What is Brainrot? Signs, Causes, Cure

Brainrot might sound like a flippant term, especially as there are so many humorous memes about it. But even though it’s not a recognized medical condition, brainrot can have a harmful impact on those affected, including cognitive impairment, mental health issues, and digital addiction.

As experts in the problematic use of technology, we’re often asked questions like:

• Is brainrot a real thing?
• What does brainrot feel like?
• What does brainrot mean in slang?
• Is there a link between brainrot and internet addiction or brainrot and social media addiction?

In this article, we explain what causes brainrot, describe the telltale signs, and provide advice on how to cure it.

What is the main cause of brainrot?

The main cause of brainrot is the overuse of technology, also known as being chronically online. However, it’s not just the amount of time individuals spend staring at screens, it’s the type of content they consume such as cheap dopamine.

Millions of people around the world rely on the internet for news, information, work, education, socializing, hobbies, and more. But they use it intentionally with no harmful consequences. Whereas brainrot occurs when online activities become mindless—doomscrolling on social media or watching a never-ending stream of low-value videos and memes, particularly on platforms like TikTok. This is where the term TikTok brain comes from.

Although brainrot does have some of the same potential adverse effects as TikTok brain — such as lower attention span, increased anxiety and depression, and social media or internet addiction — it has an extra dimension. Brainrot can also change the way that affected individuals think, act, and speak. The virtual world may infiltrate their brain so much that they constantly reference brainrot words, phrases, abbreviations, acronyms, and hashtags that make no sense to anyone who is unfamiliar with them.

How to tell if someone has brainrot

If you suspect that you or someone you care about has brainrot, you may have noticed one or more of these signs:

• Frequently uses internet jargon, such as TikTok slang, Instagram slang, and Snapchat slang in everyday life. These brainrot terms can sound like another language to the uninitiated.
• Binges low-quality content by spending hours mindlessly scrolling through memes and reels on social media that offer little or no mental stimulation.
• Finds it increasingly difficult to focus and may suffer from brain fog, lethargy, lack of concentration, reduced attention span and difficulty making decisions or remembering information.

The above signs of brainrot can lead to physical and psychological problems. People who suffer from brainrot may experience eye strain, headaches, insomnia, exhaustion, bad posture, poor hygiene, weight gain or loss, and aches and pains from lack of movement. The emotional consequences vary from person to person but can include low mood, stress, anxiety, and depression.

Can brainrot cause digital addiction?

Brainrot can be scary and uncomfortable, so the individual may spend even more time playing video games, checking social media, or binge-watching YouTube videos to avoid its negative impacts. But, of course, viewing mindless content for escapism only makes the symptoms worse.

Eventually, hours squandered online can cause structural changes to the brain, which is due to the disruption of dopamine production. As a result, the individual may struggle to control their online habits or make rational decisions about screen time. At this point, they’re likely to be showing signs of digital addiction – also known as video game addiction, social media addiction, phone addiction or internet addiction depending on their preferred online activities.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• Real life doesn’t satisfy them in the same way as their online world.
• Everything is boring compared to video games, social media, TikTok videos, etc.
• They need more and more screen time to experience the same level of enjoyment.
• Even if they wanted to stop, they have no willpower.

These changes are due to the way that excessive screen time overstimulates the brain. This is why they may experience the following adverse effects:

• Irritable and agitated when they’re offline
• No interest in other hobbies or activities
• Struggle to function at school, college, or work
• Withdraw from friends, family, and social events.
• Always thinking about being online even when away from screens
• Inability to focus on anything other than brainrot content
• Poor impulse control and emotional regulation

But the good news is that brainrot can be reversed.

How to cure brainrot

If you feel the constant pull of the online world, here are 10 things you can do to cure brainrot and get your life back on track. Over time, you’ll choose to engage with online content that’s useful and positive rather than mindless and harmful.

1. Reduce screen time by 30 minutes each day. After a month, this will make a significant step toward the recommended screen time guidelines by age.
2. Set screen-free times such as an hour before bed, after school until homework is done, or during family meals.
3. Establish screen-free zones around the house that everyone in the family has to respect, like bedrooms and bathrooms.
4. Turn off unnecessary notifications, as these can be stressful if you’re trying to reduce your online activities and very hard to resist.
5. Delete distracting apps such as Discord, so each time you want to check social media, you have to log into your accounts rather than having instant access.
6. Use parental controls on devices to monitor usage. This could involve setting time limits or adding scheduled breaks.
7. Mentally stimulate your brain with puzzles, games like chess, reading, or learning a language to help rebuild cognitive functions.
8. Replace screen time with offline hobbies and interests, which will help reduce your dependency on digital stimulation
9. Hang out with friends and rediscover how meeting in person can boost your mood and well-being.
10. Do physical exercise every day to increase blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Over time, this will help boost your cognitive function and memory.

Need help with brainrot?

If you, or someone you care about, are showing signs of brainrot and don’t know what to do, we offer specialist support.

At Game Quitters, we’ve helped thousands of people get their unhealthy online habits under control, and we can help you or your loved one too.

This isn’t another ‘just limit your screen time’ approach that’s doomed to fail. We can provide the tools, support, and expertise to reset your brain, so you can break free from mental fogginess, digital dependency, and needing to know every brainrot meme meaning.

Take action today and book a Gameplan call to see if you’re a good match for one of our coaching programs. Please note that we have limited places available and are unable to accept all applicants.