Gen Z trend bathroom camping: Is it self-care or burnout?

Gen Z’s not heading to cafés to unwind anymore... they’re heading straight to the bathroom. No, not for what bathrooms are technically meant for. They’re not rushing in to use the washroom, but to escape. To breathe. To scroll. To sit on the closed lid of a toilet and pretend the world outside doesn’t exist — a new trend lovingly dubbed ‘bathroom camping.’

What is ‘bathroom camping’?

Bathroom camping is about locking yourself in the bathroom for an extended mental reset. It’s a solo retreat behind a closed door — no roommates, no bosses, no notifications screaming for attention. It’s a pause button for the overstimulated brain.

This quirky trend was born, unsurprisingly, on TikTok. Videos of young people filming their low-key escape sessions sitting on tiled floors, lights dimmed, music playing, snacks in hand started going viral. The bathroom, it turns out, is one of the only places in a house where no one questions your need for space. That 15-minute break could be for a shower… or a silent existential crisis. Who’s to know?

Instagram soon caught up. “Bathroom camping” is now a meme, a mood, a lifestyle. You’ll find reels of people curled up on their bathmats, clutching emotional support water bottles and whispering about how this is the only place they don’t feel watched, judged, or overwhelmed.

Why is this trend everywhere?

For many, it’s therapeutic. The bathroom becomes a sensory cocoon — a space with muffled sounds, harsh lights, and no expectation to be social. There’s no one asking for updates, no emails chiming in, and no pressure to look presentable. It's a socially accepted “off” switch. Even the act of locking the door signals a boundary. A rare, respected one.

However, not everyone is happy with this trend. Mental health experts are raising their brows. While bathroom camping may offer momentary relief, it could also point to something deeper about chronic stress, social anxiety, or emotional burnout. In some cases, it's not a casual break but a retreat into isolation. A place to hide, not heal.

And that's where the line gets blurry. Is this a healthy coping mechanism? Or just a socially acceptable way to disassociate? The truth is, it’s probably a bit of both. Like doom-scrolling or stress-eating, bathroom camping can be a harmless pause or a red flag, depending on how often and why you're doing it.