Brain-damaged by short videos.

Spending hours scrolling through short videos has become a common habit. Experts suggest this can affect concentration and emotional regulation.

Spending hours scrolling through short videos has become a common habit. Photo: Naver .

Upon waking up in the morning, Cam Van (22 years old, Hanoi ) habitually reaches for her phone and opens TikTok . From videos that only last a few dozen seconds, she can scroll continuously for hours, while eating, studying, or before going to bed. On average, the student spends 5-7 hours a day on short-video platforms.

At a cafe in Hanoi, Duc Thang (32 years old) is also relaxing in a similar way. He sits for hours on end, not working, not talking to anyone, just constantly swiping on his screen.

"The more I watch, the more tired I feel, my mind goes blank, but every time I put my phone down for a while, I pick it up again," he said.

Such images are becoming increasingly common in modern life. Short videos permeate most of people's free time, from the moment they wake up until before they go to sleep.

"Brain rot"—a term once used as a form of self-deprecation on social media—is gradually being recognized as a serious mental health issue, reflecting the effects of excessive consumption of short, continuous streams of content in the digital age.

A brain addicted to novelty.

Speaking to Tri Thức - Znews, clinical psychology master Hoàng Quốc Lân, a member of the Vietnam Association of Psychotherapy, stated that "brain decay" is not an official mental illness or diagnosis.

According to experts, society doesn't use this term to describe intellectual decline, but rather to describe the feeling of gradually losing the ability to concentrate, think deeply, and be patient with time-consuming tasks. This is an experience that many people, especially young people, are facing.

From a psychological perspective, he argues that humanity is witnessing a clash between a brain that has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years and a rapidly changing technological environment that has emerged in just a few decades.

Short videos offer instant entertainment but can also impair concentration in many people. Photo: Smartcitiesworld.

The brain is naturally attracted to novelty, surprise, and emotional depth. Short videos are almost perfectly designed to exploit these characteristics.

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"Therefore, I don't think our brains are 'deteriorating.' What's happening is that the brain is learning a new mode of operation: getting used to fast speeds, getting used to constant stimulation, and becoming increasingly uncomfortable with slow experiences," said Master Lan.

Why do you only intend to watch for a few minutes but end up browsing for hours?

To explain the appeal of short videos, Mr. Lan likened browsing TikTok or Reels to standing in front of a banquet table with hundreds of dishes constantly being served.

Before the brain has a chance to "process" one thing, another appears. Each swipe of the screen is essentially a search for a reward. There are ordinary videos, but there are also funny, touching, or surprising ones. This unpredictable nature keeps the brain in a state of anticipation.

In behavioral psychology, this is considered one of the most powerful reinforcement mechanisms for a behavior.

"It makes it very difficult for people to stop because the brain keeps thinking that maybe just one more swipe will lead to something more interesting," the expert analyzed.

When this process is repeated for many hours each day over a long period, the brain gradually becomes accustomed to the high level of stimulation. When returning to reading, studying, or working, many people find these activities become "dull" compared to before.

It's not that they've lost their value, but rather that the attention system has been trained in a different way.

Delete and then reinstall.

Not only children, but many adults today also struggle to read an entire long article, follow along in a book, or maintain focus during meetings. According to Master's student Hoang Quoc Lan, short videos are not the only cause, but they are certainly a contributing factor.

Hoang Quoc Lan, a Master of Clinical Psychology and member of the Vietnam Association of Psychotherapy. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

"The brain tends to adapt to what we do regularly. Once we get used to processing information in a few dozen seconds, we easily lose patience with longer content," he said.

However, the line between entertainment and addiction isn't about the number of hours spent, but about the degree of loss of control. If someone repeatedly tries to reduce their viewing time but is unable to do so, or if video browsing begins to interfere with work, studies, sleep, or relationships, that's a sign that needs attention.

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Many people repeatedly delete and reinstall short video apps, with experts suggesting that what they're looking for isn't simply content, but a sense of well-being. After a stressful or tiring day, short videos provide almost instant emotional relief. When the app is deleted but the pressures of life remain, they are very likely to return.

"In other words, the challenge doesn't lie in deleting social media or short-video platforms, but in finding a healthier way to relax and regulate emotions," commented Master's student Hoang Quoc Lan.

Source: https://znews.vn/thoi-nao-vi-video-ngan-post1661988.html