Is brainrot content actually rotting brains?
How brainrot internet culture is impacting youth mental health
Living in a digital age, social media plays an integral part in our lives through the various functions it performs: an information outlet, a blog, a source of entertainment, etc. The list goes on and on. Yet social media has been described as a double-edged sword because of its potential harms. Amongst these, there have been growing concerns about how brainrot content impacts youth mental health.
What is brainrot content?
Although it is not a recognised medical term, “brainrot” is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially due to overconsumption of trivial or unchallenging material, often from online content" by the Oxford University Press. The word has its root in the 19th century when Henry David Thoreau used the term in his book Walden to write a critique of society’s devaluation of complex ideas, which was leading to a culture of intellectual laziness.
On the internet, upbeat, short clips featuring footage or audio “taken out of context” for laughs are determined to be brainrot content. Examples include 6-7, Skibidi Toilet and Italian brainrot, which features “exaggerated AI characters with Italian-sounding names and audio”. Although content like this can serve as a form of escapism from the trials of the world and the case can be made to spark creativity in viewers, several articles and blogs have also written about the damages it may bring.
How brainrot content affects our cognitive function?
Brainrot is characterised by “a state of mental fogginess and cognitive decline". A 2025 journal article examined the reasons contributing to brainrot: excessive use of social media, addiction to social networking, and cognitive overload from the overwhelming information on social media, and the resulting behavioural patterns.
Doomscrolling or zombie scrolling, purposeless and passive infinite scrolling, can ultimately lead to poorer cognitive functions such as decreased attention span, distorted memory, and lack of problem-solving abilities amongst youths.
Beyond the negative impact on brain health, some “brainrot” content is riddled with insidious messaging. The original video of Bombardino Crocodilo poked fun at children dying in Gaza and glamorised terrorism while some clips of Tralalero Tralala contained Islamophobic content. There are TikTok users who churn posts based on this content, wholly unaware of the messaging that lies beneath. Meanwhile, some parents are worried about the horrors and violence present in Skibidi Toilet content.
Prevention
As brainrot is linked to the excessive use of social media, many articles advise limiting one’s use of social media by scheduling time away from the apps. Choosing the type of content to engage with is also important to avoid mindless scrolling. Other tips include engaging in offline activities and disconnecting from screens at least an hour before sleep. Advice like these draw us to an important point which is to use social media in moderation and maintain a healthy balance between online and offline activities to protect one’s mental well-being. One parent has written about how they have enforced rules on screen time at home. But besides that, she makes an effort to keep up with the trends and guide her children by sharing the context behind certain phrases or images, calling on the importance of media literacy.
References
Ang, K. (2025, November 8). My kids are obsessed with ’6-7.” Should I be worried about internet brain rot? CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/voices/internet-brain-rot-children-online-memes-critical-thinking-5444261
Anis Zalani. (2025, October 12). Is ‘brainrot’ ruining young minds? Psychologists weigh in on Malaysia’s meme culture (VIDEO). Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2025/10/12/is-brainrot-ruining-young-minds-psychologists-weigh-in-on-malaysias-meme-culture-video/191261
Brain Rot: The Impact on Young Adult Mental Health. (n.d.). Newport Institute. Retrieved September 17, 2026, from https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/co-occurring-disorders/brain-rot/
Culler DBH, K. L. (2024, December 24). Brain Rot: Why Brain Health Matters Now More Than Ever. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/brain-care-for-all/202412/brain-rot-why-brain-health-matters-now-more-than-ever
France, L. R. (2024, July 26). ‘Skibidi toilet:’ If you don’t know what it is, you will. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/25/entertainment/skibidi-toilet-explainer
Rufo, Y. (2024, December 1). Losing your mind looking at memes? The dictionary has a word for that. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2n2r695nzo
Silviu Stahie. (2025, October 13). What Is Brainrot: How a Meme Took Over Digital Culture, Encompassing Everything from Slang to Roblox Items. Bitdefender. https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/what-is-brainrot-roblox-tiktok-internet
Sunderaj, G. M. (2025, June 6). S’pore content creators tap popular ‘Italian brainrot’ memes, unaware of darker undertones. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/life/spore-content-creators-tap-popular-italian-brainrot-memes-unaware-of-darker-undertones
What is brain rot and what does brain rot mean? (n.d.). BBC Bitesize. Retrieved September 17, 2026, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zx6qg2p#z2bf7v4
Yousef, A. M. F., Alshamy, A., Tlili, A., & Metwally, A. H. S. (2025). Demystifying the new dilemma of brain rot in the digital era: A review. Brain Sci, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15030283