Oxford University Press has chosen “brain rot” as its word of the year.
The word is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially as a result of excessive consumption of content perceived as trivial or unchallenging (now especially online content).”
Some experts believe that the constant, endless scrolling of social media and other online content is doing exactly that. rotting our minds.
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Behavioral neuroscientist Dr. Kyra Bobinette, author of “The Unstoppable Mind,” told Fox News Digital that awareness of brain decay and its consequences is growing.
Oxford University Press’s selection of “brain rot” as its word of the year “points to the problem,” according to one expert. (iStock)
“It’s in the zeitgeist that people have trouble with their attention span. They feel brain fog, they [have] Low concentrations … they can’t work deep,” said Bobinette, based in California.
“And then there’s this epidemic of loneliness sitting on its heels, because we can’t really focus on anything, including Building relationships“
Stuck in a scroll.
According to Bobnett, a specific part of the brain, called the habenula, is responsible for getting stuck in endless scrolling.
The habenula is a central part of the brain involved in a variety of important functions, including motivation and decision making. But when activated, this area “can also kill our motivation to try,” he noted.
Studies link mental health risks to this toxin for those born in the 60s or 70s.
“It’s the heart of when you know you should be doing something, and you do this other thing instead, like ‘doom scrolling,'” he said.
“It’s the part of our brain that when it’s turned on, we feel depressed. We feel out of control, we feel emotional, we feel addicted,” one neurologist said of the habenula. “ (iStock)
Bobinette said scrolling through social media is also a way to “disconnect” and relax the mind after a long day. This is a “precautionary behavior”, controlled by Habenula.
Experts say excessive use of social media has many of the same effects as substance abuse.
“Whenever you’re avoiding something, you know that part of the brain is on,” she said.
It’s like this Addiction to social media Can happen, warns Bobinette, because this part of the brain can make scrolling “too painful” to stop.
“There’s this epidemic of loneliness sitting on its heels, because we can’t really focus on anything, including relationships,” said one expert. (iStock)
The neuroscientist warned that this could result in a “dangerous” loss of motivation.
“We all need encouragement to live our lives and feel proud of ourselves and feel confident and achieve what we want,” she told Fox News Digital.
How to avoid mental disorders.
According to Bobnett, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to preventing brain rot.
The key is learning what works best for the individual, which involves “like tweaking and tinkering and adjusting,” she said.
“Humans are very resilient,” he added. “Once we know the truth about our bodies, we can do something about it.”
One neuroscientist said that scrolling through social media is a way to “disconnect” and give the brain a rest after a long day, a “precautionary behavior.” (iStock)
Dr. Don Grant, National Health Advisor Device management at Newport Healthcare in Los Angeles, called upon device makers and content producers to keep consumers connected to their devices.
“They’re very smart, these creators who created these algorithms and also take advantage of our limbic system—the same [way] The people who built the slot machines,” he told Fox News Digital. “Pull the handle … you never know what you’re going to get.”
Grant said he worries about “the death of certain things,” including imagination.
“We don’t need to imagine anything now,” he said. “We pick up our devices every time. I’m concerned about memory. Concerned about education”
Grant said he often hears from kids that they spend up to eight hours on any given night scrolling and watching videos, which ” Sleep hygiene“
One expert said he often hears from kids that they spend eight hours on any given night scrolling and watching videos, which “disrupts their sleep patterns.” (iStock)
“And I say, ‘Okay, can you tell me a video that you remember?’ I still have a child who is actually able to remember what he saw.”
“Our brain matter is shrinking, our memories are shrinking. [and] Our attention spans are getting shorter,” Grant warned.
“I’m worried about memory, I’m worried about education.”
The expert offered some tips to avoid getting stuck in the “doom scroll” of “endless, bottomless” content. Especially for children.
Because the Internet is a “forever archive,” Grant notes that “FOMO,” or fear of missing out, is not a good reason to stay online.
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“Maybe Call a friend or FaceTime your grandma for the holidays,” she suggests.
Grant also urges people to be more strategic about how they spend time online, dividing it into 80% “meaningful, legitimate” content and 20% entertainment.
One expert urges people to be more strategic about spending time online, dividing it into 80% “meaningful, legitimate” content and 20% entertainment. (iStock)
“For digital hygiene and well-being, you can set boundaries, you can block access,” Grant said. “Set tech-free times and zones in your home, specifically For families”
“Get outside, move the muscles … play memory games, intellectually challenging or educational games.”
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The expert encourages people to ask themselves some questions after scrolling to assess the quality of time spent.
These might include: “Can you tell me how much time you were online? Did you spend more time than you wanted to? Do you feel better?”
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Grant added, “There’s a perceived risk of virtual life and how we’re using our free time — at the end of it, are you really feeling good about yourself?”