Is social media addiction causing widespread brain rot?
Neurosurgeon Professor Dr. Ashkin Asen Khasturk has warned that using social media for recreational purposes is causing brain rot.
Khasturk, who works at the Health Ministry’s Cancer Research and Training Hospital in the Turkish capital Ankara, told Anadolu Agency in an interview that brain rot affects all age groups.
He explained that the term brain rot is related to excessive and continuous use of social media and the endless content on these platforms, which leads to brain numbness.
While the term may sound scary at first, Khasturk says it should not be understood as a medical diagnosis but rather as a description of a health problem.
He added that excessive use of social media leads to the deterioration of a person's intellectual functions, such as memory, and social isolation, and thus the development of cases of depression due to isolation.
Last December, the Oxford Dictionary, one of the largest and oldest English-language dictionaries, chose the term brain rot as the term of the year 2024, in a vote that took place with the participation of more than 37,000 people.
A common phenomenon
Professor Khasturk said that unhealthy use of social media leads to the brain being filled with what looks like garbage, resulting from watching thousands of videos, which causes damage to it.
He added that brain rot is a popular term that refers to a general condition resulting from abnormal use of social media, such as the constant use of mobile devices, which leads to a deterioration in intellectual functions and human relationships.
Khasturk explained that some behaviors indicate brain rot, the most important of which are constantly living with the phone, frantically following notifications, and preferring means of communication to human relationships and various hobbies.
He pointed out that this phenomenon has become increasingly common among many after social media has become an indispensable part of daily life.
Negative effects
Professor Khasturk said that although brain rot affects all age groups, children and adolescents are the most affected.
He added: Studies conducted in the United States in 2023 showed that addiction to social media and mobile phones has increased significantly, as it increased from 40% to 70% in the group between 6 and 14 years old, while the daily Internet usage time among adolescents has reached 9 hours.
Commenting on this data, Khasturk said that this trend raises concerns about the future of future generations.
He continued: Adolescence is a crucial stage in personality formation, as excessive use of social media affects personality building and the development of social and emotional skills.
He pointed out that Western societies have begun to take measures to reduce the effects of brain rot, including reducing the time children and adolescents spend interacting with social media and focusing on their real-life social relationships.
Coping with brain rot
Professor Khasturk called on families to take effective measures to reduce mobile phone and screen addiction among children and adolescents.
He added: It is important that we take serious measures to prevent screen and phone addiction, such as imposing a minimum age for using mobile phones, such as 16 years, and taking measures such as having parents collect children's phones after a certain time.
He also suggested that measures to prevent screen addiction include setting limits on the duration of use and turning off the Internet during sleep and social occasions such as dinner or conversations with friends.
Khasturk concluded his speech by saying that it is important for adults to be role models in the face of brain rot. We must embrace moderate screen use, emphasize the importance of leisure and human relationships, and work to create device-free spaces and moments in our daily lives.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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