Last weekend, during a relaxed gathering with friends, Antonia Batista, a 28-year-old marketing analyst, realized how her vocabulary had been shaped by memes and terms on social media. And despite trying to be funny, she realized that her friends didn’t think it was funny. She spends about seven hours a day online for work and another three hours for leisure activities, which may contribute to a strange and disturbing phenomenon: “the brain.”
The term “brain rot” or “brain rot” in plain Portuguese has not yet been recorded in scientific publications, but experts are already able to explain it. As we spend more time on social media consuming trivial content, our ability to communicate and concentrate may be affected, leading to social isolation and anxiety. Antonia, aware of her situation, admits that she is increasingly immersed in the dialect of social networks.
What is BrainRoute?
Brainrot can be described as the result of excessive screen use and constant contact with low-quality content on social networks. According to occupational therapist Renata Maria Silva Santos, researcher at the Center for Technology and Molecular Medicine at UFMG, this phenomenon leads to difficulty speaking and loss of communication skills. People become so immersed in stimuli that they end up communicating exclusively through memes and ready-made expressions.
How to Spot the Signs of Brainrot
Brainrot is a way for young people to describe the effects of spending too much time online, says Michael Rich, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab. The imagery of Antonia Batista, who claims to use the dialect of the Internet on a daily basis, bears that out. And 34-year-old civil servant Andiara Martinez is an example of someone who tries to stay offline to reduce the anxiety these digital environments cause.
How to detox from social media?
Influencers and experts suggest several strategies to alleviate the symptoms of brain rot. Here are some practical steps:
- Limit cell phone use: Set specific times to access social media.
- Offline activities: – Doing activities that strengthen the mind, such as learning a new language or playing sports.
- Feed organization: Unfollow accounts that generate negative or provocative feelings.
Psychoanalyst Leonardo Goldberg highlights that social networks automate our mental processes and prevent the creation of deeper content. The structure of these platforms favors the rapid and superficial consumption of information, which can increase anxiety and pain.
Who is most affected by Brainrot?
Teenagers and young adults in Generation Z are most vulnerable to the negative effects of brain mold. Organizations such as the Newport Institute in the United States are developing treatment protocols that include limiting cell phone use and promoting mentally stimulating activities to alleviate symptoms.
Digital platforms’ focus on maximizing engagement time for commercial purposes also contributes significantly to the problem. Experts such as Issaf Karawi argue that these networks are designed to ensure that users spend as much time as possible online, contributing to an increase in superficial and emotionally charged content.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by social media, it might be time to consider a digital detox. Engaging in offline activities and carefully curating the accounts you follow can make a huge difference in your mental health. While experts are still figuring out the best ways to deal with brain rot, it’s clear that awareness and preventative measures are crucial steps.
Stay informed, but take care of your health. Real life doesn't fit into Mimi's mind.
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