Brain Rot Is Real! Are You Unknowingly Destroying Your Mind?

Drug addicted? it's time for you to stop. By the way, I am talking here about digital drugs. Today's digital era has made life really easy and convenient. All your needs and wants lie at the bottom of your fingertips, all you need to do is just a little touch. With an easy lifestyle comes easy addiction. The fast flow of online content, stream buzz of pop-ups and notifications, and constant kilometers of swipe-ups on digital screens made "Brain Rot" Oxford word of the year 2024.
Brain Rot is a phenomenon that refers to the step-by-step decline in cognitive function, mental agility, and creativity due to overexposure to screens and digital devices. We 'Humans' are what we are because of our focus power, creativity, and insights, these qualities help us to learn constantly, and these qualities distinguish us from other living creatures. But in the current digital age, these fundament qualities are under severe danger. We are living in a world where attention is a new form of currency, and every swipe we make is a micro-transaction in a massive attention economy. The attention economy, where companies monetize every second of our gaze, also has economic implications. Our Digital gadgets from smartphones to laptops to televisions, screens have become an integral part of daily life. They are a means of quick gratification. Reel culture, which often relies on shock value that desensitizes people to indecency or offensive themes including sexism, racism, and profanity. In a world of memes where tiny packages of information spread at the speed of light, over-consuming those contents leads us to Brain Rot.

Our brain shapes memories through repeated attention. When we pay attention deeply, the hippocampus integrates new information into long-term storage. But what will happen if we do not concentrate long enough due to our 30-second interruption of notification? Our brain will never get the chance to encode a memory. That is the reason you can notice the rise of too much dependency on digital technology all around you. We trust giant corporations like ‘Google’ and other social feeds to provide answers to our demands. And it is one of the major causes of today’s ‘Digital Amnesia’.
One of the instant effects of excessive screen time is the decrease in attention span. Constant consumption of short content like reels, memes, and social media posts made us instant gratification seekers. Individuals with these qualities make themselves deprive of focus power, it becomes extremely challenging for one to read a few pages of books or to solve complex problems.

Overexposure algorithm-curated content often creates eco chambers, building a wall between intellect and emotion by reducing exposure to diverse perspectives. And this is one of the major phenomena that diminishes critical thinking and analytical skills.

Digital device screens emit blue light, which overstimulates our brains leading to mental exhaustion. Procrastination and laziness are a few major results.

We humans are known for our competitive nature, it is important to remember that productivity suffers when we can't sustain focus, and creativity declines gradually when we never let our minds wander. As we become more distractible we risk losing our competitive character.

Overconsumption from digital screens hinders children's development of essential qualities, which are fundamental for a human being like empathy, effective communication, and emotional regulation.
As you have already heard about the viral term 'dopamine'. It's very well known today that individuals swipe up kilometers with their fingertips to seek high dopamine hits. Now just like one adapted to this high dopamine environment, it is tough to adapt alternative. It is going to be like bodybuilding after a year of being a couch potato. It will of course take a lot of intentional effort. But one can start by recognizing the problem.

Setting boundaries between biology and technology is significantly important. One can include executing no-screen zones or times like before bed or during meals.

Digital Detoxes—again, a new term? They refer to periodically planning ways to unplug from devices. Psychologists in the digital arena suggest they can improve mental clarity and overall well-being. One just needs to set aside a day or a few days to disconnect from technology.

It is important to practice healthy, mindful consumption, such as reading books or articles. It is equally important to reflect afterward to synthesize the information you have consumed. Personally, reading books is a form of meditation for me. It helps me refocus my mind and reduce the cognitive clutter caused by too much screen time.
Nicholas Carr is a neuroscientist and author who says the internet changes not only what we think about but also how we think. His warning today seems like a prophecy. Technology is like a double-edged sword. It indeed offers us countless benefits, but excessive usage and snorting digital drugs lead to brain rot, shattering our mental agility. By consciously using our digital devices and prioritizing activities, we can save our mental agility and regain control over our mental well-being.