'From straight-A student to digital addict': How alarming rise of 'Brain Rot' is rewiring young minds

Joanne Hunter, a single mother, recalls the day she discovered her son’s online interactions spiralling out of control. The Irish expat, who raised her son in Madrid before moving to Dubai, recalls a boy who excelled academically, loved playing drums in his school band, and thrived in every sense of the word. “He was a straight-A student, academically brilliant, and deeply involved in extracurricular activities. Everything was perfect,” she says. But when he was handed his first smartphone at age ten, that idyllic picture began to blur.

What started as harmless digital curiosity quickly turned into a nightmare. Joanne discovered disturbing images on his Snapchat account—pictures from someone posing as a young girl, who turned out to be an adult man. “I nearly passed out. The thought of my child, so young and trusting, being exposed to something like this was devastating,” she says.

The gaming world was no better. Strangers online began manipulating her son, leading to aggressive outbursts at home and relentless demands for money. “He became super aggressive, wouldn’t sleep, and even locked himself in the bathroom one morning. I had to call the police,” she recalls. Despite therapy and counselling, Joanne’s struggles persisted, culminating in the decision to send him to boarding school in Ireland. “At one point, I even considered rehab. It was out of control.”

But what led to her son's predicament? The constant scrolling, being glued to devices, and consuming social media—though seemingly harmless initially—resulted in a harmful dependency.

This digital addiction also illustrates a larger, alarming trend now widely recognised as “brain rot”, a term Oxford University has crowned its Word of the Year for 2024. The phrase captures the cognitive and emotional toll of overexposure to shallow, fast-paced digital content, particularly in the age of social media.

What is 'Brain Rot'?

From a psychological perspective, “brain rot” refers to the erosion of mental clarity and emotional stability caused by the overstimulation of digital media. Marisa Peer, a globally acclaimed therapist, describes it as “what happens when we overload our minds with endless, shallow content that doesn’t nourish us. It’s like binging on junk food for the brain—lots of empty calories with no real substance. Over time, it leaves us feeling distracted, unfulfilled, and mentally drained.”

Dr Adhishri Yadav, a clinical psychologist at Potentia Clinics, likens the phenomenon to leaving too many tabs open on a computer. “Your brain becomes overstimulated, leading to exhaustion and confusion. Neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for feelings of happiness and focus, get depleted over time,” she explains.

According to Dr Olga Aksenova, a corporate psychologist at Flowwow, the term also highlights how constant digital engagement can suppress higher-order cognitive functions. “The frontal lobe, which is responsible for decision-making, analytical thinking, and problem-solving, becomes overwhelmed by the constant barrage of information. Over time, this limits our ability to perceive connections or engage in meaningful reflection,” she says. “We are essentially narrowing our mental bandwidth.”

Not a clinical diagnosis

While not a clinical diagnosis at this point, ‘brain rot’ is increasingly becoming a metaphor for cognitive overload. “It describes the narrowing of focus caused by constant exposure to shallow, fast-paced information. Over time, this affects attention, memory, and decision-making abilities,” Dr Aksenova explains.

This narrowing of focus has emotional consequences too. Dr Sagar Kawale, specialist neurologist, NMC, adds that endless scrolling creates a feedback loop of dependency. “Social media algorithms are designed to exploit our natural dopamine system. Every like, comment, or new piece of content triggers a small reward. But over time, this hijacks the brain’s ability to derive satisfaction from deeper, more meaningful experiences,” he explains.

How social media fuels 'Brain Rot'

It’s no surprise that social media is at the heart of this upheaval. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts thrive on this manipulation of our brain chemistry. Their algorithms carefully curate content to keep users engaged for as long as possible, often at the expense of their mental health.

“Every like, comment, or new piece of content triggers a dopamine release, reinforcing the urge to continue scrolling,” says Dr Aksenova. Over time, this reliance on quick hits of gratification diminishes the brain’s capacity for deeper engagement. “It’s like training your brain to only operate on the surface level, making it harder to concentrate or reflect meaningfully.”

Heavy social media use makes your brain jump from one thing to the next without ever fully focusing, Peer points out. “It’s like flipping TV channels every few seconds; you’re bombarded with information, but you don’t retain any of it,” she explains. “Over time, you lose patience for anything that requires sustained attention, like reading a book or having a meaningful conversation.”

Dr Noushin Mehrbod, specialist neurologist, RAK Hospital, describes the phenomenon as a vicious cycle: “The constant multitasking—scrolling, liking, and commenting—trains the brain to expect instant gratification. Over time, this reduces the brain’s gray matter and neuroplasticity, hindering its ability to adapt, learn, or focus deeply.”

Emotionally, it can be tied to habits like doomscrolling, social comparison, or isolation, which heighten anxiety and erode self-esteem, leaving the younger generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, particularly vulnerable.

“These kids are growing up with screens in their hands,” says Peer. “Their brains are still developing, and this constant exposure is training them to avoid deep thinking. It’s not their fault—it’s the world they’ve been born into, but it’s creating a generation that struggles to engage meaningfully with the real world.”

The cognitive and emotional toll

The symptoms of brain rot are not just anecdotal; they are being documented with increasing regularity. Dr Yadav notes that these include reduced attention spans, emotional instability, and social withdrawal. “People report feeling bored, groggy, and unmotivated. They struggle with decision-making and often feel disconnected in their relationships. These aren’t isolated incidents—they’re becoming the norm,” she says.

Dr Kawale, on the other hand, emphasises that the long-term consequences are even more alarming. “When the brain is constantly overstimulated, it struggles to retain information, solve problems, or make thoughtful decisions. It doesn't just hamper productivity, it also forms the core of how we think and connect,” he says.

"It’s like losing a part of yourself—the part that craves creativity, connection, and meaningful engagement. Social media isn’t just stealing your time, it’s stealing your joy,” Peer adds.

What is the path to recovery?

The good news is that the effects of brain rot, while concerning, are not irreversible. Dr Aksenova stresses the importance of reclaiming cognitive wellness through deliberate practice. “The brain’s plasticity allows it to recover when given the right stimuli. Activities like exercise, creative pursuits, and meaningful face-to-face interactions can help rewire the brain’s reward pathways,” she explains. The challenge, she adds, is consistency.

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