Understand what Brainrot is and if you suffer from it

Overall, social media can be seen as something advantageous, especially when we realize how much it can help with connections and entertainment. But, as with practically everything in life, too much of it can be very harmful.

At this point, social media is even more dangerous, as it can also be very addictive. So, as we become more and more involved in virtual worlds, we need to ask ourselves: “Is our brain rotting because of social media?”

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Brainrot and its behaviors

The term “brainrot” has emerged as a slang term to describe the effects of being constantly online. It is not a medical diagnosis, but rather a cultural expression that points out the negative impacts of excessive internet and social media use on our mental health.

It is characterized by behaviors such as endlessly scrolling through negative news on social media, incessantly talking about memes, and excessive use of internet slang during daily life. Sound familiar?

One of the main signs of brain rot is when time spent online starts to interfere with daily activities. For example, if you find yourself unable to sleep because you’re glued to your phone, or if you’re abandoning real-life relationships to spend more time on Twitter or TikTok, you may be suffering from brain rot.

Other signs include difficulty separating yourself from your phone and constantly needing to check notifications, as well as physical problems like eye strain, headaches, or poor posture.

Brainrot may prevent development

While we can all suffer from brain rot, children and teens seem to be the most vulnerable. And the pandemic has only made this situation worse. Since then, screen time has increased significantly.

A 2023 systematic review found that average screen time for children aged six to 14 increased from 41.3% to 59.4% before and after January 2020. In the United States, children aged eight to 12 spend an average of four to six hours a day online, while teenagers spend up to nine hours.

Although the term “brain rot” originated as a joke, it highlights a serious problem with cognitive consequences, especially for children and adolescents.

Excessive use of social media can impede the development of social and emotional skills, which are essential during adolescence. The replacement of face-to-face interactions with social media has increased rates of loneliness due to isolation, which can lead to depression.

Effects on mental health are also worrying

Furthermore, most people don’t realize that a lot of things in there are just “fake.” Connections aren’t always genuine; there is an idealized view of life. After all, no one posts their problems, only the good times (and sometimes even that is fake).

Excessive media consumption can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Filters and unrealistic beauty standards can make people feel less confident and more dissatisfied with their bodies, increasing the risk of eating disorders and negative self-evaluation.

Another worrying detail is that constant exposure to news on social media can increase the risk of anxiety and depression. This overexposure can create the perception that the world is dangerous and harmful, intensifying anxiety and depression.

Social media is designed to activate the brain’s reward center, and it does so in a similar way to addiction to drugs or other substances. Many people turn to online time to avoid dealing with anxiety, depression, and other issues, but this doesn’t address the underlying issues and can actually make mental health symptoms worse.

Tips to minimize brain rot

While brain rot is not a medical diagnosis, there are ways to reduce its effects.

It is important to protect children from this exposure as much as possible, after all, they don’t need it. Experts recommend that parents try to delay their children’s use of smartphones as much as possible. Ideally, this should be until they are 16 or older. This is because the less access and exposure a teenager has, the less likely they are to be chronically online.

For those who already have access to social media, it is necessary to establish the famous “screen time”. One option is to separate the most important times of the day when the use of social media is prohibited, such as during work, school, meals, and bedtime. Another option is to do the opposite, define which times of the day are free when the use of the smartphone is allowed, and this way you can even control your time online.

For those who have children, this can be useful for both situations mentioned, since the less time your children spend watching you on your smartphone, the less they will want to do the same. It is worth noting that some social networks have features that can even help with screen time, such as Instagram, which has a rest time for bedtime.

Finally, find ways to feel good outside of your phone, whether it’s spending time with friends, exercising, or finding a hobby. The more joy and satisfaction you get offline, the less likely you’ll want to spend too much time on social media.

Fonte: verywellmind