Overcoming Brain Rot: Tips for Digital Detox and Focus

Brain rot, a chronic condition affecting students, is treated by algorithm detox, setting boundaries, and embracing idleness.

### Overcoming Brain Rot: Strategies for a Healthier Mind
* 🧠 "You've been diagnosed with a serious case of brain rot, with an **attention span of less than seven seconds** and **over seven hours of screen time daily**."
* 📱 Brain rot is a chronic condition affecting millions, characterized by a **short attention span**, **constant phone checking**, and an **inability to focus without distractions**.
* 🔄 To combat brain rot, start with an "**algorithm detox**" by training social media algorithms to show you **more enriching content** rather than mindless short-form videos.
* 🚫 Setting boundaries with technology is crucial; create **physical distance** between yourself and your devices during important activities like **homework or family meals**.
* 🏋 Embrace idleness and find meaningful activities to fill free moments, such as **learning new skills**, to reduce reliance on your phone for entertainment.
* 🍏 A holistic approach is essential: monitor your diet, consume **brain-healthy foods rich in omega-3s and antioxidants**, and engage in **regular physical exercise** to support cognitive function.
* ⏳ "It's not going to be easy, and it's not going to be fast, but I trust that all of you have the **discipline to follow the advice and overcome your brain rot once and for all**."
* 🎓 Consider joining communities for support and subscribing for more tips on **maintaining a healthier mind**.

Hey Gohar, how are you? Doc, just give it to me straight: is it bad?

All right, so I looked at your reports and you've been diagnosed with a serious case of brain rot. According to these numbers, your attention span is less than seven seconds. Are you already on your phone?

You cut that out! What? So, as I was saying, your attention span is less than seven seconds, your screen time is longer than seven hours, and if you don't treat this condition...

I don't know what to tell you. Can you at least tell me how to treat it?

Here, just watch this video. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with brain rot, this video is for you. Brain rot is a chronic condition that affects millions of students worldwide. Symptoms include having the attention span of a goldfish, constantly checking your phone for new notifications, filling every idle moment in your life with short-form content, and the worst symptom of them all: not being able to focus without Subway Surfers playing on the side.

Can I please have my phone back? No, keep listening! Fortunately, I've helped thousands of students overcome this condition, but I need you to follow my advice carefully and watch this video until the end. Here's the harsh truth about brain rot: once you start, it's very hard to stop. Social media isn't designed to give you content that's good for you; it's designed to give you content it knows you're going to watch, whether it's going to enhance your life in some way or detract from it.

Most students trap themselves in what I call a 'brain rot cycle.' They'll engage with a few brain rot videos on their timeline, triggering the algorithm to...

Believe it, hey! This student likes brain rot, so what does the algorithm do? It serves the student even more brain rot, and it becomes this never-ending cycle. That's why the first thing you need to do to treat your brain rot is something called an algorithm detox. You need to

train the algorithm to give you rich and fulfilling content; what I like to call brain nourishment. The next time you see a cheap piece of content on your timeline, I need you to hold down and press "not interested." You can also try to scroll by

as fast as possible, just so the algorithm doesn't get the wrong idea. But an algorithm detox isn't just about getting the algorithm to show you less bad content; it's also about getting the algorithm to show you more good content. So, for example, if you see an educational

video, feel free to like, comment, and even subscribe to the creator. I hope you're getting the hint, but in all seriousness, try to consume longer and richer media, to not only fix your attention span but to signal to the algorithm that that's the kind of content that you like. Seek

out documentaries, seek out podcasts; be intentional about your media consumption. The people who beat brain rot are intentional consumers, and the people brain rot beats are passive consumers; they just go wherever the algorithm takes them. If you don't know where to find richer content, here are some of my

favorite channels: Vsauce, Veritasium, Wendover Productions, and Mark Rober. My favorite podcasts include Founders (which is mostly for entrepreneurial people), as well as How I Built This (which is also for entrepreneurial people). If any of you have any science or history podcast

Recommendations? Just drop them in the comments! So, doing an algorithm detox is a great first step in treating your brain rot, but it alone is not sufficient. You can very much have a detoxified algorithm and still be glued to your phone. That's why the second step in

treating brain rot is setting boundaries. Technology has crept its way into every single corner of our lives—some corners that it shouldn't even be exploring. For example, I have some friends who cannot take a shower without their phones.

Oh yeah, I do that all the time. What? I'm going to let that soak in for a second—no pun intended. See, now I understand bringing your phone to the bathroom; actually, even that is kind of weird in my opinion, but taking it into the shower just signals a whole another level of dependence. Part of overcoming brain rot is

being able to easily transition between the digital world and the real world, and loosening this crippling dependence on technology. If you do not draw a clear line indicating where technology should and shouldn't be in your life, it will constantly beg for your attention and

pull you out of the present moment. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure that none of you are using your phones in the shower, but I am sure you're using your phone in situations you shouldn't be—whether that's dinner with family, while doing homework, or even in class. Setting

boundaries is as simple as creating physical distance between you and technology in important situations. For example, unless you're using your phone as a calculator or as a timer, keep it away from you while you're doing homework. If you're in school, maybe just keep your phone in your backpack.

Actually, one weird thing I did in high school: I kept my phone in my backpack instead of my pocket. But it was great because I never felt tempted to use it during class. Now, the harsh reality is nobody is going to enforce these boundaries for you. You need not only the

discipline but the self-respect to follow these rules that you set for yourself. I have a question for you: if your teacher tells you to do a homework assignment, even if you really don't want to, you're still going to do it, right?

If your coach tells you to run a mile in the blistering heat, even if you're exhausted, you're still going to do it, right? And if your parents tell you to throw out the garbage, even if it's pouring outside, you're still going to

gladly do it, right? Well, maybe not gladly, but you're still going to do it. So when you tell yourself that you're going to put your phone away and focus, why don't you listen to yourself? You need to hold yourself in as high regard as you do

these other people in your life. Your ability to make a promise to yourself and keep that promise will not only help you overcome brain rot but also succeed in every single area of your life. Dude, it's not over yet! Let's face it: we turn to brain rot whenever we're

bored. But if we're not bored, then we won't turn to brain rot. You need to find meaningful ways to fill the time whenever you're bored, and one way to do so is by learning a new skill. For example, you can learn to program; you can

Learn to play an instrument, you can learn to garden, or you can even learn a new language—which is where the sponsor of this video comes in.  With Lingoda, I have always wanted to learn Spanish. In fact, I took four years of Spanish in high school, but when I visited Spain two years

ago and got trapped in an elevator, the only word I knew how to say was 'ayudar.' Man, I would love to travel to Spain again, and I would even love to make videos in Spanish. So that's why I recently signed up for one of Lingoda's

language learning courses. These courses offer a rich and immersive learning experience with certified native-level speakers. They go over real-world language for everyday situations, including humor, accents, and expressions. I visited Lingoda's website, selected Spanish, and got started with Lingoda Flex, which is one of their three different

options. Lingoda Flex is for those who want to take classes on their own time, either one-on-one or in small groups. Lingoda Teams is for those who want to stick with the same teachers and classmates, and Lingoda Sprint is a two-month challenge for those who want

to accelerate their language learning journey. I was really pleased with how easy it was to sign up; it only took three steps. The first was to choose my level of difficulty; the second was to book my first class; and the third was to download the lesson materials. Although

the material was easy to understand, I was a bit nervous. I mean, what if I forgot a word or mispronounced something? Luckily, my first class was way better than I could have imagined. I was in a class with four other students, and the professor was super kind and sweet.

During class, we went over vocabulary, we went over dialogue, and then after class, the instructor sent us personalized feedback so we could pinpoint our weaknesses. After having taken several classes, I can genuinely say I feel an improvement in my Spanish and can say more than just a

few words. Learn with Lingoda and tailor your learning path to your goals. Click the link in my description or use the discount code "GOHARD" for $25 off when signing up. That's such a good deal! And now, back to the video. So I have a

question: Do you remember the first day you used ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude? Do you remember how blown away you felt? AI is only going to continue to get more powerful over the coming years in ways that we can't even imagine. And as this

happens, I imagine people will split into one of two groups: those who use AI to supplement their mental capacities and those who use AI as a mental crutch. That's why, before this technology gets any stronger, I need you to lose the crutches. Well, what does that mean? I need

you to stop over-relying on technology at the expense of your own mental fortitude. For example, we'll lunge for our phones even to do the simplest calculations. Quick, what's 30% of 20? Shoot... um... um... five? Did you really just say five?

Other times, we'll use AI to write the simplest messages. For example, an email to a teacher: Quick, can you tell me which sentence is grammatically correct and why? "The list of assignments are due next week" or "The list of assignments is due next week." Although using AI to write

Emails or doing mental math is not the end of the world. We cannot become over-reliant; otherwise, we will gradually weaken our abilities to do mental math, to write grammatically correct sentences, and to articulate our thoughts. A simple way to see this is to think of your

brain as a muscle. Those moments when you're using your brainpower to calculate something or sift through your thoughts are the moments when you're strengthening your neural pathways. Embracing these mental challenges literally alters the structure of your brain. For example, a 2004 study by Bogan et al. found that

learning to juggle increased gray matter in brain areas involved with visual motion processing. Another study in *Frontiers in Human Neuroscience* found that older adults who underwent memory training experienced increased cortical thickness in several brain areas—parts of their brain literally got thicker. Now, I'm not saying that you

should renounce all technology and only rely on your mind. For example, I use AI all the time, often to help with coding tasks and even writing tasks. Just make sure you're relying more on your actual intelligence instead of an artificial one. He's low-key cooking. Yeah, first off,

if you have made it to this point in the video, congratulations! It seems like you are already following the first tip. Now, I have an observation, and you can tell me if you think I'm right or wrong, but I believe that today's younger generation sucks at dealing with items...

Look, I've been guilty of this myself, but hear me out: If we have two free minutes between classes, we'll go on our phones; if we have two free minutes before a meeting, we'll go on our phones; and if we have a minute between sets,

At the gym, we'll go on our phones. We have become hardwired to pull out our phones to fill every idle moment of our existence, and often we're pulling our phones out for no other reason than to fill that moment. It's not like we're

pulling it out to respond to important texts or emails; it's usually just to scroll through social media and get that instant dopamine hit. If you are serious about curing your brain rot, I need you to embrace idleness. Whenever you have a free moment, take a deep breath, stretch,

drink some water, observe the environment around you, try to be present in the moment. I'm sure we're all extremely busy people, running from one class to another, from one meeting to another. These idle moments are a gift, and they're few and far between. Instead of filling them with

meaningless stimulation, just try to cherish the moment. If you don't take time to embrace the idle moments, to just sit back and be present in the world around you, life is going to go by like this. And I'm not saying this to scare you—you're young and have so much more

life to live. I just want to tell you now, while you're still young, so you can fully experience and feel where life takes you over the coming years and decades. Dang, wow! Bros got me thinking, too. Now, throughout this video I've been repeating one idea over and over:

Use your phone less. Use your phone less. Use your phone less. And at this point you might believe that brain rot is the result of using your phone too much. Now, yes, while that is a cause, it's not the only cause. Brain rot is also the result

of how you treat your body as a whole; that's why, in order to cure it, you need to monitor the system. Let's start off with the most important part of that system: your diet. You know how sugar makes your teeth rot? Well, it also makes your brain rot, in a way. A 2022 study in

neurology found that those who ate the most junk food had a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline and a 25% faster rate of executive function decline compared to those who ate the least amount of junk food. To improve your brain health, consume food that's

rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins, particularly B vitamins. Now, this doesn't mean that eating fish and blueberries is going to turn you into Einstein, but numerous studies show that antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can help slow the rate of cognitive decline

in older adults. Now, another important part of the system is physical exercise. Regular physical exercise has been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's disease found that older adults who

engage in regular aerobic exercise had not only larger brain volumes but better cognitive function compared to their sedentary peers. The key here is to fight brain rot with a holistic approach. It's not just about using your phone less; it's about nourishing your brain,

exercising your brain, and taking care of your body. It's not going to be easy, and it's not going to be fast, but I trust that all of you have the discipline to follow the advice in the video and overcome your brain rot once and for all.

You got that? You know what to do now? Yeah, I think I'm going to join Goar's Discord and newsletter for more help. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to Goar for more tips.

how to cure brain rot

Gohar Khan

Diagnosis and Initial Treatment of Brain Rot

Diagnosis of a serious case of brain rot with symptoms including a short attention span and excessive screen time.

Symptoms include short attention span, excessive screen time, and inability to focus without distractions.

Brain rot is a chronic condition affecting millions of students worldwide.

Social media is designed to keep users engaged regardless of content value.

Explanation of the 'brain rot cycle' and its impact on algorithm suggestions.

The importance of an algorithm detox to curate better content.

Strategies for influencing the algorithm to show more enriching content.

Recommendation to consume longer and richer media, such as documentaries and podcasts.

Suggestions for channels and podcasts offering enriching content.

Setting Boundaries and Technology Dependence

The pervasive nature of technology and its impact on daily life.

Importance of transitioning between the digital and real world.

Setting boundaries by creating physical distance between oneself and technology in crucial situations.

The importance of self-discipline and self-respect in upholding personal boundaries.

Filling Idle Time and Learning New Skills

Finding meaningful ways to fill idle time to avoid resorting to brain rot.

Learning a new skill, such as programming, playing an instrument, gardening, or learning a new language.

Personal experience with Lingoda language learning courses.

Description of Lingoda's different learning options: Flex, Teams, and Sprint.

Positive experience with Lingoda classes and personalized feedback.

Avoiding Over-Reliance on AI and Strengthening Mental Fortitude

The potential division of people into those who use AI to enhance or hinder their mental capabilities.

The need to avoid over-dependence on technology for simple tasks.

Examples of over-reliance on AI for simple tasks like writing emails and mental math.

The analogy of the brain as a muscle and the importance of mental challenges in strengthening neural pathways.

Studies showing the positive effects of learning and memory training on brain structure.

Embracing Idleness and Holistic Approach to Brain Health

The tendency to fill every idle moment with phone use.

The importance of embracing idleness and being present in the moment.

Brain rot is also caused by overall body treatment, not just phone use.

The negative effects of junk food on cognitive decline.

Importance of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins.

Positive effects of regular physical exercise on brain size and cognitive function.

The need for a holistic approach to combating brain rot.