Is Your Brain Rotting from Too Much Social Media? Here Are the Warning Signs

The term ‘brain rot’ may no longer be unfamiliar to some people, especially when describing the habit of spending excessive time scrolling or playing on social media. However, this condition should not be taken lightly, as it has caught the attention of experts.

Dr. Costantino Iadecola, Head of the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute and a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, revealed that brain rot has a significant impact especially on children and teenagers, as their brains are still in the development stage.

In general, brain rot refers to a decline in mental or intellectual function due to frequently consuming light content that lacks challenge. The habit of watching phone screens for long periods can trigger disorders such as brain fog, decreased concentration, and difficulty in self control.

Marci Cottingham, PhD, a professor of sociology at Kenyon College, even admitted to experiencing this condition after spending too much time watching TikTok videos.”I felt it after spending hours watching TikTok,” she said, quoted from TODAY. So, what are the signs that someone is experiencing brain rot?

Signs That Someone is Experiencing ‘Brain Rot’

To date, experts state that there is still little research specifically discussing the brain rot phenomenon. One of the latest studies published in early 2025 in the journal Brain Sciences mentions three main factors that potentially trigger this condition excessive screen time, social media addiction and cognitive overload.

As a result of this condition, a person may experience changes in cognitive function. The study mentioned common symptoms such as:

• Distortion or impairment of short-term memory
• Difficulty focusing and concentrating
• Shortening attention span
• Impulsive behavior
• Dependency on instant gratification

In some cases, brain rot appears similar to mental fatigue or even depression, as both are related to disturbances in the brain’s executive function. These symptoms can be situational, meaning they appear and disappear depending on time, mood or daily conditions.

However, in certain cases, brain rot symptoms can be part of a clinical issue such as ADHD. For example, teenagers who already have a tendency toward depression or anxiety are more at risk of unhealthy social media use, which further worsens their condition.

Social media can also become an attractive ‘escape’ for those who already have trouble focusing, creating a cycle of problems that is difficult to break.

Even though the term brain rot is increasingly popular, experts emphasize the importance of further research to truly understand its long-term effects. Without deeper scientific evidence, it’s hard to determine how seriously this condition can affect daily life.

Professor Marci Cottingham views the emergence of this term as a reflection of ongoing social and cultural changes.

“Brain rot reflects a time of political and cultural uncertainty, when many people feel they have no clear direction to act, either individually or collectively,” she said.

Overall, experts agree that brain rot is a complex psychological phenomenon. Although it can have negative effects, this condition is not always dangerous and is not entirely new in modern psychology.