If you talk all the time making references to the Internet, you may have “brainrot”. If you know what it is, you probably already imagine what the following note might talk about, if you don’t know, pay attention.
“Brainrot” is a term that has become popular, and which refers to a condition known as “broken brain”.
According to a report in The New York Times, it refers to the content of little value found on the internet as a result of spending a lot of time consuming it. He even gives the example “I’ve been watching so many videos on TikTok that I already suffer from ‘brainrot’”.
This has led many to consider it a parody, others even a “medal of Honor”while for some, it is definitely a problem.
The media cites a BuzzFeed questionnaire, where it challenges users to know interesting facts about the Internet. “If you pass this ‘brainrot’ quiz, your brain is 1000% cooked”this questionnaire is called.
The influencer Joel Cave published that “one of the easiest ways to know if someone’s brain has been destroyed by social networks is to notice how often that person refers to Internet slang (…) The fact that the Internet can infiltrate our brain so much that people don’t even have control over what they say — they just have to talk about whatever meme they’ve seen a lot — seems crazy to me.”
In fact, if you type “Brainrot” in the TikTok search engine, you will get videos of young people talking about the topic (for or against) and hundreds of questionnaires to “measure” the level of “brainrot.”
Be careful, these They are not validated by specialists, much less professionals.so paying attention to what these questionnaires say is not healthy either.
Likewise, accounts have also begun to appear that are exclusively dedicated to uploading “brainrot” content, such as “Fort History” on TikTok, which takes clips from movies and series and dubs them using internet slang.
@fort_history We got suits brainrot now #fortnite #brainrot #edit #suitsedit
♬ original sound – Fort History
Brainrot, it is not a new concept
“Brainrot” is not a term that is popularly new, since it appeared in 2007, however, according to researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital they relate it to the “problematic use of interactive media”reports The New York Times.
Michael Rich, a pediatrician who founded the facility’s Digital Wellness Lab, told the outlet that his patients refer to “brainrot” as a “way to describe what happens when you spend a lot of time on the Internetand you have moved your consciousness to the online space instead of real life and you are filtering everything through the lens of what has been published and what can be published.
The professional points out that some of his patients consider that having “brainrot” is a badge of honor, even reaching competition between users for who spends more time on the screen. He believes that many of his patients are aware enough of what obsessive Internet use means and how it affects them, but not aware enough to stop it.
“I think people started to realize that TikTok is consuming our lives to the point that it felt like it was ‘brain rotting’ to me, because people are constantly checking TikTok and there are a lot of references to niches on the platform,” Joshua said. Rodríguez Ortíz, 18, told the NYTimes.
According to an article published by the Newport Institute, specialized in mental health care for adolescents, “brainrot” can manifest itself in various ways, such as compulsive video game playing, without necessarily having to be addicted; he “zombie displacement” on the phone, jumping from one fedd to another without meaning or specific goal; search for distressing or negative information (doomscrolling) and social media addiction.
How to prevent “brainrot”?
The same Newport Institute publication provides some recommendations on how to prevent brainrot.
Set limits on screen time. Nowadays phones provide information about consumption times, both for cell phones in general and for applications, so it is good to monitor them and control the time of use.
Curate the feeds. This is a way to protect mental health by being aware of what they consume and not succumbing to sensational or negative news, diversifying sources. It is also ideal to stop following accounts that increase your anger or anxiety. Change it to something more positive.
Pursue non-digital interests. The Newport Institute calls for finding hobbies or activities outside of the cell phone, such as listening to music, going camping, playing an instrument or learning to play one. Journaling, exercising, or whatever helps you relax outside of using devices.
Connect with positive people. The medical center calls for making an effort to connect with people who are a positive stimulus, and preferably, outside the digital world. This includes family, friends and colleagues.
The mind is a muscle, strengthen it. Like the muscles in the rest of the body, the brain can also be worked on, such as learning a new language or technical skill, playing board, math, or skill games. The important thing is to resist what is most comfortable.
Digital detox. This not only refers to limiting screen time, which has already been recommended, but also to disconnecting completely, which helps you become more aware of your own thoughts, perceptions and habits. The NI cites a study that indicates that disconnecting from social media for seven days significantly increases mental well-being.
Seek professional support. If you feel that it has already become a serious problem, the important thing is to always seek help from a specialized professional.
