rule about how much social media is too much, but experts recommend putting down your phone as much as possible.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Limit screen time
- A good place to start is by trying to limit yourself to 60 minutes of scrolling per day. You might use a built-in time tracker to help enforce the limit.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Curate your exposure
- Another way to exercise some control over how your internet exposure affects you is to curate who you see online.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Curate your exposure
- The most effective way to do this is to block people liberally and choose who you follow carefully. Don't be afraid to unfollow people whose content you find upsetting.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Otherwise engage the brain
- It is also a good idea to engage your brain in other ways. Bear in mind that social media content is generally not that engaging for your brain.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Otherwise engage the brain - Why not go old school and read a book every now and again? Or try to complete a puzzle, such as a crossword or sudoku?
© iStock
27 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Don't forget that exercise is just as important for your brain as solving puzzles and problems. Boosting the amount of oxygen that goes to your brain will help it function better.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Exercise
- You need not go crazy with physical activity, but it is worth trying to get in 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day. This could be as simple as going for a walk.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
If all else fails
- Finally, if you feel that spending time on the internet is negatively impacting your life and you don’t know what to do about it, don’t hesitate to see a therapist for advice. Sources: (WikiHow) See also: How endless scrolling through social media can make you sick (literally)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
What is brain rot?
- If you spend a lot of time scrolling on social media, you may have come across the term "brain rot." Indeed, someone may even have suggested you suffer from it!
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Slang term
- In the internet community, the term brain rot refers to when someone spends so much time on the internet that the way they speak and think becomes confusing to the average person.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Using the term
- You might accuse someone of brain rot, for example, if they use so much internet slang that their language becomes unintelligible, or they express an opinion that is completely out of touch with reality.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Another definition
- Brain rot can also refer to the mental decline that some people experience as a result of overexposure to the internet. This can include brain fog, poor attention span, and limited critical thinking skills.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Very real problem - While neither definition of brain rot refers to an actual medical phenomenon, that does not mean it is not a very real problem. Let's take a look at the signs and symptoms.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Internet addiction
- First up is internet addiction. A person experiencing brain rot will often find it very difficult to step away from the stream of voices they engage with on their phone.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Internet addiction
- They may spend hours per day scrolling through social media platforms, which are in fact designed to be addictive, rather than doing other, healthier things, such as exercising.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Strange expertise
- Brain rot is often accompanied by an over-familiarity with certain online subjects. Often, a person with brain rot will feel considerable pressure to keep up with the fast-moving online community.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Strange expertise - As a result, they may have extensive knowledge of niche online phenomena, and they may even try to use the slang or refer to memes in real life.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Short attention span - A person experiencing brain rot may also suffer from a short attention span. Indeed, the internet is an "attention economy," meaning that websites compete to hold our attention.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Short attention span
- As a result, there is a huge amount of content available for users to choose from, and they end up constantly switching between platforms, which over time can erode attention span.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Poor critical thinking skills
- Brain rot may also harm a person’s critical thinking and/or media literacy skills. They may become less likely to scrutinize the material put in front of them.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Poor critical thinking skills
- Often, a person experiencing brain rot will respond impulsively to the first thing they read online, rather than taking the time to think before voicing their opinion.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Doomscrolling
- Brain rot also goes hand in hand with doomscrolling, which is the practice of constantly scrolling through social media to feed off pieces of negative news.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Doomscrolling
- Doomscrolling can be very addictive, since there is always something new to read about. However, it can be very harmful to mental health, causing stress and even depression.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Brain fog
- Another related phenomenon that people may experience is brain fog. This is a term that entered common parlance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Brain fog
- Indeed, the symptoms of slowness that can arise when recovering from a virus, such as poor planning or decision-making skills, can also develop from spending too much time online.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Mental health issues
- People who spend so much time online that they experience brain rot will often also struggle with depression or low self-esteem.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Mental health issues
- Social media places a huge amount of pressure on people to collect likes and followers, and it makes people want to appear perfect. Of course, no one is perfect, and the pressure to appear so can cause serious self-esteem issues.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Aggression
- Finally, people with brain rot can become aggressive. Indeed, it is often a term used to describe people who are overly combative, either online or in the real world.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Aggression
- The idea is that the person has spent so much time online that they have become out of touch with reality, and they are more likely to argue about trivial things as a result.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Preventing brain rot
- If you are looking to prevent brain rot, the best thing to do is cut it off at the source. There is no rule about how much social media is too much, but experts recommend putting down your phone as much as possible.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Limit screen time
- A good place to start is by trying to limit yourself to 60 minutes of scrolling per day. You might use a built-in time tracker to help enforce the limit.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Curate your exposure
- Another way to exercise some control over how your internet exposure affects you is to curate who you see online.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Curate your exposure
- The most effective way to do this is to block people liberally and choose who you follow carefully. Don't be afraid to unfollow people whose content you find upsetting.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Otherwise engage the brain
- It is also a good idea to engage your brain in other ways. Bear in mind that social media content is generally not that engaging for your brain.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Otherwise engage the brain - Why not go old school and read a book every now and again? Or try to complete a puzzle, such as a crossword or sudoku?
© iStock
27 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Don't forget that exercise is just as important for your brain as solving puzzles and problems. Boosting the amount of oxygen that goes to your brain will help it function better.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Exercise
- You need not go crazy with physical activity, but it is worth trying to get in 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day. This could be as simple as going for a walk.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
If all else fails
- Finally, if you feel that spending time on the internet is negatively impacting your life and you don’t know what to do about it, don’t hesitate to see a therapist for advice. Sources: (WikiHow) See also: How endless scrolling through social media can make you sick (literally)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
Understanding the concept of brain rot
The consequences of spending too much time online
© Getty Images
Ever found yourself constantly referring to memes or using social media slang in a real-life setting? If so, you may be suffering from a case of "brain rot." Coming into common parlance with the rise of social media, brain rot refers to the symptoms that can occur when someone spends too much time online.
While the term is often used jokingly or in a more informal setting, that doesn't mean it's not a serious problem. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
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