I've been depressed for so long, and I can literally feel myself losing intelligence and sharpness over time. It's the slowest car crash of all time, and it's terrifying.
Man I was on the same boat for so long. Long story short me and my wife recently had a baby while already having a 10 year old (not planned but a blessing nonetheless) either way it had completely flipped life on its head for me and I’ve been struggling to stay sane with so much changes financially and personally. I wish I could enjoy life more but it’s either spend more time with the kids and have less money or have more money and see my family less.. I used to be a super active guy and I stopped for some reason but honestly just working out and finding time for myself to go on a run or something has made a tremendous impact on my attitude and mindset. Idk if you’re indoors a lot but get out as soon as you can in the morning and make time for yourself before having to do all the shit life requires from us these days.
Here's my long takeaway: - People who have brainrot don't filter what comes into their minds. Brainrot is cognitive rusting caused by not using it. - The concept of loss/rejection is common, but people with brainrot will create conclusions and allow their mind to be 'colonized' by negative thoughts caused by said common problems. People with brainrot live their life reactively - what other people do determines your motivation. They will always be reacting and responding on a loop and never pick a direction to go towards to. - Think: what is the factual truth of the situation before me? - What did the person say/what happened, and what is my interpretation of it? - Stretch those two things apart - We are sensory-bombarded by information and thoughts that make it hard to concentrate on other tasks, thoughts will multiply and colonize your brain (modern technology is good at this) - If you don't filter perceptions and you're colonized, your mind adapts by forming ego eg. I can't do something because I'm lazy = your mind makes a negative conclusion, tanks your motivation. - Solution: Any time your mind says "I am ..." do your best to absolutely ignore it. Recognize that conclusions about yourself are based on unfiltered perceptions. Set it aside and try to think: "Alright, I will give it a shot anyways". - Any time you notice yourself making a comparative statement ask yourself: What is the effect of this comparison? The answer is: The comparison exists to discourage you from acting. - Eliminate the ego: Ask yourself, who are you? Discouraging thoughts = you let the identity of yourself determine what you actually do. But the truth is = what you do, determines who you are. - Domino effect: You're afraid of doing something yet you do it anyways which gives you a good feeling. From there, your motivation goes up and you're willing to try more things. - Ask yourself what kind of sensory inputs create and destroy motivation (limit technology, go for a walk, colonize your mind with positive influences).
The last part of your explanation, the Domino effect, what if you get a negative feeling from doing the things you were afraid of? I've never felt "good" from completing goals that caused anxiety or were otherwise a very negative experience. Like what if goal setting doesn't work?
@@santiagoo.8958 what responsibility do others have in the negative effects of the path traveled, who through unethical or illegal action lead to your anxiety and negative experiences? How does one "cope" when forgiveness equates to empowering them further?
I’m a scientist (objectively less qualified educationally, but the most experienced amongst my peers at work) and I relate so much to the crumbling when receiving constructive criticism or any feedback that wasn’t positive. Once you can overcome the jerk reaction to negative feedback, life truly gets so much easier.
I work as a hospital security guard and this is exactly the sort of thing they train you on. The ability to sit still, be vigilant and not distracted. To be able to be unaffected by what others say to you and to keep yourself cool when you feel you may be getting emotional. I do not enjoy anything about this job but I can’t deny it’s given me valuable life skills as a young person that I would not have gotten otherwise this early into my life, which will be useful when I eventually find the opportunity to push my career elsewhere
I work third shifts at an old folks home and all these old folks can get volatile as they are mentally unwell, and learning to control your anger or sadness is something you have to know how to do.
As a 25 year old 8 year + forklift driver and 1 year mechanic. You absolutely will get to use everything later. Just keep building and pay attention to the shifts in your own mind. If it goes quiet read a book
Bro's describing me, this is exactly what I needed bro. I've been distracted by too many things around me but this has helped me change my perspective and has given me an idea to function again and get shit done so thank you man for literally existing.
I think of depression as almost a behavioral neurodegenerative disease. Something happens that makes you disengage from the world. Since you arent using and challenging your neurons any more, they degrade. That makes it harder to return to the behaviors that kept your brain healthy. So it degrades more. And you spiral down this endless cycle.
Basically the same as physical health. Less exercise means a less stamina and less stamina means even less exercise. You'll get fatter and more easily tired, leading to even less physical activity.
I work as a Special Ed Paraeducator after growing up dealing with ADHD, OCD, Depression, and Anxiety diagnoses since childhood, and I resonated with what you said about filtering perception. The only reason I was able to get through my childhood and become a stable adult was because I learned to analyze my experiences as I experienced them, and practice controlling my reaction. I have skated on the edge of brain rot for years and seen many friends succumb, but it's great to see another way to interpret this idea. I was taught metacognition as a kid, which is very similar to the yogic idea of separating experience and reaction. I've since learned that Buddhist philosophy also touches on this, and even Daoism. There's the classic Serenity Prayer popular in Christianity, and even stoicism touches on this idea. It all boils down to the same thing: filter your experiences, filter your thoughts, notice your feelings, and practice intention in what you do about it, and what sort of information you allow into your mind. Also: NEVER PRE-ORDER. Just buy the game when you know it's good. There is absolutely nothing that will harm you in waiting a couple days after release before you buy it.
facts !! Pre-Ordering is just FOMO - fear of missing out, have to control dopamine and understand its ok , and everything else you said is on point I'm going through it as a 33 year old man
@@jgalvan09 I just preorder because i trust the developer and want to show my support to the product they are trying to make (but yeah not for AAA games)
@@Troynl66 lol yeah sounds like an excuse don't pre order at all dude work on your mental health, if you think Pre-ordering is " supporting " a developer then bless your heart lol
This hit home. My mind used to be so colonised by video games to the point where I felt a mild withdrawal symptom. Half a day without games can make me feel very uneasy and antsy. Studying feels like hell because every 20 seconds in, my mind gets flooded with video games again. This video perfectly explained what I felt during the phase where I am trying to quit my gaming addiction. I had to force myself to shift my mind away from gaming put my focus and attention to reading. As I train my mind to stay focused at a low-dopamine task, I slowly overcame my gaming addiction. The change is extremely fulfilling. I also became less reactive and sensitive to negative comments. I can tolerate and react more calmly during stressful and anxiety-triggering situations such as being put in the spotlight during a social event. I'm 2 years into quitting my gaming addiction now, finishing my Master in Architecture, and the last time I played a video game was 4 months ago when I got burntout from studies.
Gaming is very good to relieve stress. Just dont spend too much time on it because that might lead to addiction. In my case, took me 6 years to finish Skyrim. Lol.
Glad you overcame ur addiction💪What game were u playing that got you hooked? Also do you feel now playing video games is rewarding for the brain like a mind therapy feeling.. I used to play fifa everyday.. before the algorithms it helped me with gaining confidence in real life soccer. After 2015 I wanted to throw my controller at the TV lol
Thing is, it wasn't the video games. It was you all along, you didn't put these other things as your priority over gaming. You need to figure out how you can't have certain hobbies, without prioritizing import things. It's not an adicition, it's poor task managing
@@stoned_kakapo8736That's usually the idea. I don't understand getting addicted to games nowadays. They're so mundane and boring. I loves games but meh. Putting 100 hours into a single game just sounds like a chore unless it's actively fun.
@@RaijinRain there's some really good games out there, just not on console. But nothing is so good that it has the power to keep you from doing things that need to get done, not even fully modded skyrim in VR
Pro Tip: if you want Boomers to leave you alone about mental health issues, just say it's "brain fog." Whenever I try to explain what I'm feeling or going through, I get the usual responses ("you just need to get over it," "that's no excuse for X," etc.) But if you say it's Brain Fog™, they usually go "oh, it do be like that sometimes"
Pro tip: Don't talk to boomers, ever... They live in the stone ages and do everything in their power to not understand the world around them, oversimplifying everything.
I think i got brain rot and it combined with undiagnosed ADHD to create a constant loop of unhelpful thoughts, my mind has felt trapped by its own adaptation for so long. I’m so glad i finally got diagnosed and started treatment and therapy.
@@timeforteeADHD is hereditary, however Trauma that develops in childhood has very similar symptoms to ADHD which can make it seem like you can develop ADHD from Trauma, more so they give similar symptoms But if you roll the nature and nuture lottery you can get both Trauma and ADHD where they can both worsen each other 's effects in a loop
@@unluckystaravia2352 Great for you and your social circle if you do the hard work on lessening the negative impact of your ADHD on everyone involved! (I had to part ways with someone who didn't do that...) I wish you true, lasting success.
Almost finished reading "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins and this video couldn't have come at a better time! I've had emotional trouble, trust issues and started jumping straight to conclusions, putting myself down and trying to live life in absolutes after my last relationship fell apart. Went from an overachiever to a dark period of underachieving for almost three years. Been getting better over the last couple of years though - picked up physical fitness, something I always ran away from as a nerdy overweight boy, got disciplined and stopped deluding myself and lazing in the name of "talent" and I thought that would be the hardest to do but boy was I suprised on how much I lacked on the mental front and HG has been an amazing resource to learn from! I've been able to learn a lot about mental barriers, procrastination and all. Thanks a million, Dr. K! 💙🗿Gotta work on the "ahankara" now. 😌
I've read "Can't hurt me" and found it motivating. Also, towards the end of the book, I reflected upon Goggins self-focus - especially with regards to his family and personal relationships. Food for thought. Once you overcome yourself how can this translate into community wide success?
This video reminds me of something I learned from my dad! A few years ago, me and him were playing chess. We've played a game against each other every now and then for years, and I have never once won a game against him. This particular time, I was playing extremely defensively to the point where every move I made was in reaction to whatever he did. I didn't make any moves to set up any big, elaborate attacks, just watching what he did and moving to shut him off. This continued for a while until I realized that I had nowhere else to go and had made zero progress toward taking out his king; any move would be a net loss for me. So, I asked him how he did it, and what he told me just stuck. Don't just react; respond.
@@LB-yg2br I disagree! The way I see it, the difference between a response and a reaction is a matter of what was described in the video. Responding suggests consideration; a gap between one's receiving of information and their outgoing answer. Without the gap, you have a reaction. An instant answer that, while faster than a response, lacks integrity. I got my ass kicked in chess because I only ever saw his moves and moved to defend, as opposed to moving in preparation for a counterattack.
“What you do determines who you are” gave me a small panic attack and a deep breath of relief. that’s what I’ve needed to be told for a long time now. Genuinely thank you for clarifying!!!!
The "this person is better than me so I may as well give up" is definitely something but I prefer the "this person has traits that I'd love, let's work on it." I think you definitely need to filter input, but it's also probably important to curate your input - befriend people and follow accounts that inspire/motivate you.
the fact that i came to this realization in my life recently after spending more time focusing on developing my skills and now this video comes out, im so grateful that others can get the help we all wish we could have even when we dont realize it. i'm 27 and i spent over half of my life doing drugs and ignoring the world, trying to avoid the pain that when i finally came to and looked around me i was unable to pick myself up and recover properly. i still have a hard time thinking straight, i still cant focus well, i find myself crying because i wish i was ok. some days i focus on coding, gardening, art, and some days i know i can't get over the stump so that day ill take a break that has helped my brain so much. i hope you all know you are more than capable, you are more than worthy, its going to hurt, its going to be hard, but the results are always worth it.
It's little steps. When my third party reddit app was disabled, I replaced the spot on my home screen where the reddit icon was with my library's e-book app. Now when I start looking at my phone, nine times out of ten I will start reading a book. I feel like I hacked my own bad habit and it's very empowering. Getting pulled around by various websites' algorithms is a recipe for brain rot.
It's fine bro, God calls us out of the things that hurts us, from all the bs, and gather us in the love of Christ, Jesus loves you lets keep moving, I would have these issues too but what matters is the truth, and the truth is its possible and its a reality if we keep moving forward no matter what. Even if tired or not believing we may make it to the end of our goals, what matters is that God is on command, God bless you brother raise your head up and though we are to make the right decisions dont be stuck on the past and at your bad decisions, see: if God forgives us and we are to walk in life, why would be not forgive ourselves and accept, through this acceptance receive the way of life? Just some reflexive stuff on my heart that I felt the need to share to you haha, piece be with ya
This video made me cry, because of how real it was to hear someone talk about whats been happening to me. It has shown me that there IS a way to fix it. My dad used to say the same thing as you, to not let my surroundings control me. Brought me back a few years. Thank you for the video.
I have ADHD, BPD, and PTSD. You just described every day of my life. If I could solve this... Lol. I'm 45 now... I don't even care. I need to make sure my kids don't fall down this hole. Thanks doc.
Hey, you just made an egotistical statement! Being 45 is a fact. Believing that being 45 invalidates these teachings or prevents you from employing the solutions the doc gives is a perfect example of your brain telling you something and allowing it to dictate your actions. I love that you want to help your kids to overcome these hurdles too, but show some love for yourself too and believe you can do it! The best way to help your kids is to help yourself first and lead by example. Believe in yourself friend. I believe in you
45 isn't old, but if you said 85 then maybe your brain would be incapable of change. I learned Japanese at 16 and cyrillic at 39... Equally hard both times and my mind has always been crap.
Weirdly enough playing an instrument helps a lot with this. I find the more your brain and body get accustomed to a lot of the complex interactions and new connections playing music gives, it makes general life tasks a lot easier. At high levels it almost becomes a sport and for me it’s more addicting than gaming.
@@Hecker-mj7po Yeah i agree, especially when playing and talking with friends. Sure gaming isnt the "best" activity per se, but I guess it is a lot better than consuming hours of youtube/ media in zombie mode.
@@Wüstenfuchs12209 hey you should play pizza tower idk but its effects on me has activated long lost muscle memory and the ability to perceive fast moving objects and react in time.
@@Hecker-mj7po Havent heard of that tbh. I got to admit a few months ago ... I tried to cut out video games from my habbits because I was telling myself it was a waste of time but stupid me replaced it with watching YT (mostly in bed) and sleeping. I should have known better.
Here is a summary of the key points and main ideas from this video: The text discusses the concept of "brain rot", which refers to a decline in cognitive functioning characterized by lethargy, lack of focus and motivation, and difficulty finding direction. This is attributed to people not using their minds productively over long periods of time, or being exposed to negative influences that impair mental function. Three main factors contribute to brain rot: 1. Breakdown of barriers to filter perceptions: People with brain rot do not filter what information and experiences come into their mind. They let negativity, rejections, and criticism directly shape their thoughts and truth, without pausing to consider the facts or their own interpretations. This is the opposite of yogis, who can control their reactions to external inputs. 2. Thought colonization: The sensory inputs people receive determine the thoughts that occupy their mind. People with brain rot allow their minds to be overrun with distracting thoughts unrelated to their goals and motivations. Their minds jump to video games, social media, etc rather than being focused. In contrast, yogis live in isolation to prevent colonization of their mind. 3. Maladaptive ego responses: People develop conclusions about themselves based on unfiltered perceptions, such as "I am a loser" after a rejection. This shapes their identity in harmful ways. Comparisons to others also discourage people from acting. Yogis eliminate ego and comparisons to overclock their brains. Together, these factors create a reactive, directionless mindset. People's motivation relies entirely on external factors, and any impulses get dismissed by negative self-talk. Their ego and comparisons prevent them from moving towards goals. Solutions involve: - Filtering perceptions by separating factual events from interpretations. Ask, "What objectively happened versus how am I reacting?" - Managing thought colonization by limiting time on social media, gaming, etc. Replace with motivated communities. Go on tech-free retreats. - Eliminating ego statements like "I can't do X." Ignore negative self-talk, and act despite it. Avoid comparisons to others that discourage you. - Living proactively, picking goals and moving toward them steadily. Don't rely on external pressures for motivation. Additional key points: - Brain rot is compared to a real physical infection - bacteria invade, colonize, and prompt harmful bodily adaptations. This process occurs in the mind as well. - People with brain rot struggle with basic cognitive functions like focus, direction, and executing on goals. It is not the same as medical conditions like depression. - Practices like filtering perceptions are learned skills. For example, doctors in training learn not to react to patient criticisms, understanding it reflects the patient's state. - People preach limiting tech use, but you can start small like no gaming during meals or while cleaning. Any progress to restrict colonization helps. - The ego and identity create an illusion we cannot act in certain ways e.g. "I'm afraid of heights so I cannot climb mountains." But overcoming deficits shapes who we become. - Living reactively cedes control of your motivation and life to external factors. The solution is to be proactive. In summary, "brain rot" refers to declining cognitive abilities resulting from lack of perception filtering, uncontrolled thought colonization, and maladaptive ego responses. It can be improved through yogic and mindfulness practices that increase control over your mindset, thought patterns, ego, and sources of motivation.
@@Freakazoid12345 I apologize. It really read like chat gpt to me, but this is chat gpt's summary of the transcript: 1. **Understanding Brain Rot**: The video discusses "brain rot," which refers to cognitive issues characterized by lethargy, lack of focus, and difficulty in finding motivation and direction in life. 2. **Filtering Perceptions**: The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a gap between sensory perceptions and reactions to them. Rather than immediately accepting negative thoughts or rejections as truths, individuals should step back and objectively evaluate the situation. - By filtering perceptions, people can avoid falling into self-destructive thought patterns and challenge negative beliefs about themselves. - This helps in separating external events from personal interpretations and reduces the impact of negative experiences on one's mental state. 3. **Controlling Sensory Inputs**: The modern world bombards us with constant notifications, social media, and technology, which can overwhelm the mind and lead to a lack of focus and motivation. - Limiting exposure to these distractions is crucial to creating a more peaceful mental space conducive to productivity and well-being. - Taking regular breaks from technology or engaging in activities that don't involve constant external stimulation can help reduce the "colonization" of the mind by outside influences. 4. **Addressing the Ego**: Unfiltered perceptions and over-externalizing self-worth can lead to the formation of an ego, perpetuating brain rot. - The ego-driven identity often results in comparisons with others, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a lack of motivation to pursue goals. - Recognizing and challenging negative self-beliefs, such as "I am lazy" or "I can't do this," can help break free from self-imposed limitations and regain control over actions and aspirations. 5. **Living Reactively vs. Purposefully**: Individuals with brain rot often find themselves living reactively, allowing external circumstances to determine their motivation and direction in life. - By filtering perceptions, controlling sensory inputs, and addressing the ego, individuals can regain control over their lives and start living more purposefully. - Taking action based on their values and aspirations, rather than reacting to external stimuli, empowers them to move towards their goals and create a more fulfilling life. In conclusion, addressing brain rot requires a three-step approach: filtering perceptions to avoid negative thought patterns, controlling sensory inputs to reduce distractions, and challenging the ego to overcome self-limiting beliefs. By implementing these strategies, individuals can reverse brain rot and regain control over their lives, paving the way for a more purposeful and fulfilling future.
this is genuinely what is going on with me too and i never realized it in full potential. i KNOW that i felt like i had no control over my life and i have no goal, no motivations and nothing to work towards. ive always known it. and so it was a constant cycle of "i can do it, oh shit nevermind its way too difficult why am i even bothering". ill do it. ill better myself and have control over myself
I have to wholeheartedly thank you for this video. Fresh into university at 19y/o and I've been going through exactly what you've established here, it has been absolutely miserable and I have never felt so pessimistic throughout my life. Now that summer break is here for me, I have some time to reorganize myself and get back on track. Seriously, I can not thank you enough, and I hope that all of you here suffering from this can also go through it.
I feel like this is exactly what I have been experiencing the past 2-3 years on a daily basis. It has progressively gotten worse with some mental issues and physical shit that have been neglected by numerous doctors these past 3 years, but I am finally hopeful! I am trying to remain positive and I just wanted to say thank you so much :)
@@jamjambabakush7359 @DanielZ1337TM Also agree. Jam, I grew up with social anxiety up into my 20s (due to being socially isolated in my childhood). I really worked on myself between 18-24yo, and finally felt confident in myself. I'm 28yo now. 3 years post covid living alone (but in a relationship), + 1 year of work from home and I feel almost back to square one. Many unsustainable habits established through covid for sure
@@FaunKeH Hey Dude ! I read you and I hope you feel fine today. It's terrible to read your message, because I imagine you made some effort to conquer yours difficulties, and you begin again... It's painfull. But if you found the solution to yours problems, maybe you will find it again ! For me, my struggles are in my study and my life in general (I am 30 years, living at home, no money , no work, just the university ) and I struggle to finish my degree at the university ( I am in Master 2) and leaving at home is horrible... Maybe we have to find a kind of balance (get up early, go to work, come back at home, make a meal , have fun , have activities et cetera) and keep going on Ü
@@jamjambabakush7359 I appreciate the kind words. When it rains it pours... Lately external factors have been incrementally worse, so I'm trying to remain strong. But I can't deny things are tough right now
People turn on themselves when they realize they've made mistakes because that's how they were taught to respond in those situations. Parents and teachers often have children internalize their failures, with scolding and bad grades and even physical punishment in some cases, because that supposedly helps them stop and do better. But the natural response to that oppressive force is becoming sensitive to failure, to any negative stimulus, and eventually not wanting to do anything anymore (self-inducing brain rot), because those negative things are natural byproducts of pursuing anything good. It's the fear response overriding the ability to slow down and think, because negative stimulus feels dangerous (from those major influences, it literally was) and *you have to respond now!* It's a learned and culturally reinforced response. Unlearning that is really, really hard. *EDIT:* I don't really like trying to blame self-identity or egotistical thought for this problem. At least for me, it doesn't feel like I'm constrained by identity, it feels like expressing my identity just isn't an option because of that fear, so I have to compensate by picking anything else. And that's usually responding to surrounding stimulus with fear by shutting down, or responding to others with fear by complying with whatever they put in front of me or reacting to perceived danger defensively. I don't need to ignore myself, *I need to be myself.*
You just described half of my talking points in therapy. My therapist constantly says I should act more freely more like myself but I’ve got no idea what that looks like.
yeah this isn’t even a question. It’s absolutely due to the *_constant_* accessibility of entertainment, and the dopaminergic behaviours resulted from it. Subsequently, the easiness of consuming entertainment overrides and opportunities for thoughtful engagements where we have a choice how to pass time. Then we also get to a point where we’re so used to having entertainment that it’s hard to imagine doing anything without it. Which also makes us less likely to jump into to do tasks.
Yall wanna blame everything but yourselves, take some accountability. Yea sure entertainment playes a small role in distracting one from a task. But ultimatly its up to you to have the self controll to do the task then be entertained. Accessable entertainmetnt is not a bad thing, allowing it to take over your life, that is a bad thing.
@@Jamesen1124 I don't think we're excluding ourselves from the equation, considering we're talking about our own actual brains and personal engagement with media and how that affects our mentality. But we're acknowledging that this is also affected by our modern society/environment and how different it is from 15-20 years ago, instead of just beating ourselves up. Just kinda recognizing that the environment became less helpful in that way, and that we should be more wary of that factor
I wake up with panic attacks at night when I suddenly realize that. "Where the hell is my life going!!!?!?" And yet I do nothing to change that. Vicious cycle.
This video really resonated with me. One day someone trated me badly and it really got into my head. I was doing exactly what he said, living reactively and letting external things shape my actions. I'll try to take this advice for life.
This was a random video. But perfectly described me, living with a hardcore drunk narcisstic father figure for years has be missing opportunities and -like you said- heavily avoidant.
I had a terrible experience with school with ADHD and it made me give up on myself before I even turned 18, and I've been a degen for over 10 years, so much time spent letting my love for games become poisonous, living life reactively, being hypersensitive to failure etc. I've been slowly building myself back up over the past few years and started realizing how all this unfiltered stimulus has been affecting me, and you explained all of this really well and it motivates me to apply your teachings. Thanks for everything you do Dr K ❤
Its kind of worrying that I can relate to almost every topic Dr. K talks about. But its helping me help my therapist understand whats going on with me. Thank you very much for that, Dr. K! I just started therapy a couple weeks ago and its giving me hope again. Greetings from Germany.
Thank you for this video dr. K, this is exactly what I needed to hear. For the past few months, I've deteriorated my mental state by overstimulating myself with content that has no positive impact on my life. Slowly as my attention span got shorter, my focus declined; I wasn't able to keep up with life and I felt like a failure which made me seek refuge in gaming more. My brain is currently rotted to the point that I know my life is in chaos but I get too mentally exhausted by overstimulation that I can't bring myself to hatch out a plan to fix my life. Sometimes I feel really depressed by my situation and lash out at others for triggering my insecurities when they judge me for my own actions, I know they are right but I get so overcome with emotions that my ego doesn't want to hear it and I shut them out. How you analyzed in this video completely resonated with me and I feel like it's the answer to the puzzle I was trying to figure out. I am extremely motivated now in making a change to be happier in the future.
In my teenage years, I began meditating and reached a level that some considered a yogi. Nothing phased me, I uplifted myself, motivated myself and others, and always moved forward but I fell away from it when I was mixed in with the wrong people until I had strayed so far from the path that I no longer recognized who was looking back at me in the mirror. Now, I am struggling to fix this. Hopefully this will help. Thank you for sharing.
I cannot overstate my gratitude for the material that you have provided for people. For most of my life I have struggled against my self and a variety of mental shortcomings and for the first time in my life I feel like I actually have a chance at overcoming some of these challenges. I live in Ontario and despite being in a very developed part of the world I do not have the type of access to therapy and psychiatry that I believe would help me. The fact that you have made all of this information accessible despite nearly all financial, geographical and intellectual disparity is an invaluable service and I cannot thank you enough. I am 26 years old and for the first time since I was about 12 I feel like I'm becoming comfortable in my own skin and even my own mind . Thank you so much Dr. K
Most positive thing I experienced is believing that I was the "fat kid" for years while I was obese and that I could never run. I started running a mile a day even though it took 12+ minutes and it started getting better while I was completely inspired that I was proving my belief wrong
1. brain rot: anytime u try to do something, ur mind keeps on telling u to do something else. so everytime u ahve to overcome ur mind. 2. reaction to rejection: "i got rejected" vs "oh there's no point in trying, no way ill get a job" 3. if im socially anxious, i wont go to the party. cant control reaction so i try to control my circumstances. 4. think alot: what is thw actual factual truth of the situation vs what ur reaction to it 5. prevent colonization: minimize sensory input 6. 7 grade someone tells me im a loser. the perception doesn't get filtered away. it becomes a tru reaction. u start to believe u r a loser. ☆u adapt by forming an ego☆ form a conclusion about urself. lots of i statements => mind starts making comparisons 7. eliminate comparisons: who are u? acion: do the scary thing anyway 8. ur living life reactively. other people determine ur motivation. 9. fix: filter ur perception 10. ☆our actions determine who we are, not the other way around☆
This is so true! I have so many egotistical thoughts about myself since I was a kid and even now I don’t filter my perception, and I am addicted to TH-cam and podcasts, and my excuse is “I’m lazy, I have adhd, I can’t because of the external circumstances or because I’m not capable, I don’t know how, I don’t want to” and it’s so hard to change it. I can’t find motivation to do anything hard, and I don’t have any goals because “I don’t know what I want and I don’t know how to achieve even small daily tasks”. I feel like my life is meaningless and there’s no purpose, and when asked what is my future goal or plan, I say whatever that seems easiest to me because of external circumstances, I don’t actually plan or set goals for future, and think that the things I want is what is most comfortable. Thanks, I realised I really need to start working on my perception, sensory input and input from any person that’s not helpful, and work on my limiting beliefs and identity beliefs that limit my future. 🙏
This describes me perfectly, I’ve been starting to have really bad memory problems and I think this is part of the issue. I can’t remember events from a few months ago unless I get help from someone who was there and I constantly lose my items everyday, I’m only 20 so I don’t think it’s dementia. I’ve tried to take up more hobbies, gardening, fishkeeping, guitar, building cars but I find it very hard to focus on any of them for more than a day or so.
I was pretty much the same, only had my mind on gaming. I couldnt even read a book because I could not focus on what Ive read. Couldnt do stuff I wanted to for more than a few days or the first setback. Always thought I cant do this, because... First thing that helped me was stopping to watch shorts, only subscribed stuff and some things from my start page. As soon as I saw my start page getting somewhere I dont really want, I deleted my history. Secondly I started doing sports regularly, even if its only 30 minutes every second day or smth. Then I fixed my sleep scedule and always try to get up at the same time. I started meeting with friends more often instead of just searching for some excuse to stay at home gaming and I also started meditation. While I am still not where I want to be, I saw some improvements. You can do it too, just start now.
That could be me too. Bad memory regarding trivial stuff/ activities - though memorizing actual study material isnt that hard. But still it worries me A LOT.
Same it's been happening to me for 12 years now. For 10 years i've just been watching TH-cam everyday, all day. Don't let it prolong, follow his advice. You don't want to be where am i currently.
@@Wüstenfuchs12209 I can memorize whole engineering topics for exams in a night so it’s not that I can’t pick up information or study. I think my brain just throws out a lot of information in my head that it thinks is useless or that I don’t care about in order to cope with the fact that I am stressed all the time. The fact that I can and do memorize course material in a night speaks to how little control I feel I have over my subconscious since I wait till the last minute study 100% of the time even though I don’t want to. I’m still losing my items everyday 5 months after the initial comment. It drives me absolutely nuts that I have spend time everyday looking for things that I carry with me everyday. One day it’s my AirPods, the next it’s my wallet or something else. sometimes I’ll lose one and not bother looking for because it pisses me off so much that I’ll just not look for it for like a week until I find it in the most random spot that I don’t remember putting it in.
I'm someone with a serious rejection problem over the years and let my brain rot with those negative thoughts. This video really helped me to understand my own situation, as I can directly relate to this content. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom.
It's comical that this sounds like such a twitter type of insult but it's actually very real. Edit: just for clarification, no luckily i do not use twitter
This guy is completely in my head lol. Not with video games over studying, but with [IMPORTANT THING I NEED TO DO] with [OTHER IMPORTANT THING I NEED TO DO]. That makes it harder to fight because I need to do all the things...
I wish things like this were held in 5th grade curriculums, and not taught egotistically. Taught from a loving and helpful perspective. Much love HealthyGamer, never seen your content but you earned a subscribe from me, great video.
Once again Dr. K puts out something to help with what I am feeling at the exact time I need it. It's almost like he knows his audience. There's no surprise that he is killing it on TH-cam because that is one of the big things you need to succeed on here.
Thank you Dr. K for this video, it came just in time for me, I've been trying to heal from brain rot, today I'm proud of myself because I managed to write an entire chapter all on my own, I managed to draw and conceptualize a few characters when I've been feeling afraid of picking up the pen for so long. I've been binge watching your videos, you're an amazing help ❤
I really enjoyed the format of the video here. Explaining what the subject is in the beginning, elaborating and exploring. Then then returning at the ending to provide instructions on how to fix the subject. all educational videos should be like this. 10/10
This is me to a T. Recognizing a problem is the first step towards fixing it, and having greater specificity lends towards greater clarity towards the process. Thank you.
I can't describe how relatable it is and how helpful it is. Abstract as these problems may appear to our parents who haven't experienced none of this and simply cannot relate, brain rot, among other issues discussed on our channel are as real as it gets for some of us. Having them discussed so clearly is nothing short of a blessing. It's like stumbling upon the cure. There is simply too little awareness about the impact modern technologies have on the human brain. Very undocumented and under researched. In some sense, dr. K is a pioneer. Maybe he should team up with some highly experienced clinical psychologists and discuss actual cases. This problem will not go away by itself Thank you for this, truly!
I couldn't have discovered this video at a better time, since I'm just starting to apply for jobs again after a long hiatus wherein I thought I was too broken/inept/ADHD to have one. Thank you!
Careful about using mental health issues as an excuse to not move forward in life. Many incredibly successful people suffer from mental health issues as well they just dont allow it to dominate and control their lives
Really appreciate this video. Reminds me of some of my past therapy about Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). Good to have a refresher. Took some notes and fully intend to work with this reinforced information. Thanks, Dr. K!
It brings me comfort that other people are having this same sort of problem. I’ve been trying to find answers to a question I don’t even know. I remember growing so much as a person and being my senior year. I was logical, adapted very quickly, and grown to enjoy learning. Which was a great development when I was much younger. But half way though my senior year something happened. My awareness and perception felt impaired, as well as my focus. It felt like my vision narrowed as well. It’s been two years and I can tell I’m changing as a person. I’m trying to take small steps but I don’t even know how to fix this when I don’t know what it is. It’s getting tiring
i definitely feel like i have brain rot due to sleep deprivation. its like i can feel how many IQ points have leaked out through my ears every time i wake up... i think it would be worth doing a video on the psychology of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination because i think its become more and more prevalent in the younger generations, especially since the COVID lockdowns
I think part of the cure could be finding something fulfilling to do for yourself. RBP is your attempts at taking your time back from societal demands, but usually it’s done via trying to get dopamine from superficial sources like internet videos or social media. It’s chasing feeling accomplished without accomplishing anything so you get the dopamine reward and no real sense of satisfaction. But if you have a personal goal or hobby and can set small milestones to meet each day, you’ll be able to go to bed either with the sense that you really did something for yourself or that you have something to look forward to the next day. I’ve personally RBPed less now that I’ve started a personal project to work on an hour or two each day.
Sometimes I find it hard to tell which of my limits are based on the ego and beliefs about myself, and which limits I genuinely have (due to my ADHD, Autism & Dyslexia) and need to account for when navigating daily life. This can be really annoying because I want to be able to push myself, but at the same time I don't want to burn out from overestimating my abilities.
God , i am taking therapy and medicines since 2 years , but this is what exactly happens with me, glad to come across your channel... i compare myself everytime i be with my friends and do team work, and this keeps me in pressure everytime and do over work , sleepless night just to prove that i am better than other but eventually i end up performing less due to lack of planning and strategy , may be i don't give time or space to plan before taking action, i always be in hurrgy that i am faster than others , seeking for appreciation and a little negative word makes me burdened and stressful rest of the time and i try hard to make it prove wrong without realising why the person said. Thank you again !
Great to have videos about so many relatable topics! This channel is such a gem I often see people saying "I am x therefore I have a hard time/can't do y" when people that can do y often dedicate a lot of time and effort into doing so. In reality, the more productive mindset is to just do attempts and like you say, your actions determine who you are. There is no reason to lock yourself into a certain description and stick with it. Different people will have harder or easier times with approaching or learning the same thing, but don't dismiss anything completely unless you properly gave it time and effort
So helpful! Been struggling to write some early slice-of-life chapters because like torgue from Borderlands practically one level of the food pyramid of my media diet is comprised of explosions. The thought of a cave in the Himalayas sounded like a nice experience for a half an hour, you really sold me on it, even though Retreats are something I can't imagine ever doing. As one of those spiritual folks who epic fails at any kind of regular meditation practice I found your advice here helpful and consistent with my experience, since sometimes just those little decisions to Search TH-cam for "higher frequency music" or "Elder Scrolls Oblivion Town music" as Ambiance instead of MOAR constant input of geopolitics, history TH-camrs, or video games is like the small Domino that knocks over a slightly larger Domino, and the Ambience of contemplative piece slowly snowballs into something useful
When he said instead of watching videogames related content, instead listen to music the first thing I thought is how I listen to twilight princess relaxing music to chill 😂, wonder if that’s still feeding the addiction. A small step towards betterment I guess, glad to see I’m not the only one. Edit: grammar :v
There must be a less negative word than "brain rot" for this. Rotting is extremely destructive for the affected matter, but in this case the matter is still there and can be re-trained with different thoughts.
I'm starting to do tiny things to encourage myself that I can complete things. I have mild adhd, my husband's is way worse, but I have a hobby graveyard and he doesn't. I've had this giant basket full of yarn taunting me from the corner for months now. The other day we were talking to somebody who made a comment about their loved one collecting needlework yarn, but not actually doing needlework. In the moment I laughed it off and joked about being the same, but after a bit it started to bother me. All of these unfinished hobbies made me feel like I can't actually complete anything worthwhile. The other day I sat down and played a couple of your videos while I handknit a pillowcase. I just keep thinking about it and it encourages me to keep trying and to complete things. I'm realizing I need to snowball (start out small to build my confidence) complete these small tasks to convince myself that I can be successful. As someone who's struggled with depression my entire life, this has helped me so much with my confidence.
This is my story of brain rot in detail for anyone who's going through it now, hope it helps. I was an average student in school, my brain was working properly as far as I remember, then hit an year of illness after that I wasn't able to keep up with the rest and sort of just gave up, for about 2-3 years I didn't use my brain at all for anything productive but when reality finally hit and I overcame my denial somehow, I decide to use it again and forget about how everyone was ahead of me already, but I couldn't, I literally couldn't use my brain to even look at a book for more than 3-4 minutes straight and that too if I tried to recall after some time it'd be gone completely like I haven't even read it at all, that worried me and led me to think that my cognition is just gone and that there's no way back and gave up again until reality struck yet again and I failed all my exams and was one of a few in my class to do so, it was embarrassing, the guys who were supposedly worse than me scored much much better than me... And this is when I decided to change my life, not by studying because I'd already given up on that, but by committing to become healthier so atleast I could enjoy the non intellectual part of life, date girls etc. I quit smoking cold turkey and started running everyday, it was overwhelming at first but slowly I got into the rythm, after one month of that I started eating good food and cut out all the crap I used to eat, I quit youtube Instagram snapchat Facebook every single social media platform, limited drinking to once a month... Now obviously I started seeing the difference physically but little did I know that was what would finally help me cure my brain rot as well, one fine day I came back from my running session and had no smoking or eating to do, so I decided to sit on my desk and open a book but without any expectations as I had already given up, I started reading except only this time I was able to go through a whole page of the book and kinda understood what was written, I closed it and decided to just sit on my bed, an hour later I wondered if I remembered anything, so I just tried to remember what I had read and to my sheer surprise I remembered every single thing, like every single word I had read, not only just that but I had this photograph of that page clear as day in my brain, that was a revelation really, now that I got some leeway I decided to build on it and in about a year I was studying 3-4 hours a day, It was like a wild fantasy I had coming to life. I don't know what it was be it quitting smoking or social media or junk food, I have no idea... But it was definitely one of those things so maybe if you're reading this you can narrow it down further.
I've moved back to living with my parents at the start of the pandemic and we've all been working very hard to restructure my life and shift my priorities towards self-care and healthy daily routine. After several years of hard work (I've had a lot to heal), the brain rot is slowly going away. There isn't any shortcut: you need healthy brainfood for a healthy brain. I'm finally able to decide how to react to situations instead of being controlled by my emotions and only realizing too late what is happening. The best part is that I thought I could never achieve it. And I did. And so can you.
this fills me with hope, thank you. how did they help you? my parents go out of their way to help me, but i trust them more than myself because I have little to no intuition. and did you have to fake it till you "made it?"
@emclouds It's a lot of little things that are compounded. Understanding more about myself and why I'm this way, treating depression with more exposure to sunlight, sticking to a daily routine with fixed meal time, sensible bedtime and wake-up alarm, etc. And yes, I had to push through the difficult parts until they became easier. I know that's a dangerous mindset to apply to bad advice, but when it comes to self-care, sticking to things that are generally accepted as good should be fine.
I'm going to have to watch this a few times to fully get what you're saying because I'm about honestly 12 years deep into brain rot. So I'm the simplest way I can say this Thank you I needed this
This is amazing, Dr. K. I was reflecting on the teasing I received as a teenager at being unable to find a girlfriend and I concluded it wasn't to be taken to heart. Instead, it was a mental assault to be defended against. Basically, you keep the core of your mind untouchable and you do your best to protect and reinforce it. The latter is done through hard things like exercise or starting a business, for example.
Dr. K I just want to say thank you. Thank you for caring about people so much so that you share your expertise, knowledge, and valuable insight to help us be better. This video perfectly summarized and articulated something I’ve been struggling with for almost a decade. I finally understand what’s been plaguing me and now have a path forward to stop the cycle and start living my life again.
That's why he does it for free, I guess? Oh, and you gave him superchat money and he has coaching that very few people can afford and he sells guides and they aren't going to guarantee results and in fact, he really doesn't care as long as it makes him money.
@@Freakazoid12345No guide by itself can guarantee results. It takes the person reading it to make the change. And also, why can't he make money from creating these videos? And from coaching (which is usually expensive wherever you go, let alone from someone with such high demand). Him monetizing this video doesn't change the fact that it's helped so many people. It doesn't suddenly make the advice less useful.
@@watermelon1835 ok, but there's nothing to indicate he actually cares about anybody. So why do you go with that but then attack me for pointing out the fact that he makes money off of this? That's a little weird and disconnected from reality.
I needed this video so much man, thanks. What got to me was specially that part about forming beliefs about oneself, and then not trying anything that goes against that belief, I have so many of those...
I REALLY NEEDED TO SEE THIS VIDEO TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Was feeling helpless and have been on this spiral for close to two decades now. I like that you give a possible solution, soon as i finished this video got the energy to at least get up and get out there 🙏🏽. THANK YOU.
I'm going thru something similar, I have a 'lack of motivation' to do my academic work, screentime is horrendous, Sleep schedule is fucced, I don't have much of a firm stance on my work and my goals and what scares me is that the feeling isn't as impactful is it should be, and I have bad habit of panicking last minute, losing most I've just learned all in one week.
Usually I'll have brain fog when I've spent a lot of time on watching screens for too long without physically doing anything, like chores or drawing. Occasionally, I'll be completely fine for the whole day, and then when I go to work in the evening, I struggle to talk with people at work. I wonder if this relates to today's topic at all....
I feel the same exact way you feel. I think it because scrolling the whole day gives us such a huge jolt of dopamine that everything else doesn't compare. People seem boring because after staring at a screen for hours gives us the maximum dopamine we can take. For example, it's like thrill seekers who climb Mt. Everest and feel like they conquored the world and after they get bored of everything. Why? They did the most intense thing on the planet and now they feel like their is nothing left to do. This falls back into people like us, looking at screens for a long time gives us that instant gratification that nothing else can give. To get that same amount of gratification with people you have to converse with them for a few minutes which our brains think that is too long to get rewarded.
I had to delete TikTok and start removing other more dopamine hitting apps or items. If you have adhd, dopamine hits in frequent enough but not too frequent short burst more or less destroy your ability to find motivation or do things. The more distractions you can remove that are fine, but not good investments of time, the easiest to get things done. It can become moderately crippling otherwise because of the screen time dopamine.
Barely into the vid, but can relate. Struggled to find a job after school and I started feeling like my brain just got rusty af after two years of nothing. Constantly distracted. Job hunting didn’t work. Many rejections. Took some breaks between applying, but it was tiring having to manage myself so much. I tried to keep writing and crafting, joined some game groups, but it wasn’t enough. Started turtling up a few times, but I kept trying. Even so, very tired now. I got a biking training machine and am trying to get active again with volunteer work and counseling, so maybe my brain rot will go away with increased easy access exercise and human interaction while continuing the job search, but for a temp job this time.
Even the ones that said "congrats on your position in advance" and seemed desperate to hire me didn't call. Job searching is brutal and it's literally desert levels empty and I was the n1 graduate from college. The rest were only hiring women. 2.2gpa girls who spent their years sleeping around and partying in college gets 5 very amazing jobs with requirements she doesn't have while guys in my class do basic delivery crap. Bullshit world lmao.
I LET MY STATEMENTS? THOUGHTS DETERMINE MY FUTURE!!!! But my actions really define it! I can be in action DESPITE my thoughts!! What a powerful thought.
The ahamkara bit resonated deeply with it. I grew up being told that I'm lazy by my immediate surroundings. At some point, I accepted it and blamed all my passiveness on "I'm lazy so I can't help it". I live reactively, doing bare minimum to pass my courses in college. What is worse is that I get pretty good grades with little to no effort so I don't even see the point of working hard on academics. I'm a CS undergrad so I wanted to learn skills like Game Dev or Emulation. But I found it too daunting to start, because I was scared of failing. And when I did start something on my side, I gave up pretty quickly, once I encountered a minor failure and blamed it on my "laziness". I know I can do something reasonably well if I put my mind into it, at the same time I've believed that I can never put my mind into doing something. This contradictory perception of myself has made me go along with the flow, like a boat without rudders going along the currents in an endless, ever branching river of life. I don't know if I can change after watching this video, but believe me when I say that you've given me hope. Now I have a weapon to cut down my brain's "I'm lazy, so I can't do this" or "I can never work hard" arguments. Thank you very much for providing me a rudder, now it is my turn to fix it on my boat and use it to decide my own route.
The great thing about the thing you want to do (game dev) is that failure is pretty much a given if you want to learn faster and see what works/ what doesn't/ what cool mechanics ideas might spring up from happy little accidents.
Ive been applying for jobs for literally 2+ years now. Never SERIOUSLY thought about what I've been thinking about it myself, never looked away before hitting apply, just pure autonomous job applying. I RECOGNIZE there's 1000+ applicants for this position, but I look multi perspectively with each apply and store it for the next apply button. Thankfully I'm at a stage at 22 where I'm balancing my jobs and university, not knowing if I am still thinking or suffering with brain rot. I just do what I think is good AT THAT MOMENT and am fearful that's how it will go on, but I know it leads to eventual progress down the road. Hope you read this far, still havent added details about brain rot during the job hunting proces, that is if I'm a recciver of this condition or just going through normal ups and downs in mental thought biom.
Thank you for helping me colonize my mind with probiotic ideas. This inspired me to spend 5 minutes before work with my eyes closed only allowing thoughts about work.
In 2017 I was LOCKED IN like I've never been in my life before or since. I always attributed it to, at least partially, the way I changed the content I was consuming. I started following all kinds of motivational pages on social media, and I blocked pages that brought the opposite whenever I saw it. This kind of confirms that thought process I had. I need to get back to it. Thanks for this!
The rejection part is very true. I only recently started fixing the things wrong in my mind and you really helped me understand it better. I appreciate you.
I believe using the name "Brain Rot" is very unfortunate. "Brain Rust" you mentioned seems much more valid and approriate. Rot is rarely something you can reverse. I'd even consider naming it Brain Stall.
I think I needed to see something like this years ago, when my own life started to increase in difficulty level. The difficulty increase wasn't rooted in leveling up, or expanding into unfamiliar fields. It was due to giving in to complete strangers and people I had thought were friends placing their own short comings on me, saying I couldn't do half the things I could. And that I shouldn't even try anything new, because I would fail. COVID enforced isolation was one of the best things to happen for me, because it cut a lot of those people out of my life. Which I realize is a horrible thing to say ^^; I'm finally breaking away from playing video games and doing nothing else, because that was the only thing I felt I was allowed to do. And I am beginning to create, and expand my skillset again. And while there have been times I've faltered, where I have given into the "don't bother, you'll fail" mentality... It still helps getting the reminder, that a mind will rust with disuse. So thank you for that.
I came to this realization when I stayed up late one night to watch some ''special event'' on Twitch, only to wake up late the next day and feel bad about myself. That's when I realized the livestream I watched the previous night on Twitch has no meaningful impact on my life whatsoever, and it wasn't even that entertaining. I stayed up late for NOTHING, the more I think about it the more I realize I've been doing stuff like this way too often in my life.
Wow, at 23 minutes you really hit the nail on the head. It’s so relieving to hear someone so clearly explain what my life has been like for the past year I have not been working. I have not been doing anything because my brain has conclusion that I will be too tired, and that the experiences will not be worth it so rather, I have just been sitting in my house “”rotting and feeling incredibly incapable of being able to have the energy to find a job and find that I actually like somewhat. I just started this week on ADHD meds and have not felt a significant change in my perception yet.
This might be the single best “self-help” video I’ve ever seen. It so perfectly explains the conundrum that so many people find themselves in. If everyone could learn to be less reactive, I really think many of the problems we face as a society would either disappear completely, or become much less severe. Thank you for this amazing video! Very info dense but easily digestible.
As a fighting game player there's a lot to be taken away from this. Back when i started i had negative thoughts towards my opponent all the time, for spamming moves, playing "cheap" yatta yatta. Learning not to give in to this crap, not getting angry when i lose and instead even appreciating my opponents skill and focussing on the next interaction not only helped me to enjoy the game more, but also helps playing better and focus on what is actually important.
I don't play fighting games anymore, but here's the secret. Go on TH-cam check gameplays and guides for characters u might be interested in. Pick 1 or 2 characters with in depth guides that you like. Stick to them, just learn about how to counter other characters with your character. Done, you'll be bullying other players in no time
I can do it 💪 I've already started to get into some projects, which i've deemed impossible a few years ago. Definitely helps understanding these things. Finding this channel was definitely one of the best things in my life, as it has changed me more than anything else before that^^
This hit so close to home I thought you were going to address me by name. Brain rot is a powerful thing caused by all kinds of circumstances, and we need to help people out of it instead of belittling them as losers who are lazy.
@@chickentendies5144 No wonder why videos pop up at the right time, people like me search up shit on how to fix their problems that happen to exact same problem I have lol.I just thought the internet was scary asf
Yeah the job thing is a little out of touch, especially for people who dont have higher education. I've been at the same job for 6m, with over 100 applications trying to get back into my field and not a single response, and I'm lucky. I have friends who are still out of work, or working fast food and have literal hundreds of applications. That is NOT a filtering issue, that is a major societal problem.
He didn't describe someone who applied to hundreds of jobs before giving up though. He described someone who would collapse for months after individual rejections because their mind can't handle each rejection. A person like that would have struggled to find a job even in the most forgiving market, but as you said, right now is not forgiving at all. A person in that kind of debilitated mental state is screwed AND they are constantly blaming themselves for what is really an external problem.
I feel like the part of brainrot where you compare yourself a lot is defence/coping mechanism. Towards facing too much rejection and/or hostility too often. Just us trying to find control where we feel there isn't. Like, perhaps you've been romantically rejected a string of times. It is rational to understand that there was just not this connection and it isn't anyone's fault that the feelings are not reciprocated. But it is still hard to wonder "what is wrong with me? What makes me so undateable?" It is hard not to internalize it. Then we begin to compare ourselves and begin to resent people, as it is easy to do in the digital age. Then the random stray bullets start flying. Same with Job rejections. An example with coping with hostility, is perhaps getting tired of generalizing statements of your demographic. It isn't who you are, but it sucks to be reduced to the worst examples of a of your demographic. It is unfair to you and the group itself. Also it is out of our control. So we start focusing outwardly to avoid or confront it. But it lives rent free in our heads. Which is something we have a right to feel like it invaded our minds. We rather spend our time thinking of more productive or creatively fun things. We want to feel comfortable in our own minds and identity. But we had to create this habit of mind to externally keep an eye on the hostility of being othered or demonized.
Your example regarding coping with hostility hits hard. I suffered through that for 5 years in university in a quite toxic setting. I never learned any tools regarding meeting hostility other than ignoring it and hoping it went away. But it didn't go away. These people kept having such conversations for 5 years straight and eventually it trickled deep into my spirit and poisoned me. It's been 8 years and I still don't really feel like I've recovered from it. This video helps, but it really feels like I got handed a big debt check that will take forever to pay off.
This... did explain why my life kinda went down the drain in the last few years. I didnt knew this was my issue. Now that the awareness for it exists, its time to put it to the test and unclog my brain. Thank you for this, i really, really needed this.
Eliminating social media made me feel so isolated and a bit depressed, but it goes to show the pursuit of happiness and self development comes at a cost. The truth about people and who they really are. It makes you question the connections you had with these people when they never make the first contact, I always was the first to contact, this taught me a valuable lesson that social media is just fake and useless, I feel a lot better not using reddit or facebook, I became cynical without even realising, that's the real brain rot.
"The mind doesn't wear out with use, it actually rusts with disuse." Extremely powerful statement.
That's literally how everyone imagines rust.
@@aarepelaa1142 Bro didn’t understand the comment and tried to sound smart 💀💀💀
@@MeMe-ws4ry k
Bro got mildly displeased by an internet comment 💀🤣
literally such a basic concept idk why youre acting like its an insane revelation.
I've been depressed for so long, and I can literally feel myself losing intelligence and sharpness over time. It's the slowest car crash of all time, and it's terrifying.
Man I was on the same boat for so long. Long story short me and my wife recently had a baby while already having a 10 year old (not planned but a blessing nonetheless) either way it had completely flipped life on its head for me and I’ve been struggling to stay sane with so much changes financially and personally. I wish I could enjoy life more but it’s either spend more time with the kids and have less money or have more money and see my family less.. I used to be a super active guy and I stopped for some reason but honestly just working out and finding time for myself to go on a run or something has made a tremendous impact on my attitude and mindset. Idk if you’re indoors a lot but get out as soon as you can in the morning and make time for yourself before having to do all the shit life requires from us these days.
I feel the same.. but there’s times where I think “maybe I am getting smarter, or maybe I am improving” but then everyday I wake up in the same cycle
Have you tried smoking weed and watching Rick and morty
@@erendon91 I ain’t reading all that.. I’m happy for you though.. or sorry that happened
@@abdulalialotaibi7062 bro has brain rot in a video about brain rot and still doesn’t get it… lol thanks though
Here's my long takeaway:
- People who have brainrot don't filter what comes into their minds. Brainrot is cognitive rusting caused by not using it.
- The concept of loss/rejection is common, but people with brainrot will create conclusions and allow their mind to be 'colonized' by negative thoughts caused by said common problems. People with brainrot live their life reactively - what other people do determines your motivation. They will always be reacting and responding on a loop and never pick a direction to go towards to.
- Think: what is the factual truth of the situation before me?
- What did the person say/what happened, and what is my interpretation of it?
- Stretch those two things apart
- We are sensory-bombarded by information and thoughts that make it hard to concentrate on other tasks, thoughts will multiply and colonize your brain (modern technology is good at this)
- If you don't filter perceptions and you're colonized, your mind adapts by forming ego eg. I can't do something because I'm lazy = your mind makes a negative conclusion, tanks your motivation.
- Solution: Any time your mind says "I am ..." do your best to absolutely ignore it. Recognize that conclusions about yourself are based on unfiltered perceptions. Set it aside and try to think: "Alright, I will give it a shot anyways".
- Any time you notice yourself making a comparative statement ask yourself: What is the effect of this comparison? The answer is: The comparison exists to discourage you from acting.
- Eliminate the ego: Ask yourself, who are you? Discouraging thoughts = you let the identity of yourself determine what you actually do. But the truth is = what you do, determines who you are.
- Domino effect: You're afraid of doing something yet you do it anyways which gives you a good feeling. From there, your motivation goes up and you're willing to try more things.
- Ask yourself what kind of sensory inputs create and destroy motivation (limit technology, go for a walk, colonize your mind with positive influences).
These takeaway comments are always so helpful
The last part of your explanation, the Domino effect, what if you get a negative feeling from doing the things you were afraid of? I've never felt "good" from completing goals that caused anxiety or were otherwise a very negative experience. Like what if goal setting doesn't work?
@@TheDoomSheepMaybe the problem isn't the goal, but the path you traveled to achieve that goal.
@@santiagoo.8958 what responsibility do others have in the negative effects of the path traveled, who through unethical or illegal action lead to your anxiety and negative experiences?
How does one "cope" when forgiveness equates to empowering them further?
Asking yourself who you are is diametrically opposite to letting go of your ego lol
I’m a scientist (objectively less qualified educationally, but the most experienced amongst my peers at work) and I relate so much to the crumbling when receiving constructive criticism or any feedback that wasn’t positive. Once you can overcome the jerk reaction to negative feedback, life truly gets so much easier.
I work as a hospital security guard and this is exactly the sort of thing they train you on. The ability to sit still, be vigilant and not distracted. To be able to be unaffected by what others say to you and to keep yourself cool when you feel you may be getting emotional. I do not enjoy anything about this job but I can’t deny it’s given me valuable life skills as a young person that I would not have gotten otherwise this early into my life, which will be useful when I eventually find the opportunity to push my career elsewhere
Great to hear and based Senjougahara profile picture.
do you ever get to inject schizos on the bum
@@ayan4697ikr
I work third shifts at an old folks home and all these old folks can get volatile as they are mentally unwell, and learning to control your anger or sadness is something you have to know how to do.
As a 25 year old 8 year + forklift driver and 1 year mechanic. You absolutely will get to use everything later. Just keep building and pay attention to the shifts in your own mind. If it goes quiet read a book
Bro's describing me, this is exactly what I needed bro. I've been distracted by too many things around me but this has helped me change my perspective and has given me an idea to function again and get shit done so thank you man for literally existing.
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I feel like this too. I hope to see if I can use this advice and change.
I think I will come back to this video alot.
W 👑
I think of depression as almost a behavioral neurodegenerative disease. Something happens that makes you disengage from the world. Since you arent using and challenging your neurons any more, they degrade. That makes it harder to return to the behaviors that kept your brain healthy. So it degrades more. And you spiral down this endless cycle.
You weave together a narrative which informs your motivations.
@@billybobjenkins5625 Well put.
Basically the same as physical health.
Less exercise means a less stamina and less stamina means even less exercise.
You'll get fatter and more easily tired, leading to even less physical activity.
depression kills your brain cells and causes memory loss
That’s exactly what it is put into more simple terms
I work as a Special Ed Paraeducator after growing up dealing with ADHD, OCD, Depression, and Anxiety diagnoses since childhood, and I resonated with what you said about filtering perception. The only reason I was able to get through my childhood and become a stable adult was because I learned to analyze my experiences as I experienced them, and practice controlling my reaction. I have skated on the edge of brain rot for years and seen many friends succumb, but it's great to see another way to interpret this idea.
I was taught metacognition as a kid, which is very similar to the yogic idea of separating experience and reaction. I've since learned that Buddhist philosophy also touches on this, and even Daoism. There's the classic Serenity Prayer popular in Christianity, and even stoicism touches on this idea.
It all boils down to the same thing: filter your experiences, filter your thoughts, notice your feelings, and practice intention in what you do about it, and what sort of information you allow into your mind.
Also: NEVER PRE-ORDER. Just buy the game when you know it's good. There is absolutely nothing that will harm you in waiting a couple days after release before you buy it.
facts !! Pre-Ordering is just FOMO - fear of missing out, have to control dopamine and understand its ok , and everything else you said is on point I'm going through it as a 33 year old man
@@jgalvan09 I just preorder because i trust the developer and want to show my support to the product they are trying to make (but yeah not for AAA games)
lmao so wise NEVER PRE ORDER GUYS
@@Troynl66 lol yeah sounds like an excuse don't pre order at all dude work on your mental health, if you think Pre-ordering is " supporting " a developer then bless your heart lol
@@jgalvan09some preorder has rare stuff with it though.i think it depends on the game I think it's ok to do it sometimes just don't overdo it
This hit home. My mind used to be so colonised by video games to the point where I felt a mild withdrawal symptom. Half a day without games can make me feel very uneasy and antsy. Studying feels like hell because every 20 seconds in, my mind gets flooded with video games again.
This video perfectly explained what I felt during the phase where I am trying to quit my gaming addiction. I had to force myself to shift my mind away from gaming put my focus and attention to reading. As I train my mind to stay focused at a low-dopamine task, I slowly overcame my gaming addiction. The change is extremely fulfilling. I also became less reactive and sensitive to negative comments. I can tolerate and react more calmly during stressful and anxiety-triggering situations such as being put in the spotlight during a social event.
I'm 2 years into quitting my gaming addiction now, finishing my Master in Architecture, and the last time I played a video game was 4 months ago when I got burntout from studies.
Gaming is very good to relieve stress. Just dont spend too much time on it because that might lead to addiction. In my case, took me 6 years to finish Skyrim. Lol.
Glad you overcame ur addiction💪What game were u playing that got you hooked? Also do you feel now playing video games is rewarding for the brain like a mind therapy feeling.. I used to play fifa everyday.. before the algorithms it helped me with gaining confidence in real life soccer. After 2015 I wanted to throw my controller at the TV lol
Thing is, it wasn't the video games. It was you all along, you didn't put these other things as your priority over gaming. You need to figure out how you can't have certain hobbies, without prioritizing import things. It's not an adicition, it's poor task managing
@@stoned_kakapo8736That's usually the idea.
I don't understand getting addicted to games nowadays.
They're so mundane and boring.
I loves games but meh.
Putting 100 hours into a single game just sounds like a chore unless it's actively fun.
@@RaijinRain there's some really good games out there, just not on console. But nothing is so good that it has the power to keep you from doing things that need to get done, not even fully modded skyrim in VR
Okay that analogy with bacteria really spooked me because I didn’t understand
Pro Tip: if you want Boomers to leave you alone about mental health issues, just say it's "brain fog." Whenever I try to explain what I'm feeling or going through, I get the usual responses ("you just need to get over it," "that's no excuse for X," etc.) But if you say it's Brain Fog™, they usually go "oh, it do be like that sometimes"
This is brilliant
as long as you don't start to believe it yourself, then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Boomers are heavily misunderstood, and there is a lot in their mentality that's good with a pinch of salt
There are 69 million baby boomers in the US. Consider how small your sample size is.
Pro tip: Don't talk to boomers, ever... They live in the stone ages and do everything in their power to not understand the world around them, oversimplifying everything.
I think i got brain rot and it combined with undiagnosed ADHD to create a constant loop of unhelpful thoughts, my mind has felt trapped by its own adaptation for so long. I’m so glad i finally got diagnosed and started treatment and therapy.
It is self-awareness and getting out of one's comfort zone that ADHDers need, working on the trauma that caused the disorder in their infancy.
@@timeforteeADHD is hereditary, however Trauma that develops in childhood has very similar symptoms to ADHD which can make it seem like you can develop ADHD from Trauma, more so they give similar symptoms
But if you roll the nature and nuture lottery you can get both Trauma and ADHD where they can both worsen each other 's effects in a loop
@@timeforteebut I completely agree getting out of your comfort zone can help a lot with mental health
@@unluckystaravia2352 You can believe it's hereditary, it's the official narrative at the moment after all. I tend to agree with Gabor Maté.
@@unluckystaravia2352 Great for you and your social circle if you do the hard work on lessening the negative impact of your ADHD on everyone involved! (I had to part ways with someone who didn't do that...) I wish you true, lasting success.
Almost finished reading "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins and this video couldn't have come at a better time!
I've had emotional trouble, trust issues and started jumping straight to conclusions, putting myself down and trying to live life in absolutes after my last relationship fell apart.
Went from an overachiever to a dark period of underachieving for almost three years.
Been getting better over the last couple of years though - picked up physical fitness, something I always ran away from as a nerdy overweight boy, got disciplined and stopped deluding myself and lazing in the name of "talent" and I thought that would be the hardest to do but boy was I suprised on how much I lacked on the mental front and HG has been an amazing resource to learn from! I've been able to learn a lot about mental barriers, procrastination and all. Thanks a million, Dr. K! 💙🗿Gotta work on the "ahankara" now. 😌
Keep your head up king, one day you shall have your own sunlight to gaze upon!
When he talked about "achieving something in spite of your fear for that something will change you" David Goggins was the first who came to mind.
I've read "Can't hurt me" and found it motivating. Also, towards the end of the book, I reflected upon Goggins self-focus - especially with regards to his family and personal relationships. Food for thought. Once you overcome yourself how can this translate into community wide success?
Omg can I get $200 too?😔
@@arenagrenade9672it’s rupees , like you’d get a burger with that money in India lol
This video reminds me of something I learned from my dad!
A few years ago, me and him were playing chess. We've played a game against each other every now and then for years, and I have never once won a game against him. This particular time, I was playing extremely defensively to the point where every move I made was in reaction to whatever he did. I didn't make any moves to set up any big, elaborate attacks, just watching what he did and moving to shut him off. This continued for a while until I realized that I had nowhere else to go and had made zero progress toward taking out his king; any move would be a net loss for me. So, I asked him how he did it, and what he told me just stuck.
Don't just react; respond.
I feel this. Not a lot of people know the difference between playing to win and playing to not lose.
Don't just speak, TALK! Don't just move your feet, WALK!!. Don't let your liquids out when you go the bathroom, PEE!!
Sorry but react and respond are the same thing…
This is what is known as a “deepity “. It sounds deep…but it’s actually not.
@@LB-yg2br exactly, thinking it actually sounds deep🤦♂️🤡
@@LB-yg2br I disagree! The way I see it, the difference between a response and a reaction is a matter of what was described in the video. Responding suggests consideration; a gap between one's receiving of information and their outgoing answer. Without the gap, you have a reaction. An instant answer that, while faster than a response, lacks integrity. I got my ass kicked in chess because I only ever saw his moves and moved to defend, as opposed to moving in preparation for a counterattack.
“What you do determines who you are” gave me a small panic attack and a deep breath of relief. that’s what I’ve needed to be told for a long time now. Genuinely thank you for clarifying!!!!
The "this person is better than me so I may as well give up" is definitely something but I prefer the "this person has traits that I'd love, let's work on it." I think you definitely need to filter input, but it's also probably important to curate your input - befriend people and follow accounts that inspire/motivate you.
the fact that i came to this realization in my life recently after spending more time focusing on developing my skills and now this video comes out, im so grateful that others can get the help we all wish we could have even when we dont realize it.
i'm 27 and i spent over half of my life doing drugs and ignoring the world, trying to avoid the pain that when i finally came to and looked around me i was unable to pick myself up and recover properly.
i still have a hard time thinking straight, i still cant focus well, i find myself crying because i wish i was ok. some days i focus on coding, gardening, art, and some days i know i can't get over the stump so that day ill take a break that has helped my brain so much.
i hope you all know you are more than capable, you are more than worthy, its going to hurt, its going to be hard, but the results are always worth it.
You're doing great!
It's little steps. When my third party reddit app was disabled, I replaced the spot on my home screen where the reddit icon was with my library's e-book app. Now when I start looking at my phone, nine times out of ten I will start reading a book. I feel like I hacked my own bad habit and it's very empowering. Getting pulled around by various websites' algorithms is a recipe for brain rot.
Congratulations on the improvement and I hope you can keep it up!
It's fine bro, God calls us out of the things that hurts us, from all the bs, and gather us in the love of Christ, Jesus loves you lets keep moving, I would have these issues too but what matters is the truth, and the truth is its possible and its a reality if we keep moving forward no matter what. Even if tired or not believing we may make it to the end of our goals, what matters is that God is on command, God bless you brother raise your head up and though we are to make the right decisions dont be stuck on the past and at your bad decisions, see: if God forgives us and we are to walk in life, why would be not forgive ourselves and accept, through this acceptance receive the way of life? Just some reflexive stuff on my heart that I felt the need to share to you haha, piece be with ya
sounds exactly like what Im going through. Im 27 as well.
This video made me cry, because of how real it was to hear someone talk about whats been happening to me. It has shown me that there IS a way to fix it. My dad used to say the same thing as you, to not let my surroundings control me. Brought me back a few years. Thank you for the video.
I love how this man just treats our mind as some sort of puzzle and gives you the solutions to its riddles
I have ADHD, BPD, and PTSD. You just described every day of my life.
If I could solve this... Lol. I'm 45 now... I don't even care. I need to make sure my kids don't fall down this hole. Thanks doc.
😢 That really sucks man, I hope you find a way to overcome it
Hey, you just made an egotistical statement! Being 45 is a fact. Believing that being 45 invalidates these teachings or prevents you from employing the solutions the doc gives is a perfect example of your brain telling you something and allowing it to dictate your actions.
I love that you want to help your kids to overcome these hurdles too, but show some love for yourself too and believe you can do it! The best way to help your kids is to help yourself first and lead by example.
Believe in yourself friend. I believe in you
If you wont fix it in yourself you're basically sentencing your children to have the same or worse issues.
Take responsibility.
Ahh pfft 45 you got time
45 isn't old, but if you said 85 then maybe your brain would be incapable of change.
I learned Japanese at 16 and cyrillic at 39... Equally hard both times and my mind has always been crap.
Weirdly enough playing an instrument helps a lot with this. I find the more your brain and body get accustomed to a lot of the complex interactions and new connections playing music gives, it makes general life tasks a lot easier. At high levels it almost becomes a sport and for me it’s more addicting than gaming.
Also modern board games.
Video games are also a some sort of thing that activates neurons.
@@Hecker-mj7po Yeah i agree, especially when playing and talking with friends. Sure gaming isnt the "best" activity per se, but I guess it is a lot better than consuming hours of youtube/ media in zombie mode.
@@Wüstenfuchs12209 hey you should play pizza tower idk but its effects on me has activated long lost muscle memory and the ability to perceive fast moving objects and react in time.
@@Hecker-mj7po Havent heard of that tbh. I got to admit a few months ago ... I tried to cut out video games from my habbits because I was telling myself it was a waste of time but stupid me replaced it with watching YT (mostly in bed) and sleeping.
I should have known better.
Here is a summary of the key points and main ideas from this video:
The text discusses the concept of "brain rot", which refers to a decline in cognitive functioning characterized by lethargy, lack of focus and motivation, and difficulty finding direction. This is attributed to people not using their minds productively over long periods of time, or being exposed to negative influences that impair mental function.
Three main factors contribute to brain rot:
1. Breakdown of barriers to filter perceptions: People with brain rot do not filter what information and experiences come into their mind. They let negativity, rejections, and criticism directly shape their thoughts and truth, without pausing to consider the facts or their own interpretations. This is the opposite of yogis, who can control their reactions to external inputs.
2. Thought colonization: The sensory inputs people receive determine the thoughts that occupy their mind. People with brain rot allow their minds to be overrun with distracting thoughts unrelated to their goals and motivations. Their minds jump to video games, social media, etc rather than being focused. In contrast, yogis live in isolation to prevent colonization of their mind.
3. Maladaptive ego responses: People develop conclusions about themselves based on unfiltered perceptions, such as "I am a loser" after a rejection. This shapes their identity in harmful ways. Comparisons to others also discourage people from acting. Yogis eliminate ego and comparisons to overclock their brains.
Together, these factors create a reactive, directionless mindset. People's motivation relies entirely on external factors, and any impulses get dismissed by negative self-talk. Their ego and comparisons prevent them from moving towards goals.
Solutions involve:
- Filtering perceptions by separating factual events from interpretations. Ask, "What objectively happened versus how am I reacting?"
- Managing thought colonization by limiting time on social media, gaming, etc. Replace with motivated communities. Go on tech-free retreats.
- Eliminating ego statements like "I can't do X." Ignore negative self-talk, and act despite it. Avoid comparisons to others that discourage you.
- Living proactively, picking goals and moving toward them steadily. Don't rely on external pressures for motivation.
Additional key points:
- Brain rot is compared to a real physical infection - bacteria invade, colonize, and prompt harmful bodily adaptations. This process occurs in the mind as well.
- People with brain rot struggle with basic cognitive functions like focus, direction, and executing on goals. It is not the same as medical conditions like depression.
- Practices like filtering perceptions are learned skills. For example, doctors in training learn not to react to patient criticisms, understanding it reflects the patient's state.
- People preach limiting tech use, but you can start small like no gaming during meals or while cleaning. Any progress to restrict colonization helps.
- The ego and identity create an illusion we cannot act in certain ways e.g. "I'm afraid of heights so I cannot climb mountains." But overcoming deficits shapes who we become.
- Living reactively cedes control of your motivation and life to external factors. The solution is to be proactive.
In summary, "brain rot" refers to declining cognitive abilities resulting from lack of perception filtering, uncontrolled thought colonization, and maladaptive ego responses. It can be improved through yogic and mindfulness practices that increase control over your mindset, thought patterns, ego, and sources of motivation.
This should be the top/pinned comment.
Thanks, this summary helps a lot.
Straight out of chat gpt. Should have specified "in the form of a TH-cam comment"
@@stevecarter8810 your comment is toxic, false and not helpful.
@@Freakazoid12345 I apologize. It really read like chat gpt to me, but this is chat gpt's summary of the transcript:
1. **Understanding Brain Rot**: The video discusses "brain rot," which refers to cognitive issues characterized by lethargy, lack of focus, and difficulty in finding motivation and direction in life.
2. **Filtering Perceptions**: The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a gap between sensory perceptions and reactions to them. Rather than immediately accepting negative thoughts or rejections as truths, individuals should step back and objectively evaluate the situation.
- By filtering perceptions, people can avoid falling into self-destructive thought patterns and challenge negative beliefs about themselves.
- This helps in separating external events from personal interpretations and reduces the impact of negative experiences on one's mental state.
3. **Controlling Sensory Inputs**: The modern world bombards us with constant notifications, social media, and technology, which can overwhelm the mind and lead to a lack of focus and motivation.
- Limiting exposure to these distractions is crucial to creating a more peaceful mental space conducive to productivity and well-being.
- Taking regular breaks from technology or engaging in activities that don't involve constant external stimulation can help reduce the "colonization" of the mind by outside influences.
4. **Addressing the Ego**: Unfiltered perceptions and over-externalizing self-worth can lead to the formation of an ego, perpetuating brain rot.
- The ego-driven identity often results in comparisons with others, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a lack of motivation to pursue goals.
- Recognizing and challenging negative self-beliefs, such as "I am lazy" or "I can't do this," can help break free from self-imposed limitations and regain control over actions and aspirations.
5. **Living Reactively vs. Purposefully**: Individuals with brain rot often find themselves living reactively, allowing external circumstances to determine their motivation and direction in life.
- By filtering perceptions, controlling sensory inputs, and addressing the ego, individuals can regain control over their lives and start living more purposefully.
- Taking action based on their values and aspirations, rather than reacting to external stimuli, empowers them to move towards their goals and create a more fulfilling life.
In conclusion, addressing brain rot requires a three-step approach: filtering perceptions to avoid negative thought patterns, controlling sensory inputs to reduce distractions, and challenging the ego to overcome self-limiting beliefs. By implementing these strategies, individuals can reverse brain rot and regain control over their lives, paving the way for a more purposeful and fulfilling future.
this is genuinely what is going on with me too and i never realized it in full potential. i KNOW that i felt like i had no control over my life and i have no goal, no motivations and nothing to work towards. ive always known it. and so it was a constant cycle of "i can do it, oh shit nevermind its way too difficult why am i even bothering". ill do it. ill better myself and have control over myself
I have to wholeheartedly thank you for this video. Fresh into university at 19y/o and I've been going through exactly what you've established here, it has been absolutely miserable and I have never felt so pessimistic throughout my life. Now that summer break is here for me, I have some time to reorganize myself and get back on track.
Seriously, I can not thank you enough, and I hope that all of you here suffering from this can also go through it.
Hey. How is it going? Have you made progress?
I feel like watching this has permanently altered my reality for the better
I feel like this is exactly what I have been experiencing the past 2-3 years on a daily basis. It has progressively gotten worse with some mental issues and physical shit that have been neglected by numerous doctors these past 3 years, but I am finally hopeful! I am trying to remain positive and I just wanted to say thank you so much :)
Hey Daniel ! I read your post and I found my self in it. Have you been in this posture since covid 19 or is it something else ? Have a nice day,
Jam"
@@jamjambabakush7359 @DanielZ1337TM
Also agree. Jam, I grew up with social anxiety up into my 20s (due to being socially isolated in my childhood). I really worked on myself between 18-24yo, and finally felt confident in myself.
I'm 28yo now. 3 years post covid living alone (but in a relationship), + 1 year of work from home and I feel almost back to square one.
Many unsustainable habits established through covid for sure
@@FaunKeH Hey Dude ! I read you and I hope you feel fine today. It's terrible to read your message, because I imagine you made some effort to conquer yours difficulties, and you begin again... It's painfull. But if you found the solution to yours problems, maybe you will find it again ! For me, my struggles are in my study and my life in general (I am 30 years, living at home, no money , no work, just the university ) and I struggle to finish my degree at the university ( I am in Master 2) and leaving at home is horrible... Maybe we have to find a kind of balance (get up early, go to work, come back at home, make a meal , have fun , have activities et cetera) and keep going on Ü
@@jamjambabakush7359 I appreciate the kind words.
When it rains it pours... Lately external factors have been incrementally worse, so I'm trying to remain strong. But I can't deny things are tough right now
People turn on themselves when they realize they've made mistakes because that's how they were taught to respond in those situations. Parents and teachers often have children internalize their failures, with scolding and bad grades and even physical punishment in some cases, because that supposedly helps them stop and do better.
But the natural response to that oppressive force is becoming sensitive to failure, to any negative stimulus, and eventually not wanting to do anything anymore (self-inducing brain rot), because those negative things are natural byproducts of pursuing anything good. It's the fear response overriding the ability to slow down and think, because negative stimulus feels dangerous (from those major influences, it literally was) and *you have to respond now!* It's a learned and culturally reinforced response. Unlearning that is really, really hard.
*EDIT:* I don't really like trying to blame self-identity or egotistical thought for this problem. At least for me, it doesn't feel like I'm constrained by identity, it feels like expressing my identity just isn't an option because of that fear, so I have to compensate by picking anything else. And that's usually responding to surrounding stimulus with fear by shutting down, or responding to others with fear by complying with whatever they put in front of me or reacting to perceived danger defensively. I don't need to ignore myself, *I need to be myself.*
I think what he's trying to say is making poor behaviors a part of your identity IS the problem. Because then, they can never be resolved properly.
You just described half of my talking points in therapy. My therapist constantly says I should act more freely more like myself but I’ve got no idea what that looks like.
Detox n fasting gives me 80% more energy and clarity..couple of daze a week..🎉
So, don't take things personally..be grateful for SOMETHING, anything..at all times...stay in that sweet spot..😊
Most of the problems we have in the world is from bad parenting
Overstimulation from modern day comforts I feel has definitely contributed to this. I feel like I'm operating on autopilot.
yeah this isn’t even a question. It’s absolutely due to the *_constant_* accessibility of entertainment, and the dopaminergic behaviours resulted from it.
Subsequently, the easiness of consuming entertainment overrides and opportunities for thoughtful engagements where we have a choice how to pass time.
Then we also get to a point where we’re so used to having entertainment that it’s hard to imagine doing anything without it. Which also makes us less likely to jump into to do tasks.
Yall wanna blame everything but yourselves, take some accountability. Yea sure entertainment playes a small role in distracting one from a task. But ultimatly its up to you to have the self controll to do the task then be entertained. Accessable entertainmetnt is not a bad thing, allowing it to take over your life, that is a bad thing.
@@Jamesen1124 I don't think we're excluding ourselves from the equation, considering we're talking about our own actual brains and personal engagement with media and how that affects our mentality. But we're acknowledging that this is also affected by our modern society/environment and how different it is from 15-20 years ago, instead of just beating ourselves up. Just kinda recognizing that the environment became less helpful in that way, and that we should be more wary of that factor
I wake up with panic attacks at night when I suddenly realize that. "Where the hell is my life going!!!?!?" And yet I do nothing to change that. Vicious cycle.
This video really resonated with me. One day someone trated me badly and it really got into my head. I was doing exactly what he said, living reactively and letting external things shape my actions. I'll try to take this advice for life.
I am watching it at 3 am rn.
This was a random video. But perfectly described me, living with a hardcore drunk narcisstic father figure for years has be missing opportunities and -like you said- heavily avoidant.
That’s weird i dont remember typing this… lol
I had a terrible experience with school with ADHD and it made me give up on myself before I even turned 18, and I've been a degen for over 10 years, so much time spent letting my love for games become poisonous, living life reactively, being hypersensitive to failure etc. I've been slowly building myself back up over the past few years and started realizing how all this unfiltered stimulus has been affecting me, and you explained all of this really well and it motivates me to apply your teachings. Thanks for everything you do Dr K ❤
I’m 21 and this has happened to me :( Is there any tips you’d tell your younger self struggling with the same ??
@@lizzie404 Huh wchu mean
Its kind of worrying that I can relate to almost every topic Dr. K talks about. But its helping me help my therapist understand whats going on with me. Thank you very much for that, Dr. K! I just started therapy a couple weeks ago and its giving me hope again. Greetings from Germany.
Sam here and I'm also taking therapy
@@Codephile Thanks for sharing Sam.
worrying but also a good sign that Dr K knows his audience very well
@@rogueturnip3 that was a typo, I meant to say "same*" interesting tho my name is Sam as well XD
@@Codephile wow funny coincidence! Have a good day Same!
Thank you for this video dr. K, this is exactly what I needed to hear. For the past few months, I've deteriorated my mental state by overstimulating myself with content that has no positive impact on my life. Slowly as my attention span got shorter, my focus declined; I wasn't able to keep up with life and I felt like a failure which made me seek refuge in gaming more. My brain is currently rotted to the point that I know my life is in chaos but I get too mentally exhausted by overstimulation that I can't bring myself to hatch out a plan to fix my life. Sometimes I feel really depressed by my situation and lash out at others for triggering my insecurities when they judge me for my own actions, I know they are right but I get so overcome with emotions that my ego doesn't want to hear it and I shut them out. How you analyzed in this video completely resonated with me and I feel like it's the answer to the puzzle I was trying to figure out. I am extremely motivated now in making a change to be happier in the future.
In my teenage years, I began meditating and reached a level that some considered a yogi. Nothing phased me, I uplifted myself, motivated myself and others, and always moved forward but I fell away from it when I was mixed in with the wrong people until I had strayed so far from the path that I no longer recognized who was looking back at me in the mirror. Now, I am struggling to fix this. Hopefully this will help. Thank you for sharing.
I cannot overstate my gratitude for the material that you have provided for people. For most of my life I have struggled against my self and a variety of mental shortcomings and for the first time in my life I feel like I actually have a chance at overcoming some of these challenges. I live in Ontario and despite being in a very developed part of the world I do not have the type of access to therapy and psychiatry that I believe would help me. The fact that you have made all of this information accessible despite nearly all financial, geographical and intellectual disparity is an invaluable service and I cannot thank you enough. I am 26 years old and for the first time since I was about 12 I feel like I'm becoming comfortable in my own skin and even my own mind . Thank you so much Dr. K
Most positive thing I experienced is believing that I was the "fat kid" for years while I was obese and that I could never run. I started running a mile a day even though it took 12+
minutes and it started getting better while I was completely inspired that I was proving my belief wrong
1. brain rot: anytime u try to do something, ur mind keeps on telling u to do something else. so everytime u ahve to overcome ur mind.
2. reaction to rejection: "i got rejected" vs "oh there's no point in trying, no way ill get a job"
3. if im socially anxious, i wont go to the party. cant control reaction so i try to control my circumstances.
4. think alot: what is thw actual factual truth of the situation vs what ur reaction to it
5. prevent colonization: minimize sensory input
6. 7 grade someone tells me im a loser. the perception doesn't get filtered away. it becomes a tru reaction. u start to believe u r a loser. ☆u adapt by forming an ego☆ form a conclusion about urself. lots of i statements => mind starts making comparisons
7. eliminate comparisons: who are u? acion: do the scary thing anyway
8. ur living life reactively. other people determine ur motivation.
9. fix: filter ur perception
10. ☆our actions determine who we are, not the other way around☆
My brain is so rot I can barely watch this video without loosing focus, Interest, and forgot
This is so true! I have so many egotistical thoughts about myself since I was a kid and even now I don’t filter my perception, and I am addicted to TH-cam and podcasts, and my excuse is “I’m lazy, I have adhd, I can’t because of the external circumstances or because I’m not capable, I don’t know how, I don’t want to” and it’s so hard to change it. I can’t find motivation to do anything hard, and I don’t have any goals because “I don’t know what I want and I don’t know how to achieve even small daily tasks”. I feel like my life is meaningless and there’s no purpose, and when asked what is my future goal or plan, I say whatever that seems easiest to me because of external circumstances, I don’t actually plan or set goals for future, and think that the things I want is what is most comfortable. Thanks, I realised I really need to start working on my perception, sensory input and input from any person that’s not helpful, and work on my limiting beliefs and identity beliefs that limit my future. 🙏
how are you doing now?
This describes me perfectly, I’ve been starting to have really bad memory problems and I think this is part of the issue. I can’t remember events from a few months ago unless I get help from someone who was there and I constantly lose my items everyday, I’m only 20 so I don’t think it’s dementia. I’ve tried to take up more hobbies, gardening, fishkeeping, guitar, building cars but I find it very hard to focus on any of them for more than a day or so.
I was pretty much the same, only had my mind on gaming. I couldnt even read a book because I could not focus on what Ive read. Couldnt do stuff I wanted to for more than a few days or the first setback. Always thought I cant do this, because... First thing that helped me was stopping to watch shorts, only subscribed stuff and some things from my start page. As soon as I saw my start page getting somewhere I dont really want, I deleted my history. Secondly I started doing sports regularly, even if its only 30 minutes every second day or smth. Then I fixed my sleep scedule and always try to get up at the same time. I started meeting with friends more often instead of just searching for some excuse to stay at home gaming and I also started meditation. While I am still not where I want to be, I saw some improvements. You can do it too, just start now.
That could be me too. Bad memory regarding trivial stuff/ activities - though memorizing actual study material isnt that hard. But still it worries me A LOT.
Same it's been happening to me for 12 years now.
For 10 years i've just been watching TH-cam everyday, all day.
Don't let it prolong, follow his advice. You don't want to be where am i currently.
@@Wüstenfuchs12209 I can memorize whole engineering topics for exams in a night so it’s not that I can’t pick up information or study. I think my brain just throws out a lot of information in my head that it thinks is useless or that I don’t care about in order to cope with the fact that I am stressed all the time. The fact that I can and do memorize course material in a night speaks to how little control I feel I have over my subconscious since I wait till the last minute study 100% of the time even though I don’t want to. I’m still losing my items everyday 5 months after the initial comment. It drives me absolutely nuts that I have spend time everyday looking for things that I carry with me everyday. One day it’s my AirPods, the next it’s my wallet or something else. sometimes I’ll lose one and not bother looking for because it pisses me off so much that I’ll just not look for it for like a week until I find it in the most random spot that I don’t remember putting it in.
@@baazinews1027 I’m probably on like 7 years of doing that. Recently I’ve been bad like 20 hours a week.
I'm someone with a serious rejection problem over the years and let my brain rot with those negative thoughts. This video really helped me to understand my own situation, as I can directly relate to this content. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom.
It's comical that this sounds like such a twitter type of insult but it's actually very real.
Edit: just for clarification, no luckily i do not use twitter
LMFAO
I find this helpful and relatable so I guess it's just about perspective or it's because I don't use twitter at all
@@TJBlack3.5Yeah me neither. I didn't even think about it being an insult until this person pointed it out
And ironically Twitter is one of the very things you should completely avoid if you want to fix your brain rot.
The content is real but Dr k has packaged it and called it brain rot for clickbait
This guy is completely in my head lol. Not with video games over studying, but with [IMPORTANT THING I NEED TO DO] with [OTHER IMPORTANT THING I NEED TO DO]. That makes it harder to fight because I need to do all the things...
I wish things like this were held in 5th grade curriculums, and not taught egotistically. Taught from a loving and helpful perspective. Much love HealthyGamer, never seen your content but you earned a subscribe from me, great video.
Once again Dr. K puts out something to help with what I am feeling at the exact time I need it. It's almost like he knows his audience. There's no surprise that he is killing it on TH-cam because that is one of the big things you need to succeed on here.
Thank you Dr. K for this video, it came just in time for me, I've been trying to heal from brain rot, today I'm proud of myself because I managed to write an entire chapter all on my own, I managed to draw and conceptualize a few characters when I've been feeling afraid of picking up the pen for so long. I've been binge watching your videos, you're an amazing help ❤
Your channel helps my mental health more than any other advice channel. I love that you give immediately applicable actions. Thanks.
I really enjoyed the format of the video here. Explaining what the subject is in the beginning, elaborating and exploring. Then then returning at the ending to provide instructions on how to fix the subject. all educational videos should be like this. 10/10
This is me to a T. Recognizing a problem is the first step towards fixing it, and having greater specificity lends towards greater clarity towards the process. Thank you.
I can't describe how relatable it is and how helpful it is. Abstract as these problems may appear to our parents who haven't experienced none of this and simply cannot relate, brain rot, among other issues discussed on our channel are as real as it gets for some of us. Having them discussed so clearly is nothing short of a blessing. It's like stumbling upon the cure.
There is simply too little awareness about the impact modern technologies have on the human brain. Very undocumented and under researched. In some sense, dr. K is a pioneer. Maybe he should team up with some highly experienced clinical psychologists and discuss actual cases. This problem will not go away by itself
Thank you for this, truly!
I couldn't have discovered this video at a better time, since I'm just starting to apply for jobs again after a long hiatus wherein I thought I was too broken/inept/ADHD to have one. Thank you!
Careful about using mental health issues as an excuse to not move forward in life. Many incredibly successful people suffer from mental health issues as well they just dont allow it to dominate and control their lives
Really appreciate this video. Reminds me of some of my past therapy about Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). Good to have a refresher. Took some notes and fully intend to work with this reinforced information. Thanks, Dr. K!
I scour TH-cam for people like you. This was so enlightening and refreshing. You've got my subscription. Thank you.
It brings me comfort that other people are having this same sort of problem. I’ve been trying to find answers to a question I don’t even know. I remember growing so much as a person and being my senior year. I was logical, adapted very quickly, and grown to enjoy learning. Which was a great development when I was much younger. But half way though my senior year something happened. My awareness and perception felt impaired, as well as my focus. It felt like my vision narrowed as well. It’s been two years and I can tell I’m changing as a person. I’m trying to take small steps but I don’t even know how to fix this when I don’t know what it is. It’s getting tiring
i definitely feel like i have brain rot due to sleep deprivation. its like i can feel how many IQ points have leaked out through my ears every time i wake up...
i think it would be worth doing a video on the psychology of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination because i think its become more and more prevalent in the younger generations, especially since the COVID lockdowns
I think it's the other way around. You fall easily into sleep deprivation because of your brain rot.
@@sirphantoon6731 id say its a cycle of both... life circumstances caused it and the brain rot kept me in iukwim
@@sirphantoon6731 consult the literature
I think part of the cure could be finding something fulfilling to do for yourself. RBP is your attempts at taking your time back from societal demands, but usually it’s done via trying to get dopamine from superficial sources like internet videos or social media. It’s chasing feeling accomplished without accomplishing anything so you get the dopamine reward and no real sense of satisfaction. But if you have a personal goal or hobby and can set small milestones to meet each day, you’ll be able to go to bed either with the sense that you really did something for yourself or that you have something to look forward to the next day. I’ve personally RBPed less now that I’ve started a personal project to work on an hour or two each day.
Yea sleep is very important
Sometimes I find it hard to tell which of my limits are based on the ego and beliefs about myself, and which limits I genuinely have (due to my ADHD, Autism & Dyslexia) and need to account for when navigating daily life. This can be really annoying because I want to be able to push myself, but at the same time I don't want to burn out from overestimating my abilities.
I was just in this horrible spot and I deleted tiktok and then I cleaned my whole house and called my insurance company etc. this is so real.
This comment is a written contract from me that I am going to start introducing more healthy habits into my life.
its been 3 months do ya got healthy habits yet?
@@PolishBehemoth Nah, I’m still working on it tbh. Thank you for the comment though, it is yet another motivation to not give up
God , i am taking therapy and medicines since 2 years , but this is what exactly happens with me, glad to come across your channel... i compare myself everytime i be with my friends and do team work, and this keeps me in pressure everytime and do over work , sleepless night just to prove that i am better than other but eventually i end up performing less due to lack of planning and strategy , may be i don't give time or space to plan before taking action, i always be in hurrgy that i am faster than others , seeking for appreciation and a little negative word makes me burdened and stressful rest of the time and i try hard to make it prove wrong without realising why the person said. Thank you again !
Great to have videos about so many relatable topics! This channel is such a gem
I often see people saying "I am x therefore I have a hard time/can't do y" when people that can do y often dedicate a lot of time and effort into doing so. In reality, the more productive mindset is to just do attempts and like you say, your actions determine who you are. There is no reason to lock yourself into a certain description and stick with it. Different people will have harder or easier times with approaching or learning the same thing, but don't dismiss anything completely unless you properly gave it time and effort
So helpful! Been struggling to write some early slice-of-life chapters because like torgue from Borderlands practically one level of the food pyramid of my media diet is comprised of explosions. The thought of a cave in the Himalayas sounded like a nice experience for a half an hour, you really sold me on it, even though Retreats are something I can't imagine ever doing. As one of those spiritual folks who epic fails at any kind of regular meditation practice I found your advice here helpful and consistent with my experience, since sometimes just those little decisions to Search TH-cam for "higher frequency music" or "Elder Scrolls Oblivion Town music" as Ambiance instead of MOAR constant input of geopolitics, history TH-camrs, or video games is like the small Domino that knocks over a slightly larger Domino, and the Ambience of contemplative piece slowly snowballs into something useful
When he said instead of watching videogames related content, instead listen to music the first thing I thought is how I listen to twilight princess relaxing music to chill 😂, wonder if that’s still feeding the addiction.
A small step towards betterment I guess, glad to see I’m not the only one.
Edit: grammar :v
Were you high when you wrote that comment? Neutral question.
There must be a less negative word than "brain rot" for this. Rotting is extremely destructive for the affected matter, but in this case the matter is still there and can be re-trained with different thoughts.
Atrophy, like muscle atrophy.
@@matthewmckenzie1404 yeah, that more succinctly gets the idea across too
@@matthewmckenzie1404 I love that term!!!
Brain rust?
E: rust is something that can usually be reversed and isnt as negative, I think.
Brain fog? I heard some other people saying this in the comments.
I'm starting to do tiny things to encourage myself that I can complete things. I have mild adhd, my husband's is way worse, but I have a hobby graveyard and he doesn't. I've had this giant basket full of yarn taunting me from the corner for months now. The other day we were talking to somebody who made a comment about their loved one collecting needlework yarn, but not actually doing needlework. In the moment I laughed it off and joked about being the same, but after a bit it started to bother me. All of these unfinished hobbies made me feel like I can't actually complete anything worthwhile. The other day I sat down and played a couple of your videos while I handknit a pillowcase. I just keep thinking about it and it encourages me to keep trying and to complete things. I'm realizing I need to snowball (start out small to build my confidence) complete these small tasks to convince myself that I can be successful. As someone who's struggled with depression my entire life, this has helped me so much with my confidence.
this is so beautiful
This is my story of brain rot in detail for anyone who's going through it now, hope it helps.
I was an average student in school, my brain was working properly as far as I remember, then hit an year of illness after that I wasn't able to keep up with the rest and sort of just gave up, for about 2-3 years I didn't use my brain at all for anything productive but when reality finally hit and I overcame my denial somehow, I decide to use it again and forget about how everyone was ahead of me already, but I couldn't, I literally couldn't use my brain to even look at a book for more than 3-4 minutes straight and that too if I tried to recall after some time it'd be gone completely like I haven't even read it at all, that worried me and led me to think that my cognition is just gone and that there's no way back and gave up again until reality struck yet again and I failed all my exams and was one of a few in my class to do so, it was embarrassing, the guys who were supposedly worse than me scored much much better than me... And this is when I decided to change my life, not by studying because I'd already given up on that, but by committing to become healthier so atleast I could enjoy the non intellectual part of life, date girls etc. I quit smoking cold turkey and started running everyday, it was overwhelming at first but slowly I got into the rythm, after one month of that I started eating good food and cut out all the crap I used to eat, I quit youtube Instagram snapchat Facebook every single social media platform, limited drinking to once a month... Now obviously I started seeing the difference physically but little did I know that was what would finally help me cure my brain rot as well, one fine day I came back from my running session and had no smoking or eating to do, so I decided to sit on my desk and open a book but without any expectations as I had already given up, I started reading except only this time I was able to go through a whole page of the book and kinda understood what was written, I closed it and decided to just sit on my bed, an hour later I wondered if I remembered anything, so I just tried to remember what I had read and to my sheer surprise I remembered every single thing, like every single word I had read, not only just that but I had this photograph of that page clear as day in my brain, that was a revelation really, now that I got some leeway I decided to build on it and in about a year I was studying 3-4 hours a day, It was like a wild fantasy I had coming to life. I don't know what it was be it quitting smoking or social media or junk food, I have no idea... But it was definitely one of those things so maybe if you're reading this you can narrow it down further.
Or maybe the impulse to change your life was just an indication of some idiosyncratic deeper problem resolving itself?
Okay Saitama
Wonders happen when you shop exclusively at Big W
That’s awesome dude! Inspiring :)
I ain’t reading all that
I've moved back to living with my parents at the start of the pandemic and we've all been working very hard to restructure my life and shift my priorities towards self-care and healthy daily routine. After several years of hard work (I've had a lot to heal), the brain rot is slowly going away. There isn't any shortcut: you need healthy brainfood for a healthy brain.
I'm finally able to decide how to react to situations instead of being controlled by my emotions and only realizing too late what is happening.
The best part is that I thought I could never achieve it. And I did.
And so can you.
this fills me with hope, thank you.
how did they help you? my parents go out of their way to help me, but i trust them more than myself because I have little to no intuition.
and did you have to fake it till you "made it?"
@emclouds It's a lot of little things that are compounded. Understanding more about myself and why I'm this way, treating depression with more exposure to sunlight, sticking to a daily routine with fixed meal time, sensible bedtime and wake-up alarm, etc.
And yes, I had to push through the difficult parts until they became easier. I know that's a dangerous mindset to apply to bad advice, but when it comes to self-care, sticking to things that are generally accepted as good should be fine.
I'm going to have to watch this a few times to fully get what you're saying because I'm about honestly 12 years deep into brain rot. So I'm the simplest way I can say this
Thank you I needed this
This is amazing, Dr. K. I was reflecting on the teasing I received as a teenager at being unable to find a girlfriend and I concluded it wasn't to be taken to heart. Instead, it was a mental assault to be defended against. Basically, you keep the core of your mind untouchable and you do your best to protect and reinforce it. The latter is done through hard things like exercise or starting a business, for example.
Ive never felt so called out before, thank you for this
Netizen right here helping many generations for people. Thanks for a awesome video
Dr. K I just want to say thank you. Thank you for caring about people so much so that you share your expertise, knowledge, and valuable insight to help us be better. This video perfectly summarized and articulated something I’ve been struggling with for almost a decade. I finally understand what’s been plaguing me and now have a path forward to stop the cycle and start living my life again.
That's why he does it for free, I guess?
Oh, and you gave him superchat money and he has coaching that very few people can afford and he sells guides and they aren't going to guarantee results and in fact, he really doesn't care as long as it makes him money.
@@Freakazoid12345No guide by itself can guarantee results. It takes the person reading it to make the change.
And also, why can't he make money from creating these videos? And from coaching (which is usually expensive wherever you go, let alone from someone with such high demand). Him monetizing this video doesn't change the fact that it's helped so many people. It doesn't suddenly make the advice less useful.
@@watermelon1835 ok, but there's nothing to indicate he actually cares about anybody.
So why do you go with that but then attack me for pointing out the fact that he makes money off of this?
That's a little weird and disconnected from reality.
I needed this video so much man, thanks.
What got to me was specially that part about forming beliefs about oneself, and then not trying anything that goes against that belief, I have so many of those...
I REALLY NEEDED TO SEE THIS VIDEO TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Was feeling helpless and have been on this spiral for close to two decades now. I like that you give a possible solution, soon as i finished this video got the energy to at least get up and get out there 🙏🏽. THANK YOU.
I'm going thru something similar, I have a 'lack of motivation' to do my academic work, screentime is horrendous, Sleep schedule is fucced, I don't have much of a firm stance on my work and my goals and what scares me is that the feeling isn't as impactful is it should be, and I have bad habit of panicking last minute, losing most I've just learned all in one week.
I’ve never thought of combating negative ego like this before
Are you telling me 15 hrs a day of youtube isn't good?
You okay?
How are you even alive
i'm afraid i'm gonna pass 24 hrs a day
The thing is that you shouldn't even have that much of a screen time in total .
@@jes6060 You can find the most beautiful sounds here for studying, cleaning, gardening, cooking, etc.
Usually I'll have brain fog when I've spent a lot of time on watching screens for too long without physically doing anything, like chores or drawing. Occasionally, I'll be completely fine for the whole day, and then when I go to work in the evening, I struggle to talk with people at work. I wonder if this relates to today's topic at all....
I feel the same exact way you feel. I think it because scrolling the whole day gives us such a huge jolt of dopamine that everything else doesn't compare. People seem boring because after staring at a screen for hours gives us the maximum dopamine we can take. For example, it's like thrill seekers who climb Mt. Everest and feel like they conquored the world and after they get bored of everything. Why? They did the most intense thing on the planet and now they feel like their is nothing left to do. This falls back into people like us, looking at screens for a long time gives us that instant gratification that nothing else can give. To get that same amount of gratification with people you have to converse with them for a few minutes which our brains think that is too long to get rewarded.
Yup.
Spending too much time in the HealthyGamer discord watching the discord mods ban people who report pedos.
I had to delete TikTok and start removing other more dopamine hitting apps or items. If you have adhd, dopamine hits in frequent enough but not too frequent short burst more or less destroy your ability to find motivation or do things. The more distractions you can remove that are fine, but not good investments of time, the easiest to get things done. It can become moderately crippling otherwise because of the screen time dopamine.
lol, they removed my comment.
HealthyGamer does have a history of defending child abusers...
@@Freakazoid12345 can you elaborate?
Barely into the vid, but can relate. Struggled to find a job after school and I started feeling like my brain just got rusty af after two years of nothing. Constantly distracted. Job hunting didn’t work. Many rejections. Took some breaks between applying, but it was tiring having to manage myself so much. I tried to keep writing and crafting, joined some game groups, but it wasn’t enough. Started turtling up a few times, but I kept trying. Even so, very tired now.
I got a biking training machine and am trying to get active again with volunteer work and counseling, so maybe my brain rot will go away with increased easy access exercise and human interaction while continuing the job search, but for a temp job this time.
Even the ones that said "congrats on your position in advance" and seemed desperate to hire me didn't call. Job searching is brutal and it's literally desert levels empty and I was the n1 graduate from college. The rest were only hiring women. 2.2gpa girls who spent their years sleeping around and partying in college gets 5 very amazing jobs with requirements she doesn't have while guys in my class do basic delivery crap. Bullshit world lmao.
I thank God that i Found your channel 😇🙏
I LET MY STATEMENTS? THOUGHTS DETERMINE MY FUTURE!!!! But my actions really define it! I can be in action DESPITE my thoughts!! What a powerful thought.
The ahamkara bit resonated deeply with it. I grew up being told that I'm lazy by my immediate surroundings. At some point, I accepted it and blamed all my passiveness on "I'm lazy so I can't help it". I live reactively, doing bare minimum to pass my courses in college. What is worse is that I get pretty good grades with little to no effort so I don't even see the point of working hard on academics.
I'm a CS undergrad so I wanted to learn skills like Game Dev or Emulation. But I found it too daunting to start, because I was scared of failing. And when I did start something on my side, I gave up pretty quickly, once I encountered a minor failure and blamed it on my "laziness". I know I can do something reasonably well if I put my mind into it, at the same time I've believed that I can never put my mind into doing something. This contradictory perception of myself has made me go along with the flow, like a boat without rudders going along the currents in an endless, ever branching river of life.
I don't know if I can change after watching this video, but believe me when I say that you've given me hope. Now I have a weapon to cut down my brain's "I'm lazy, so I can't do this" or "I can never work hard" arguments. Thank you very much for providing me a rudder, now it is my turn to fix it on my boat and use it to decide my own route.
The great thing about the thing you want to do (game dev) is that failure is pretty much a given if you want to learn faster and see what works/ what doesn't/ what cool mechanics ideas might spring up from happy little accidents.
Ive been applying for jobs for literally 2+ years now. Never SERIOUSLY thought about what I've been thinking about it myself, never looked away before hitting apply, just pure autonomous job applying. I RECOGNIZE there's 1000+ applicants for this position, but I look multi perspectively with each apply and store it for the next apply button. Thankfully I'm at a stage at 22 where I'm balancing my jobs and university, not knowing if I am still thinking or suffering with brain rot. I just do what I think is good AT THAT MOMENT and am fearful that's how it will go on, but I know it leads to eventual progress down the road. Hope you read this far, still havent added details about brain rot during the job hunting proces, that is if I'm a recciver of this condition or just going through normal ups and downs in mental thought biom.
Thank you for helping me colonize my mind with probiotic ideas. This inspired me to spend 5 minutes before work with my eyes closed only allowing thoughts about work.
In 2017 I was LOCKED IN like I've never been in my life before or since. I always attributed it to, at least partially, the way I changed the content I was consuming. I started following all kinds of motivational pages on social media, and I blocked pages that brought the opposite whenever I saw it. This kind of confirms that thought process I had. I need to get back to it. Thanks for this!
The rejection part is very true. I only recently started fixing the things wrong in my mind and you really helped me understand it better. I appreciate you.
I believe using the name "Brain Rot" is very unfortunate. "Brain Rust" you mentioned seems much more valid and approriate. Rot is rarely something you can reverse. I'd even consider naming it Brain Stall.
Agree w u 100%
sadly it is more like rot than rust. Its not a comfortale truth, but its true nonetheless. Your actions have permanent effects.
I think I needed to see something like this years ago, when my own life started to increase in difficulty level.
The difficulty increase wasn't rooted in leveling up, or expanding into unfamiliar fields. It was due to giving in to complete strangers and people I had thought were friends placing their own short comings on me, saying I couldn't do half the things I could. And that I shouldn't even try anything new, because I would fail. COVID enforced isolation was one of the best things to happen for me, because it cut a lot of those people out of my life. Which I realize is a horrible thing to say ^^;
I'm finally breaking away from playing video games and doing nothing else, because that was the only thing I felt I was allowed to do. And I am beginning to create, and expand my skillset again. And while there have been times I've faltered, where I have given into the "don't bother, you'll fail" mentality... It still helps getting the reminder, that a mind will rust with disuse. So thank you for that.
I came to this realization when I stayed up late one night to watch some ''special event'' on Twitch, only to wake up late the next day and feel bad about myself. That's when I realized the livestream I watched the previous night on Twitch has no meaningful impact on my life whatsoever, and it wasn't even that entertaining. I stayed up late for NOTHING, the more I think about it the more I realize I've been doing stuff like this way too often in my life.
Wow, at 23 minutes you really hit the nail on the head. It’s so relieving to hear someone so clearly explain what my life has been like for the past year I have not been working. I have not been doing anything because my brain has conclusion that I will be too tired, and that the experiences will not be worth it so rather, I have just been sitting in my house “”rotting and feeling incredibly incapable of being able to have the energy to find a job and find that I actually like somewhat. I just started this week on ADHD meds and have not felt a significant change in my perception yet.
This might be the single best “self-help” video I’ve ever seen. It so perfectly explains the conundrum that so many people find themselves in. If everyone could learn to be less reactive, I really think many of the problems we face as a society would either disappear completely, or become much less severe. Thank you for this amazing video! Very info dense but easily digestible.
bro even climate change will change in a massive way, imagine the people just simply not being as eco harmaitve
As a fighting game player there's a lot to be taken away from this. Back when i started i had negative thoughts towards my opponent all the time, for spamming moves, playing "cheap" yatta yatta. Learning not to give in to this crap, not getting angry when i lose and instead even appreciating my opponents skill and focussing on the next interaction not only helped me to enjoy the game more, but also helps playing better and focus on what is actually important.
Well said, as a Melee player I know what you mean
I don't play fighting games anymore, but here's the secret. Go on TH-cam check gameplays and guides for characters u might be interested in. Pick 1 or 2 characters with in depth guides that you like. Stick to them, just learn about how to counter other characters with your character. Done, you'll be bullying other players in no time
I can do it 💪
I've already started to get into some projects, which i've deemed impossible a few years ago. Definitely helps understanding these things. Finding this channel was definitely one of the best things in my life, as it has changed me more than anything else before that^^
Who you are (in other people's eyes) is determined by your actions, the actual you is your intention underneath
This hit so close to home I thought you were going to address me by name. Brain rot is a powerful thing caused by all kinds of circumstances, and we need to help people out of it instead of belittling them as losers who are lazy.
Trying to overcome those thoughts is very exhausting as well so then when you finally overcome it, you've got no energy to do it.
For some reason the term brain rot has been in my mind for the past few days so this video has perfect timing!
I guess you could say Brain Rot colonized your brain for the past few days.
Same it's scary
Check Google trends and it’s a relatively popular term being searched for. Not entirely surprising they would work on a video for it
@@chickentendies5144 No wonder why videos pop up at the right time, people like me search up shit on how to fix their problems that happen to exact same problem I have lol.I just thought the internet was scary asf
We are slaves of the algorithm
Yeah the job thing is a little out of touch, especially for people who dont have higher education. I've been at the same job for 6m, with over 100 applications trying to get back into my field and not a single response, and I'm lucky. I have friends who are still out of work, or working fast food and have literal hundreds of applications. That is NOT a filtering issue, that is a major societal problem.
He didn't describe someone who applied to hundreds of jobs before giving up though. He described someone who would collapse for months after individual rejections because their mind can't handle each rejection. A person like that would have struggled to find a job even in the most forgiving market, but as you said, right now is not forgiving at all. A person in that kind of debilitated mental state is screwed AND they are constantly blaming themselves for what is really an external problem.
I feel like the part of brainrot where you compare yourself a lot is defence/coping mechanism. Towards facing too much rejection and/or hostility too often. Just us trying to find control where we feel there isn't.
Like, perhaps you've been romantically rejected a string of times. It is rational to understand that there was just not this connection and it isn't anyone's fault that the feelings are not reciprocated. But it is still hard to wonder "what is wrong with me? What makes me so undateable?" It is hard not to internalize it. Then we begin to compare ourselves and begin to resent people, as it is easy to do in the digital age. Then the random stray bullets start flying. Same with Job rejections.
An example with coping with hostility, is perhaps getting tired of generalizing statements of your demographic. It isn't who you are, but it sucks to be reduced to the worst examples of a of your demographic. It is unfair to you and the group itself. Also it is out of our control. So we start focusing outwardly to avoid or confront it. But it lives rent free in our heads. Which is something we have a right to feel like it invaded our minds. We rather spend our time thinking of more productive or creatively fun things. We want to feel comfortable in our own minds and identity. But we had to create this habit of mind to externally keep an eye on the hostility of being othered or demonized.
Your example regarding coping with hostility hits hard. I suffered through that for 5 years in university in a quite toxic setting. I never learned any tools regarding meeting hostility other than ignoring it and hoping it went away. But it didn't go away. These people kept having such conversations for 5 years straight and eventually it trickled deep into my spirit and poisoned me.
It's been 8 years and I still don't really feel like I've recovered from it. This video helps, but it really feels like I got handed a big debt check that will take forever to pay off.
This... did explain why my life kinda went down the drain in the last few years. I didnt knew this was my issue. Now that the awareness for it exists, its time to put it to the test and unclog my brain.
Thank you for this, i really, really needed this.
Eliminating social media made me feel so isolated and a bit depressed, but it goes to show the pursuit of happiness and self development comes at a cost. The truth about people and who they really are. It makes you question the connections you had with these people when they never make the first contact, I always was the first to contact, this taught me a valuable lesson that social media is just fake and useless, I feel a lot better not using reddit or facebook, I became cynical without even realising, that's the real brain rot.