Oxford University Press has chosen “brain rot” as its word of the year.
The word is defined as “an alleged deterioration in a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially considered to be the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered insignificant or uncontested.” Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration. “
Some experts believe that constant, endless scrolling through social media and other online content does just that: rot our brains.
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Behavioral neuroscientist Dr. Kyra Bobinet, author of “Unstoppable Brain,” told Fox News Digital that there is a growing awareness of brain rot and its consequences.
Oxford University Press has chosen “brain rot” as its word of the year for “identifying the problems,” according to an expert. (iStock)
“It’s the zeitgeist that people have difficulty with their attention span. They have foggy brains, they have less concentration… They can’t do deep work,” Bobinet said, based in California.
“And then there’s also this epidemic of loneliness that has sort of followed that, because we can’t really focus on anything, including relationship building“.
Stuck in a parchment
According to Bobinet, a certain part of the brain, called the habenula, is responsible for getting stuck in endless scrolling.
The habenula is a central part of the brain that is involved in various important functions, including motivation and decision-making. But when activated, this zone can also “kill our motivation to try,” she noted.
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“It’s the moment when you know you should be doing something and you do this other thing instead, like ‘doom-scrolling,'” she said.
“It’s the area of our brain where, when it’s turned on, we feel depressed. We feel out of control, we feel impulsive, we feel addicted,” a neurologist said of the habenula . (iStock)
Surfing social media is also a way to “disassociate” and give the brain a rest after a long day, Bobinet said. This is an “avoidance behavior” that the habenula controls.
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“Any time you avoid something, you know that area of the brain is active,” she said.
This is how social media addictions can form, Bobinet warned, because this part of the brain can make it “very painful” to stop scrolling.
“There’s this epidemic of loneliness that has sort of followed, because we can’t really focus on anything, including building relationships,” one expert said. (iStock)
This can lead to a “dangerous” loss of motivation, warns the neuroscientist.
“We all need motivation to live our lives, be proud of ourselves, be confident in ourselves and get what we want,” she told Fox News Digital.
How to avoid brain rot
There is no universal solution to avoid brain rot, according to Bobinet.
The key is learning what works best for the individual, she said, which involves “tweaking, tinkering and adjusting as you go,” she said.
“Humans are very resilient,” she added. “Once we know the truth about our bodies, then we can do something about it.”
Browsing social media is a way to “disassociate” and give the brain a rest after a long day, which constitutes “avoidance behavior”, a neuroscientist has said. (iStock)
Dr. Don Grant, National Health Advisor device management at Newport Healthcare in Los Angeles, called on device manufacturers and content producers to keep users connected to their devices.
“They are very intelligent, these creators who created these algorithms and who also exploit our limbic system – the same way that the people who created the slot machines did,” he told Fox News Digital. “Pull the handle…You never know what you’re going to get.”
Grant expressed concern about “the death of certain things,” notably the imagination.
“We don’t need to imagine anything anymore,” he said. “We get our devices back every time. I’m worried about the memory. I’m worried about education“.
Grant said he often hears from kids that they spend eight hours a night scrolling and watching videos, which “disrupts their sleep hygiene“.
One expert said he often hears kids say they spend eight hours a night scrolling and watching videos, which “disrupts their sleep hygiene.” (iStock)
“And I say, ‘OK, can you tell me a video that you remember?’ I have yet to have a single child who can remember everything he saw.”
“Our brain matter diminishes, our memories diminish (and) our attention span diminishes,” Grant warned.
“I worry about memory. I worry about education.”
The expert offered some tips to avoid getting stuck in a “doom scroll” of “endless and bottomless” content, especially for children.
Given that the internet is “archived forever,” Grant noted that “FOMO,” or fear of missing out, is not a valid reason to stay online.
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“Maybe phone a friend or FaceTime your grandmother for the holidays,” he suggested.
Grant also urges people to be more strategic about the time they spend online, dividing it into 80% “meaningful and legitimate” content and 20% entertainment.
One expert is urging people to be more strategic with their time spent online, dividing it between 80% “meaningful and legitimate” content and 20% entertainment. (iStock)
“For digital hygiene and wellness, you can set limits, you can block access,” Grant said. “Set technology-free times and zones in your home, especially for families“.
“Go outside, move a muscle… play memory games, intellectually stimulating or educational games.”
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The expert also encourages people to ask themselves a few questions after browsing the site to assess the quality of the time spent.
These might include: “Could you tell me how much time you spent online? Did you spend more time than you wanted? Did you feel better? »
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Grant added: “There is a perceived danger in virtual life and how we spend our free time – in the end, do you really feel good about yourself?”