Find out what brain rot is, the symptoms of cognitive decline caused by digital overstimulation, and how to protect your brain

by Orizio Luca

There's a new expression that's increasingly circulating among young people online, born as an ironic joke but capable of describing a profound discomfort: brain rot, literally "brain rot." It's not a medical term, yet it perfectly captures the idea of that feeling of mental fatigue, inattention, apathy and inability to concentrate that many experience after hours spent scrolling through digital content — short videos, social media, gaming, binge watching.

It’s a mental state that’s difficult to define clinically, but unmistakable to those who experience it. You feel numb, almost empty . Any activity that requires sustained attention—reading a complex article, following a lecture, writing something with a modicum of depth—becomes burdensome, almost impossible. In its place, you feel the irresistible desire to go back to “scrolling” or launch into another Netflix marathon. It’s as if the brain, accustomed to easy and continuous stimuli, is no longer able to tolerate the slowness of reality.

This condition does not arise from trauma or from work overload, like burnout. It is more insidious, because it grows silently, day after day, through the excessive and passive use of technology. It does not affect those who work too much, but those who let themselves be sucked into content that does not enrich, but numbs. It is the result of a cultural model that rewards immediate gratification and penalizes reflection.

The perverse mechanism of scrolling

The main cause of this phenomenon is overstimulation. Social media, video platforms and games are designed to entertain quickly and rewardingly. Each piece of content is short, catchy, optimized to capture attention in a few seconds. The brain, in response, releases dopamine — the neurotransmitter of pleasure — in small but continuous doses. But as with any dopamine mechanism, here too, addiction occurs: the more we consume this content, the more the brain needs it to feel “turned on”. The result? Slow and deep activities seem boring, tiring, devoid of satisfaction.

This effect is made even more powerful by infinite scrolling, that never-ending flow that makes us think we always have something new to see, even though we’re actually just going around in circles. It’s a loop designed to keep us there — a mechanism that works like a cognitive slot machine. Every now and then, something fun comes along, so we keep looking. But as we look, our brains get exhausted.

Symptoms not to be underestimated

Those who are victims of brain rot begin to notice small signs: difficulty concentrating, disinterest in activities that were previously enjoyable, weaker memory, less empathy in real relationships. Creativity is also affected: it becomes more difficult to imagine, construct, and elaborate complex thoughts.

Many young people, paradoxically, talk about it laughing — “I have brain rot” — but behind that irony hides a restless awareness: your mental time has been consumed by content that has left nothing. And it is a frustrating feeling, because it is difficult to stop. It is like wanting to leave a room while someone continues to show you videos that make you laugh, get excited, distract you. It is difficult to turn away when everything around you invites you to stay.

What can be done?

The good news is that, since it is a phenomenon linked to habits, it can be reversed. But a day of “digital detox” is not enough to heal. A real cognitive re-education is needed: a rediscovery of silence, of productive boredom, of attention as an exercise.

One of the first steps is to reintroduce screen-free moments into the day. Not necessarily long, but conscious. Even just ten minutes a day spent walking, drawing, reading without interruptions is a good start. Reading, in particular, is an excellent antidote: it forces the mind to slow down, to concentrate, to create images. At first it may seem tiring, but over time it becomes pleasant, like any well-practiced exercise.

Another key aspect is to rethink our relationship with algorithms. If we continue to click on the most banal or sensationalist videos, the algorithm will overwhelm us with similar content. But if we start looking for cultural, scientific, in-depth content — perhaps following pages that talk about history, philosophy, the environment, art — our “feed” will also change. And with it, our way of thinking.

Finally, a change of perspective is needed: we must stop considering the time spent without digital stimuli as “empty” time. On the contrary, it is the most precious time. It is there that the brain regenerates, that identity is reorganized, that authentic ideas emerge. There is no creativity without boredom, there is no memory without slowness.

A cultural issue, not just a personal one

Brain rot is an individual phenomenon, but also a social one. It is the mirror of an era that has sacrificed depth on the altar of speed, that has transformed attention into a commodity and the mind into a battlefield between notifications. But we can change course, if we want. It is not about demonizing technology, but about learning to use it consciously, without letting it use us.

Returning to having a clear, attentive and creative mind is not only a personal goal, but a political act. In a world that wants us distracted, being present is an act of resistance.

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