‘Bathroom camping’ trend is the new ‘raw dogging’ therapy at work
This puts the “rest” in “restroom.”
Taking bathroom breaks without actually using the bathroom might seem strange. However, beleaguered Gen Zers are increasingly sequestering themselves inside the lavatory to scroll social media, listen to music, and otherwise shut out the pressures of the outside world, as detailed in viral TikTok videos.
🎬 Get Free Netflix Logins
Claim your free working Netflix accounts for streaming in HD! Limited slots available for active users only.
- No subscription required
- Works on mobile, PC & smart TV
- Updated login details daily
Dubbed bathroom camping, this bizarre form of toilet therapy can be performed in both public or private restrooms and can last hours on end, the Daily Dot reported.
“Restroom camping gotta be (one of the top 5) investments I made when I was 9,” admitted TikTokker @callmenationyt in one clip.
“I’m a restroom camper,” declared TikTok user @Hendo in another viral clip with over 135,000 views. “Every time something gets overstimulating in my life, where I’m at a party or something or even when I’m at home and I feel overstimulated, let me go to the bathroom and let me refresh a little.”
The Chicago-based TikTokker, who claims he’s been restroom camping for 20 years, admitted that sometimes he’ll be in the bathroom for a “couple of hours literally just thinking about life.”
“There’s nothing going on in the bathroom,” he said. “There’s [sic] no windows to look at. It’s just straight — me and me — in that bathroom.”
He even urged people to start “investing in bathroom time” as not only is it an effective form of mental detox, but, as he points out, no one’s going to “bother you while you’re in the bathroom.”
This prompted TikTok commenters to cop to their lavatory-lounging ways. “I’m on the toilet just watching TikTok rn,” said one, while another wrote, “Go to the bathroom and either jam music or doom scroll.”
“Omg I thought it was just a weird thing I loved to do,” exclaimed a third. “My bathroom has always been my safe space and the first thing I check when moving to a new place for comfort.”
Some even resort to vaping or smoking in the stall, the Daily Dot reported.
The practice perhaps evokes the restroom equivalent of rawdogging, in which ascetic-minded travelers stare into space for an entire flight.
However, many criticized the practice, claiming it wasn’t fair to people who actually had to use the bathroom for a physical detox.
“I am a person with a small bladder and IBS, if you’re not using it and someone knocks, please let us have the room,” said one.
“Nah, the bathroom campers at work sitting in a stall not using it when I gotta go have to go,” critiqued another.
However, some TikTokkers claimed that they used the bathroom to cope with psychological issues ranging from social anxiety to PTSD.
One poster even claimed in another video that bathroom camping was a “trauma response.”
“It was the only room I ever felt safe in,” said one bathroom camper. “So so so so many panic attacks ridden out overnight.”
“I would use it all the time when my parents would fight and my dad would get drunk because my door doesn’t have a lock and I still will just sit in there for hours it’s kinda sad actually,” recalled another.
Coincidentally, some psychology experts claimed that sitting in the shower for extended periods could be a sign of mental health issues.
“In some cases, individuals struggling with depression may choose to sit in the shower for extended periods,” writes Cynthia Vinney, a media psychology expert, in an article for Psycle Health. “As a result, this behavior can be an indication of underlying mental health concerns.”
Let’s be honest—no matter how stressful the day gets, a good viral video can instantly lift your mood. Whether it’s a funny pet doing something silly, a heartwarming moment between strangers, or a wild dance challenge, viral videos are what keep the internet fun and alive.