Neurology of Brainrot
- The Write Way SVA Literary Magazine
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Daphne Baumgartner
High School Student
November/December 2025
According to Johnathan Rothwell, PhD, 51% of teenagers spend at least 4 hours on social media a day1. That totals to 60 days a year of non-stop scrolling, chatting, posting, reposting, and with how social media has progressed over the past decade, so much more. “Brainrot” and “Doomscrolling” (or dopamine-scrolling), are just a couple of the internet buzzwords used to describe this phenomenon had experts and parents scratching their heads on the long term consequences of an all too common scrolling addiction. Brainrot was originally a way to describe mental decline as a result of overconsuming low quality short form media, and as for doomscrolling, it refers to the overconsumption of too many negative news headlines. Though not medical terminology, in the past year or so, they have been used in slang to signify overconsumption of short form media, defined as videos with a duration of less than three minutes in length2. Sites where short-form content is a main form of media include but are not limited to: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These sites are wired to keep all ages (but especially teens) addicted; and this is how we can help.
Why is Short-Form Content so Addicting?
To answer this question, we need to look at what exactly is happening in our brains when we scroll through bite-sized content, and why it feels so good to scroll, even though many of us know it’s bad for us. A study conducted in 20213 revealed that many young people turn to social media to relieve perceived stress by escaping reality. While this works in the short term, it can condition many to immediately turn to social media the second they feel stressed or have any sense of discomfort. The reason this occurs is due to the fact that watching short-form videos parallels your brain’s natural reward system, since viewing so many short entertaining videos at one time produces dopamine, and the method to achieve that level of dopamine requires little effort; you move your finger one inch, and boom, instant gratification. It breaks down into a neurological level as well; studies have found that when put through a brain scan, people who were shown short-form content on a personalized algorithm experienced higher levels of activation in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, which are areas of your brain that positively correlate with addiction4.
The Detrimental Effects of Dopamine-Scrolling
What are the long term effects of brainrot, and is it actually worth worrying about? First, let’s begin with sleep. The official term for staying up late dopamine-scrolling is “vamping”. When young people endure an hour less of sleep than normal (typically exhibited by vamping), it increases the risk of psychological stress. The overwhelming consumption of content within a very short period can overstimulate the brain; if scrolling at night occurs, which is pretty often among those addicted to their phones, they will have a harder time not just getting to sleep but achieving quality sleep required for the day ahead5. This means that after doomscrolling at night, you are more likely to wake up groggy and less rested, leading to a decrease in brain function. In addition to lower self-esteem, reduced coping abilities, and poorer academic performance, it is also linked to a higher risk for dangerous behaviors, such as unprotected sex, drug use, self harm, and more.
The emotional state of young people can be affected too; seeing thousands of social media posts per day, particularly negative content, desensitizes them to negative stimuli, making it more difficult to experience positive emotions7. Additionally, sites such as Instagram promote unrealistic standards for body image and even to curate a “perfect” life. The cost of this is decreased self esteem, which can in turn lead to more serious conditions such as anxiety and depression9. Many dig themselves an even deeper hole, since their mental energy is eaten up by brainrot. This lack of energy means they don’t have much attention to spare for their personal relationships, leading teens and young adults to grow distant from the very people they need for support10.
One of the things that leads to poorer academic performance is a decrease in memory and cognitive function from constant surface-level short-form content. Memory loss occurs because the constant scrolling and overconsumption of content overloads the brain, taking up room that could be used to store other information10. At the physical level of our brain, studies have shown that excessive scrolling can decline the amount of grey matter present, risking a phenomenon known as “digital dementia”11.
Despite many of the negative effects of scrolling, a few scientists from Baylor University argue for the opposite; technology use enhances brain function and activity (when not used excessively)12.They have completed studies to support that technology increases problem solving skills, social connection, and can even “Associate with better cognitive aging outcomes, rather than harm.”. The key, they say, is to use technology while prioritizing face-to-face connection, and not to slip into excessive use, such as while driving or at night.
How to Help With Excessive Brainrot
First, there are several steps we can take to prevent doomscrolling from occurring in the first place. The first, but most challenging, is to restrict use of social media in the first place. There are several apps available to help restrict social media consumption, or if you’re under 18, you can ask your parents or friends to set a screen time password to help restrict your screen time. Another component of this is disabling as many notifications from social media apps as possible, so you’re less tempted to access those apps multiple times a day. This method, however, comes with two parts; not only restricting but replacing what you consume. It’s best to do something creative, such as drawing, making music, scrapbooking, etc. since brainrot hinders your natural creativity13. Long form media is another method of combating brainrot, since it’s not only a long form type of media, but it relaxes your brain and can increase your attention span. In fact, reading is one of the best ways to combat brainrot.
Reading reverses the effects of brainrot, and strengthens many areas that excessive phone use can hinder; It helps strengthen your memory, attention span, and focus14. While dopamine-scrolling advances serious neurological conditions such as anxiety and depression, reading can actually reduce stress caused by any area of life15. Some learning can be present on social media apps, however there are very loose regulations for the quality of material posted and a drastic lack of fact-checking. Books, on the other hand, go through extensive research and peer-review before being officially published, therefore they are more reliable for information on all subjects. Most intellectually–challenging activities apart from reading can enhance brain performance and promote similar effects as reading.
Sleep can determine a lot about a person’s cognitive function during all waking hours, so it’s vital that dopamine-scrolling doesn’t interfere with it. Luckily, it’s simple to restore sleeping habits, by cutting back on screen habits. The first is to turn off screens an entire hour before bed, since the blue light alone is similar to UV light and can disrupt your circadian rhythm16. If you have to use a blue light emitting device before bed, the incorporation of blue light glasses can also help avoid strain on your eyes.
Dopamine scrolling can make it harder to get and stay motivated to even achieve simple tasks. One of the best ways to reset your dopamine is to exercise lots, as it promotes mental clarity whilst releasing physical tension17. One study from the National Institute of health also finds that it assists with sleep ability and quality, cognitive ability during the daytime, and overall depression rates drop in screen-addicted college students.
Conclusion
Brainrot as a result of dopamine-scrolling is an epidemic that has plagued young people around the world; Memory loss, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression are at higher rates than ever. However, with limited access to screens, regular exercise, and intellectually – challenging hobbies, it is possible to reverse these detrimental effects.
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