Forget desk naps or coffee breaks—Gen Z has found a new way to unplug from workplace chaos: it’s called bathroom camping. This viral trend, popular on TikTok, sees young people transforming the office or home restroom into a personal sanctuary, sometimes for hours at a time.
Instead of answering emails or mingling at a party, overwhelmed young adults are locking themselves in stalls to scroll TikTok, blast music, or simply sit in silence. The movement’s motto? No one can bother you in the bathroom.
TikTokers proudly confess to “camping” in the loo as a makeshift mental health break. One Chicago user, @Hendo, claims he’s been doing it for 20 years. “There’s nothing going on in the bathroom—no windows, just me and me,” he says in a clip with over 135,000 views. Others agree, calling it a “safe space” for social anxiety, overstimulation, or escaping family chaos.
But not everyone finds this trend so relaxing. Critics argue that bathroom campers clog up precious stalls when people with actual physical needs—like small bladders or IBS—are left dancing outside the door.
Psychologists see another layer here: the bathroom-as-bunker habit can sometimes point to deeper struggles. Sitting in the shower or camping on the toilet for hours may signal anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma, experts say.
Like “raw dogging” a flight (staring into space for hours without distractions), bathroom camping is half quirky self-care, half silent scream for help. So, next time you knock and wait, remember: behind that locked door might be someone scrolling, singing, or quietly falling apart.
