Have you heard about the new trend called bed rotting? First seen on social media, it has now become popular outside of platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While some see it as necessary self-care, others warn it can be dangerous or signify a problem.
Renewal Oasis treats the types of mental health disorders that can lead a person to engage in bed rotting. We understand that often a person with depression and other mental illnesses feels the lure of staying in bed and avoiding daily activities, but too much of this can deepen the sense of sadness. Our skilled staff of therapists and other clinicians help people find other forms of self-care that address their emotional and physical exhaustion, depression, and other symptoms in a healthy way.
What is Bed Rotting?
Bed rotting is the act of staying in bed for long periods of time without the goal of sleeping. The person engages in passive activities such as reading, eating, watching television, or using their cell phones. People who bed rot do so while avoiding their daily responsibilities so they can concentrate on relaxing in bed and doing things that don’t require physical activity. This can last for one day or be extended to several days, depending on how stressed the person feels and how bed rotting improves their energy and mood.
Why Are People Bed Rotting?
The trend is particularly popular with Generation Z when they feel the need to decompress due to stress. The individual may even feel exhausted from social outings and want time to take an extended break to feel energetic again. Bed rotting may seem tempting after a singular stressful situation or a combination of events. A person may also decide to bed rot after feeling overwhelmed in general.
Common stressors that trigger a need to bed rot include:
- School schedule, tests, and homework
- Job responsibilities including long hours and low pay
- Personal life, such as family issues, a breakup with a partner, and a fight with a friend
- General worry about planning for the future and what it may hold
- Social engagements and pressure to participate in them
- Feeling overwhelmed by national news, politics, and world events
- Attempting to soothe feelings of depression, anxiety, and moodiness
When a person seeks comfort and familiarity with their bed, it can produce feelings that soothe them. It may remind them of being tucked in by a parent or being cared for while home sick. As teenagers or young adults, they feel a natural inclination to recreate that feeling by self-soothing by taking to their bed.
Benefits of Bed Rotting
Bed rotting can provide benefits that improve a person’s mental health. A day in bed without tending to regular responsibilities like work, school, or chores can give a person a much-needed break. Those who engage in bed rotting often report feeling a much-needed sense of calmness. The activity relieves mental stress and feeling physically tired. It can be like taking a sick day from work or school to recharge their brain and body.
Bed rotting can prove especially beneficial for someone who works a stressful job or is in the middle of a demanding school year. In addition, Generation Z, which includes people born from 1997-2012, often feel overwhelmed by their devices. Paying constant attention to text messages, keeping up with social media, and watching or listening to media streaming services can drain a person.
Problems that Can Occur Due to Bed Rotting
When done in short bursts and as self-care rather than avoidance of responsibilities, bed rotting can help people relax, overcome burnout, and hit the reset button on their emotions. The very term “rotting” implies a person wastes away over a period of time. While the argument can be made that bed rotting is a way to take care of yourself, it if goes on for too long or becomes a regular habit, it can cause problems.
Bed rotting can be an indicator of a mental health disorder. For example, someone might have depression or anxiety and try to relieve their symptoms by staying in bed for a long time. A person who bed rots one or two days a month and rebounds afterward is likely engaging in the habit wisely. However, when they stay in bed for days on end and make a regular habit of it, it can indicate something is wrong.
If the individual is trying to soothe symptoms of a mental illness, bed rotting can exacerbate their symptoms and stop them from seeking help. When this happens, it’s best to speak to a parent or, if the person is an adult, seek advice from a mental health counselor.
Contact Renewal Oasis
Are you experiencing symptoms like depression, anxiety, and a desire to hide away from the world? If bed rotting is your go-to response to life’s challenging situations and painful emotions, you may need professional help. Renewal Oasis provides thorough diagnoses for people with mental health disorders. If you have a disorder that requires treatment by mental health professionals, we can treat you on a residential or outpatient basis. Our caring and experienced staff helps people get to the root of their problems. They learn how to minimize or erase symptoms of mental illness. As a result, the individual feels more inclined to get out and enjoy life instead of spending more time bed rotting.
Contact us today to talk to a friendly admissions staff member about what drives you to seek out the safety of hiding out in bed. We can answer any questions about our programs and help you get enrolled quickly.
Published: 12/11/2024
