Research suggests that doomscrolling and AI can be detrimental to your mental health.
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The term “brain rot” was once a meme associated with words like 'skibidi toilet' and 'fanum tax', and it was even Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024.
However, it has evolved beyond just internet slang; it now represents a crisis affecting the cognitive and emotional well-being of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. This crisis stems from hours of mindless scrolling and an increasing dependence on artificial intelligence
Latest studies indicate that our digital habits, such as doomscrolling social media, offloading mental tasks and venting our problems to AI, are rewiring our brains, degrading our attention spans, and eroding our ability to think critically.
Brain rot was first coined to describe the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state from consuming trivial online content. While brain rot is not a formal medical diagnosis, studies from 2023 and 2024 reviewed across platforms like PubMed and PsycINFO now confirm its symptoms: shortened attention spans, memory lapses, anxiety when away from screens, and even early signs of executive dysfunction.
According to a study published in PubMed, findings reveal that brain rot leads to emotional desensitisation, cognitive overload, and a negative self-concept. It is associated with negative behaviours, such as doomscrolling, zombie scrolling, and social media addiction, all linked to psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. These factors impair executive functioning skills, including memory, planning, and decision-making.
More than four billion internet-connected young adults spend over 6.5 hours a day online. And a disturbing amount of that time is spent watching algorithmically served, low-quality, high-dopamine content. The result is memory impairment, reality distortion, and promotes emotional numbness.
Whether it’s obsessively refreshing your feed during a crisis (doomscrolling), or mindlessly flicking through videos you barely register (zombie scrolling), today’s screen behaviours are designed to keep you hooked on the app. It's not just you; there is a science behind it.
Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels use feedback loops that light up the brain’s dopamine system, the same reward centre activated by sugar, chocolate, gambling, and drugs. So that boost of happiness or excitement you feel is engineered by them to keep you on their app. However, the problem with this is that the dopamine rush doesn't last, and you subconsciously keep scrolling to get the digital 'hit' again.
These behaviours have measurable consequences. People experiencing brain rot often report emotional desensitisation, disrupted sleep and increased anxiety, difficulty focusing on tasks longer than a few minutes and even a diminished sense of purpose or motivation
Studies even link excessive screen use to impaired brain development in adolescents and early markers of cognitive decline.
As if endless scrolling weren’t enough, another culprit of accelerating brain rot is artificial intelligence.
A recent study published in Societies reveals that younger generations are increasingly using AI to do their thinking for them. Termed cognitive offloading, this means we’re asking AI to make decisions, answer questions, and even form opinions, which is detrimental since these tasks were once reserved for the brain.
The result is what researchers call skill erosion. Heavy AI users show a marked drop in the ability to evaluate, challenge, or even understand information they didn't generate themselves. In other words, we’re becoming passive consumers of thought.
The implications of these dual threats—algorithmic content addiction and AI overreliance—are particularly grim for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, raised in a digital-first world.
The good news is that brain rot can be prevented and even reversed.
Here’s how:
Screen Time Limits: Regulate how long and when you engage with screens. Use tools to track and limit app usage.
Unfollow low-value creators. Seek out long-form, educational, or skill-building material.
Dedicate tech-free time for reading, hobbies, or socialising IRL.
Treat AI as an assistant, not a crutch. Always verify and think critically about its outputs.
Practices like meditation and regular exercise can help rewire your brain for focus and resilience.