What is the origin of the idiom "beat one's brains out" and when to use it?

The idiom "beat one's brains out" likely originated from the imagery of someone exerting a great deal of effort or working very hard, to the point of mental exhaustion. This phrase is used to describe a situation where someone is working extremely hard or trying their best to achieve something, often without success. It conveys the idea of putting in a lot of effort and energy into a task or problem but not necessarily getting the desired results.