Brain rot is a phenomenon that has taken over social media platforms. It changed how young people speak, think, and engage with others. Brainrot brought to teenage vocabulary words like gyatt, rizz, beta, sigma, and the infamous skibidi toilet and sigma. This rise of brain rot has led to an increase in the consumption of fast, low quality content.
The term “brain rot” increased in usage frequency by 230% in 2023 and 2024. But this word isn’t new, the first recorded use of this term was in 1854 by Henry David. Before its association with strange words, the word was used by David to criticise societies tendencies and to devalue complex ideas. Fast-forward to today, this word is used to describe low quality content on social media, where it has gained popularity. From 2024 to 2025, the word has gained popularity with Gen Z and Gen Alpha because of platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
But what does brainrot actually do to us? How does consuming this kind of content impact our attention spans, mental health, and ability to think critically? And most importantly, are we consuming too much, too fast?
Hidden impact of brain rot
The problem here is that almost everyone consumes brain rot content, sometimes without even realising all the negative effects it can have on individuals. Whether it is mindlessly scrolling through endless TikToks, or consuming rapid fire content like YouTube shorts, this kind of content is present in our everyday lives.
While it’s true that this kind of content is fun and easy to consume, it also comes with its consequences that many of us fail to discern. Studies suggest that excessive exposure to fast-paced and low-quality content can negatively affect teenagers’ attention spans, as well as contribute to mental fatigue and the decline of cognitive abilities. Most people choose the easy consumption of brain rot over the stimulation of conversations or reading. These unhealthy decisions might provide individuals instant gratification, but little lasting value.
Feeding brain rot
Brain rot is deeply embedded in social media platforms as they’re designed in a way that makes users stay hooked for large periods of time. These platforms provide endless scrolling where the user is guaranteed another video as soon as they want. This causes users to rarely take breaks within that cycle. Viral memes, short videos, clickbait content and headlines are specifically curated to fit our taste dominating feeds. It makes it difficult to leave the apps and is an easy way to waste time.
Key factors that contribute to brain rot are infinite scroll, short length, overstimulation, dopamine effect. The infinite scrolling traps users in an infinite loop.The short length trains the brain to expect random bursts of information, weakening the attention span. Overstimulation from past content of visuals and sound overwhelms the brain, making it challenging to process or focus on information.
Meanwhile, dopamine reinforces compulsive use, with each new video triggering a small addictive pleasure response. You then feel the need to recreate that pleasurable experience, which is why people scroll nonstop. All these elements rewire our brain into preferring fast, effortless content over deep thinking or sustained focus.
Is brain rot always bad ?
Of course not all types of brain rot are bad, some brain rot content like short videos can be educational and informative. Brain rot is not always a bad thing especially when it is consumed moderately. Some people see brain rotting and scrolling on social media as a way of self care. It’s a way for them to escape from the troubles of the day.
“At a certain point, you need to put down your phone and go live your life” – 10th grade student.
The problem becomes evident when scrolling turns into avoidance, running away from problems, or avoiding responsibilities. Most ICSA students can’t even go 10 min or even 20 minutes without their phone. According to a survey conducted on the students, they spend 6 hours average on their phones scrolling through social media.
Differing opinions
The conversation around brain rot is far from being one sided, there are a lot of different opinions surrounding the issue. For some, brain rot has become a part of pop culture and our generation. People claim it’s a way for people to relate and communicate with each other. Others see brain rot as a problem that affects our ability to focus and connect with the world around us. One of the main points brought up when talking about brain rot is that it is fun in small doses but the constant exposure to it can and will cause you harm.
“I feel bad for younger kids growing up with iPads and TikTok. Their brains are like sponges, and they soak up all this stuff online,” – ICSA student
Some people don’t necessarily find brain rot harmful, but they instead find it annoying and a complete waste of time. Some don’t mind the occasional use of the words but only when it’s in moderation. Many insist that it’s important to know when to stop. Most say “It’s fun at first, but when people overuse it, it gets cringe,” which many can agree on because just like other things in life, it’s important to learn when to stop.
A few people are actually really concerned about the effect social media has on us. A student pointed out that “The algorithms are making it worse. Everything is designed to keep you scrolling, and before you know it, hours are gone,”. Another student took it even further to say “We’re losing our ability to think deeply because of FOMO.” This is supported by the fact that social media trends cause individuals to deal with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
With the fast circulating trends on social media, people have this need to stay up to date with everything which could be considered FOMO. Wanting to feel included and up to date with everything is what keeps people scrolling and hooked to their phones.
Balance
So are we consuming too much too fast? Honestly, it all depends on how you look at it. Social media brain rot is not always considered a bad thing, specially because it is for many a fun and easy way to unwind. But it is important to recognize that it does have major consequences whether it be on your physical or mental health.
In my opinion, it’s all about balance, just like most things in life. Watching memes and engaging with internet culture is not a problem but reminding ourselves to not let it take over our whole lives is important. The key is knowing when to stop and look away. As we continue keeping ourselves accountable, brain rot shouldn’t be much of a problem.
If you enjoyed this article, read Ethan Nchinda’s article about cell phones in the classroom.
