ISLAMABAD – Most people wake up, grab their phone, and start scrolling through TikTok or Instagram Reels. One video ends, another begins, short, flashy, instantly gratifying. Hours pass, but somehow, nothing feels accomplished.
A groundbreaking study by US Psychological Association revealed a shocking link between short-form social media videos and declining mental performance. Analyzing data from 98,299 participants across 71 studies, researchers found that the more people consume fast-paced, bite-sized content, the weaker their attention, self-control, memory, language skills, and overall cognitive ability become.
“Repeated exposure to highly stimulating content can create a habit, leaving users desensitized to slower, more demanding mental tasks like reading, problem-solving, or deep learning,” the report stated. The result? What experts now call “brain rot.”
Oxford Dictionary defines brain rot as “deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state due to overconsumption of content that is not intellectually challenging”—and it was named the dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2024. This alarming phenomenon highlights the negative impact of low-quality, fast-paced online content on individuals and society.
The study also linked excessive short-video use to increased stress, anxiety, social isolation, and lower life satisfaction. According to researchers, “Constant swiping and the arrival of emotionally stimulating content boosts dopamine release, creating a cycle of habit formation and emotional dependence on digital interactions.” Users report difficulty disconnecting from the digital world, leaving them stressed, anxious, and emotionally drained.
MIT researchers found that students who used ChatGPT to write essays showed significantly lower brain activity and could not remember a single sentence of their work, while students who avoided technology performed the best. Google Search users fell in between.
Research published in JAMA by the University of California, San Francisco revealed that children who use social media daily scored significantly lower in reading, memory, and vocabulary compared to peers who reported not using it.
Experts caution that this digital overload may not just affect attention spans—it could fundamentally reshape the way our brains work, leaving younger generations vulnerable to diminished cognitive function and emotional resilience.
In short, the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and similar apps is more than just a social trend, it could be a silent epidemic eroding our minds.
Komal Meer’s latest video surprises fans with major transformation
