Children’s health: Help your child avoid ‘brain rot’ this summer
You may have heard the term “brain rot” floating around as you’ve navigated the internet while engaging with funny videos or photos, or scrolling a social media post’s comment section, but the question lingers: Is the term real and accurate, and does it affect me or even my child?
Merriam-Webster describes brain rot as mindless digital content and includes that people may have a particular fixation on it, adding that it is of “low or addictive quality … [and it] preoccupies someone to the point it is said to affect mental functioning.”
But how accurate is that meaning?
“I would call it a brain breakdown. Brain rot wears down our brain’s reserves and can create brain fog, short-term memory issues and affect your ability to focus,” said Dr. Annette Lacey, a clinical psychologist with Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital.
Dr. Lacey makes the important distinction that the brain is neuroplastic, and will adapt to meet the needs of the individual and changes based on our own experiences and behaviors. To that extent, overconsumption of trivial material, like short-form videos, affects our attention by providing constant short bursts of pleasure to the brain.
“The constant need for digital distraction is not unlike other addiction habits. This particular addiction process risks people’s ability to cognitively think and affects what we want to expose ourselves to,” Dr. Lacey said.
According to research in the National Institutes of Health, between 2013 and 2023, it found there to be “detrimental effects” of digital addiction on the brains of children. And studies cited in that research indicate that children as young as preschoolers, who display signs of digital addiction, build weaker social skills and social relationships, showing more aggressive behavior and a higher frequency of depression and anxiety.
According to Dr. Lacey, it will take time to correct the addictive habits related to brain rot, but it starts with a more structured relationship with the internet and social media.
“Because our brains are so responsive to screen time, we need to allow our brains to relax. Mindfulness and even meditation can be such an important component of this,” said Dr. Lacey. “Sometimes it’s about being intentional about screen time and ensuring you still go outside. Time outdoors brings pleasure and combats anxiety, which stops people from needing constant stimulants.”
If you’re worried that your child is succumbing to brain rot and digital addiction, there are some external warnings which may signal that you need to intervene. If they are becoming more forgetful or irritable, showing greater signs of mental fatigue, or even if they are enjoying their hobbies and interests outside of the internet less, these could be signs of a larger problem.
This summer, when the kids are home, encourage them to put down the screens and get outdoors. Proactively set limits on screen time, particularly for younger children.
“It's important to recognize we have our own agency, meaning that we can make our own conscious choices regarding screen time. We don't have to succumb to digital addiction, and neither do our children,” said Dr. Lacey.
• Children's health is a continuing series. This column was provided by Ascension Illinois.