Brain Rot: The
Silent Epidemic
Among Today's
Youth and Its
Implications for
Development
Made by Muhammad
Azlan Khan and Hamees
Bin Mohsin
Recognizing the Problem of Brain rot
Brain rot refers to cognitive
and emotional impairments in
children who spend excessive
time on screens. This includes
shortened attention spans,
impaired critical thinking, and
difficulties processing
information. Reference:
https://www.iloveqatar.net/new
s/general/children-in-qatar-
spending-more-than-8-hours-
per-day-on-screens
Understanding the Impact
Children are being by affected by
the overexposure to fast-paced,
stimulating digital content which
can create dependency, reducing
children’s interest in real-world
activities and social interactions,
and the leading consequence to
that is children will struggle with
basic social skills, such as reading
social cues and building
relationships with other people.
Reference:https://www.gulf-
times.com/article/674916/qatar
/parents-face-challenges-over-
childrens-excessive-use-of-
technology
Symptoms of Brain Rot
• Cognitive Decline: Children show reduced memory retention, problem-
solving abilities, and struggle with tasks requiring sustained focus.
• Social Withdrawal: Many children experience social isolation, finding it
hard to form meaningful connections or communicate effectively with
others.
• Emotional Dysregulation: Higher levels of anxiety and depression, along
with a need for instant gratification, lead to difficulties in managing
emotions and navigating social interactions.
The Dopamine Connection
• The issue of brain rot is also closely tied to the brain’s dopamine system, which controls
reward and pleasure.
• Excessive screen time, especially with stimulating digital content like social media and
games, causes the brain to release large amounts of dopamine, leading to a cycle of
dependency.
• Digital content provides instant rewards, causing the brain to release more dopamine than
normal.
• Over time, children become used to this constant stimulation, making it harder for them to
focus on slower, real-world activities that don’t offer quick gratification.
• As their brains get used to high dopamine levels, children find it difficult to engage in tasks
that require sustained attention, like reading or problem-solving. This contributes to
cognitive decline, a key aspect of brain rot.
Long-Term
Consequences
• Developmental Delays: Studies
suggest prolonged screen exposure
during critical developmental years
can result in long-lasting academic and
emotional challenges.
Reference:https://dohanews.co/the-
link-between-screen-time-and-
developmental-delays-in-children/
• Generational Impact: Children born
during the pandemic of Covid-19, who
experienced limited social interaction,
are particularly vulnerable to brain rot,
raising concerns about future cognitive
abilities. Reference:
https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/qat
ar-foundation-warns-parents-of-
excessive-screentime-by-kids-amid-
covid-19/
Evidences of brain rot
• A report by Common Sense Media found that 50% of teens feel
addicted to their smartphones, and 60% of parents believe their
kids are addicted.
• The same report indicated that among adolescents spending 1 hour
daily on electronic devices, 29% exhibited at least one suicide-
related outcome. This figure rose to 48% for those spending over 5
hours daily.
• Reference: https://thecritic.co.uk/the-tyranny-of-brain-rot/
Evidences of brain rot
• Reports show that children aged 8–18 spend an average of 7.5 hours
daily in front of screens for entertainment purposes.
• On average, teenagers spend approximately 7 hours and 22 minutes looking at
screens daily, which accounts for about 43% of their waking hours.
• This figure has risen from 6 hours and 40 minutes in 2015, reaching around 8
hours and 39 minutes by 2021 due to increased digital engagement.
• Reference: https://www.kutestkids.com/blog/average-screen-time-
statistics-facts-usage
Survey: we
created and
conducted
survey on our
research topic
Our Survey
Analysis
Solution: Introducing the
Analog Adventure Campaign
• The Analog Adventure Campaign is a large-scale initiative aimed at encouraging
children and families to engage in real-world, screen-free activities through
gamification, storytelling, and social incentives.
• The campaign integrates creativity, physical activity, and community interaction
into everyday life and help them maintain their dopamine level
Key features:
• Adventure Maps & Quests: Children receive illustrated maps detailing quests like nature
scavenger hunts or community art projects, enhanced by storylines. Completing quests
earns them collectible rewards, which unlock events and collaborative projects.
• Neighbourhood Adventure Hubs: Community checkpoints in local spots like libraries or
parks allow children to update their maps and participate in pop-up play spaces.
• Creative Resource Kits: Families receive maker kits for hands-on activities, and communities
or schools can host "Inventor's Clubs" for kids to share their creations.
• Community Art Projects: Collaborative art initiatives, like mosaics or nature sculptures,
encourage collective creativity and ownership within neighbourhoods.
• Analog Adventure Club: A social club where kids and families share progress, attend
community events, and participate in group challenges. Community leaders serve as
"Adventure Ambassadors" to mentor and lead projects.
We will spread awareness through
What will social media like Facebook, Instagram
and YouTube among the parents
we do? We will launch the program of the
Analog Adventure Campaign
We will make fundraiser events to
promote this campaign
If the result will be successful, we will
go for the international level
THANK YOU!
Do you have any Questions related to the Topic?
