
Fourteen-year-old John (*name changed) from Bengaluru was increasingly getting addicted to online video games. The excessive screen time also resulted in him isolating from the world around him. Even his parents struggled to manage him, as he grew more independent and secretive about his activities. It became clear that his fixation on television and mobile phones was taking a toll on his education and overall well-being. At school, his performance had significantly declined. Alongside his academic troubles, he exhibited emotional instability, frequently throwing tantrums and lashing out in anger.
Alarmed by these sudden and troubling changes, six months back his parents sought help. At Aster Hospital, Whitefield, the boy was diagnosed with brain rot – a cognitive and emotional deterioration caused by excessive screen time and lack of real-world interaction. This was not a neurological condition that could be diagnosed with a scan, but rather an addiction that required intervention. The boy’s parents were counselled on how to regain some control over the situation. While engaging with him led to 30% improvement, there’s still a long way to go as the boy is yet to completely get rid of his habits.
Experts emphasise that while intervention helped in this case, the road to recovery in such cases is not easy. This case is not unique. Many such cases are becoming increasingly common, with many more adolescents struggling in silence, unaware of the long-term impact of their addiction.
Understanding 'Brain Rot'
Dr Ravi Kumar CP, consultant, paediatric neurology at Aster Hospital, said brain rot is a state of mental stagnation caused by mindless and repetitive content which directly results in reduced critical thinking and focus. This leads to a decline in cognitive function, attention span, creativity, and learning abilities—essentially, the brain's deterioration from lack of stimulation or proper use.
Doctors mention that for children under 12 years, even two hours of repetitive consumption of low-quality virtual content, especially on social media, can hinder creativity and cognitive growth.
Symptoms to Watch For
Children affected by brain rot tend to exhibit symptoms such as restlessness, inattention, emotional outbursts, and a decline in academic performance, Dr Ravi said, adding that they also experience a loss of creativity and find it difficult to think clearly. Many of them also begin to lose basic social skills.
Why Is This Happening More Often?
The root cause appears to be excessive screen time, which has become a primary source of distraction. In urban cities, this is worsened by the rise of nuclear families, increased emphasis on academic achievement, and living situations that limit social interaction—like apartments without extended families nearby. With parents often busy with work, mobile phones and screens have become like a third parent, filling the gap in a child’s life.
Doctors stressed that extended exposure to digital platforms, especially those that encourage interactions like social media, can lead to a decrease in empathy. This happens because online interactions often lack the depth and nuance of face-to-face conversations, leading to a weakened ability to understand or respond to the emotions of others. This decline in emotional intelligence can make it harder to form meaningful relationships or connect with people on a deeper level.
Brain rot has become a way to express the heightened sense of fear and uncertainty in youth that followed the Covid-19 pandemic. “The good news is that brain rot is completely reversible as it is largely lifestyle-induced,” Dr N Vidhya Jothi, consultant psychiatrist at TriLife Hospital said.
Engaging in mindless scrolling and consuming excessive meaningless online content triggers the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway. This overload of dopamine negatively impacts learning, memory, mood, motivation, and overall mental well-being. The instant gratification from online content can gradually cause individuals to abandon their daily routines, withdraw from in-person social interactions, and struggle with activities that require sustained mental effort, she explained.
Impact on learning, memory
- Brain rot is the deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state as a result of mindless scrolling and consuming excessive meaningless online content
- This triggers the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway, which impacts learning, memory, mood, motivation, and overall mental well-being
- Instant gratification from online content can gradually cause individuals to abandon daily routines, withdraw from in-person social interactions, and struggle with activities that require sustained mental effort
- Doctors say children affected by brain rot tend to exhibit symptoms such as restlessness, inattention, emotional outbursts, and a decline in academic performance
- It was named the 2024 word of the year by Oxford, which stated that the term increased in usage frequency by 230% between 2023 and 2024