‘If only experts would come up with an appropriate name for that feeling you experience after mindlessly scrolling on social media’, I wondered while navigating online sale shopping, trying to complete today’s Wordle and keeping up with the latest TikTok trend.  

Apparently they have. ‘Brain rot’ was dubbed 2024’s word of the year by Oxford University Press.  

Each of these activities aren’t harmful on their own, but when I catch myself automatically repeating a pattern of online app checks, which were refreshed less than five minutes ago, it’s time to check in with myself.  

It’s not my intention to unnecessarily bash social media, but I do think it’s helpful to understand the relationship we have with apps that once served to unite us with long-lost friends and create communities based on shared interests, has become complicated.  

If Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, X and Snapchat champion social connections – which can increase our sense of belonging and improve self-esteem - why does engaging with these networks often cause us to feel stressed, pressured, isolated and sad? 

We’re connecting incorrectly.  

It’s no secret the same founders that want to see us being sociable on social media also don’t want us to leave their sites. Without turning this post into a data discussion, the longer we spend online, the more profitable the sites become while working with advertisers. As a result, addictive technical features are intentionally developed to keep us engaged – such as ‘pull to refresh’ and endless feed features inspired by casino culture. Therefore, we owe it to ourselves to be digitally literate to ensure we’re making helpful choices that are right for us. 

Although research suggests the amount of time we spend in brain rot mode isn’t the problem; it’s the quality of the content we expose ourselves to that enhances or deteriorates our mental health experience. So, how do we improve the value of our social media sessions and retain a positive relationship with ourselves and our smartphone?   

Consider following a range of content, such as inspirational and educational accounts, to minimise social comparison, which can occasionally lead to unrealistic standards and generate feelings of inadequacy. In addition to this, exercise your right to turn comments off, to enable you to post without being negatively affected by unhelpful or unjustified feedback. 

It also helps to ask yourself how you’re feeling after going on social media. What made you pick up the phone? Did any content genuinely make you laugh or smile? What's the lasting message you’ve been left with? Curate more of the right content into your feeds to make it a positive place to dwell. This may also help you to find your tribe – such as craft communities and parent groups or study buddies and drama societies – by feeding into an authentic digital space where people share helpful and healthy perspectives.   

You could even develop a habit of logging out of your accounts after you use them to break the cycle of automatically picking up your phone to refresh a feed that you’re already up to date on or share a simple affirmation each time you use social media as a reminder that your self-worth cannot and should not be measured by the words, images and videos you see.  

Perhaps you’ll adopt all of these tips or you’ll scroll on by without making any changes. There’s no right or wrong because any actions you take will be personal to you, just like your newsfeed.  

I write this with a strong belief that social media isn’t wrong, but a desire to shine a light on its selfishness. Only we know if our brain rot can repair itself. 

If you think your app habits are masking worry, stress, anxiety or depression, this is something you could consider talking to a counsellor about. The Fountain Therapy Trust offers affordable long-term counselling which gives clients the opportunity to not just address their issues, regardless of whether they’re in crisis or not, but also understand why it’s happening in the first place.  

Complete our Fountain Therapy Trust form or speak to our team to learn more and make a life-changing difference in 2025.  

Donna is an integrative counsellor at The Fountain Therapy Trust, having recently qualified through a part-time training programme at Kingston College.