Experts warn of bed rotting in Volgograd
Seemingly ordinary laziness can signal stress, burnout, or a need for psychological support.
Youths aged 16–30 are increasingly complaining about “bed rotting” — a state in which a person can only lie in bed and endlessly scroll through a smartphone. Parents and employers call it laziness and Gen Z slackness, while doctors see clear signs of oncoming depression and burnout. According to experts, bed rotting is directly connected to a person’s mental and physiological state and will very quickly require medical and psychiatric intervention.
«Bed rotting — literally “rotting in bed”»
Prolonged screen scrolling and zoning out can occur in many places beyond the bedroom.
Not only did a 21-year-old V1.RU reader add the trendy word “bed rotting” to his vocabulary, he also sincerely came to believe he was afflicted by so serious an ailment, with a love of bed that has begun to take rather alarming forms. Asked whether he suffers from or enjoys bed rotting, the young man at first answered simply and tersely: «Not much fun».
— I’ll start with the fact that I recently learned that the problem I’ve called “chronic fatigue” all my life, and my boss has called laziness and sloppiness, apparently has another name. As far as I know, “bed” means bed and “rot” means to rot in English. So the word literally translates as “rotting in bed”, — the V1.RU reader said. — Every day, waking up in the morning or coming home in the evening, I start “to rot”. After work I have absolutely no desire to do anything. All thoughts and desires come down to “lie down, put on some movie, and fall asleep.” The same thing happens in the mornings. I can’t make myself get out of bed for a very long time, because I immediately grab my phone and start either scrolling feeds or setting alarms a little later. I think if I didn’t have at least some obligations to the outside world, I’d lie like that around the clock.
Clinical psychologist Anastasia Fedorova said that while the term is indeed new, it is already appearing among practicing doctors. In her view, bed rotting is an evolutionary offshoot of the notorious laziness and procrastination.
— This trend is being seen more and more often among young people under 30, — Anastasia Fedorova shared. — In my view as a clinical psychologist, this is more of a hyped-up, invented situation than a real psychological problem. Not long ago it was called something very simple — laziness. Then laziness sprouted an offshoot — procrastination. Now a new kind of lying in bed is emerging, dressed up with a fashionable word and presented as a psychological problem. There is nothing inherently disastrous about laziness. Anyone can deal with it themselves by simply pushing through it, or by finding an activity for which they truly want to get out of bed.
«Maybe “rotting in bed” really has causes?»
The body, through bed rotting, may warn a person about potential overload or danger.
A psychiatrist and psychotherapist, an assistant at the Department of Psychiatry, Narcology and Psychotherapy at Volgogradskiy gosudarstvennyy meditsinskiy universitet, Volgograd State Medical University (VolgGMU), and an expert with the project “FaktChek: Health Without Myths,” Tatyana Perekhodnova thinks somewhat differently. According to the psychiatrist, this is a real problem that, if it worsens, may require close attention from specialists.
— Bed rotting is a symptom of overload, not laziness. It can be a natural and short-term way for the brain to reboot, — says Tatyana Perekhodova. — However, if it turns into a permanent lifestyle, that is an alarming signal that requires attention to mental health.
In Tatyana Perekhodnova’s opinion, such a phenomenon can become an important signal of problems with both physical and psychological health.
— Bed rotting reflects an important psychological and physiological mechanism. At first glance it seems like just lazy lying around with a phone, — the expert explains. — But in essence we are seeing a form of passive self-regulation, close to the body’s defensive response.
At the same time, according to Tatyana Perekhodnova, medically bed rotting is not a psychiatric diagnosis and does not indicate a disease.
— Most often it is the nervous system’s reaction to overload: a person is emotionally exhausted, in chronic stress or burnout. In such moments the body “switches off activity,” conserving energy and directing resources only to maintaining basic functions, — says the psychiatrist. — From a psychotherapeutic standpoint, bed rotting is not full-fledged rest. A person gets short-term relief but does not resolve the cause of stress. What operates here is the so‑called avoidance mechanism. Anxiety and inner pressure are muffled temporarily but not processed.
«“Rotting in bed” forces a person to merely cope with life»
Stress sources vary widely between individuals, requiring attention to personal triggers and circumstances.
Experts advise paying close attention to the emerging problem, because it can become a symptom of real mental illnesses.
— This state becomes the only way to “cope with life” and lasts for weeks. Motivation to work, study, or socialize disappears, mood declines, and sleep and appetite disorders appear. In such cases it may be a matter of depression or an anxiety disorder, and it is important to see a specialist, — the psychiatrist shared.
To get rid of obsessive “rotting in bed,” the psychiatrist advises following a few simple rules.
— The main thing is to perceive this state as a signal: I need self-care. It is worth following a few simple recommendations. For example, deliberately ration the time for “doing nothing” and turn it into structured rest — spend leisure time without gadgets, meditate, take warm baths, or go for walks. In addition, it is very important to work on the sources of stress themselves, not just its symptoms.
Meditation is one helpful tool for addressing bed rotting and restoring healthy rest routines.
