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Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Gen Z, Mental Health, Travel
Jess Battison
Gen Z are at it again, apparently freaking people out with their weird little ways.
After last summer saw videos go viral as people tried out ‘rawdogging’ flights, it seems the lates trend is ‘barebacking’.
I know, I know, they both sound like it but I assure you neither of those have anything to do with not using a condom.
Barebacking is basically a cousin to rawdogging as it takes it underground and comes into play with young commuters’ travel preferences.
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Reportedly first coined by podcaster Curtis Morton, this ‘new’ trend means forgoing all tech and entertainment while on public transport. And while the thought of journeying to work without even a bit of music in my ears sounds like a nightmare, a psychologist has shared the ‘healthy’ benefits of barebacking.
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Danni Haig spoke to LADbible as she suggests the commuting trend is ‘actually a quiet rebellion against overstimulation’ and advises people trying it out.
“Gen Z have grown up in a world that’s constantly on, where every spare second is filled with scrolling, streaming, or swiping,” she says.
“Choosing to ditch the headphones and put the phone away isn’t about boredom, it’s about reclaiming attention and creating space to think.”
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And ‘psychologically’ the psychologist says this kind of ‘stripped-back travel can be surprisingly beneficial.'
“When we remove constant stimulation, we allow the nervous system to settle, which helps reduce anxiety and increase our ability to focus,” she adds.
“Stillness gives the brain room to breathe, boosting creativity, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.”
Danni also says barebacking is a ‘form of mindfulness’, so even if Gen Z don’t realise it, they’re training themselves ‘to sit with their thoughts, even when that feels uncomfortable.'
“That’s powerful in a world that encourages constant distraction,” she adds.
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So, while the actual name ‘barebacking’ might be a little odd, Danni says: “The trend itself shows a really healthy instinct: a desire to disconnect in order to feel more present, more resilient, and more in control.”
There is the slight side-effect though, that its apparently freaking people out.
That’s because when someone is barebacking, they’re also supposedly awkwardly staring at other people and making eye contact – and anyone on the morning commute knows the rules: head down, no communication.
But hey, if other people can’t deal with you innocently having a bit of mindfulness time on the way to work, that’s their problem.
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Probably don’t stare people out though, lads.