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‘Raw-dogging of flights’ is the newest craze to emerge among the youth, but doctors have now warned that it may result in thrombosis. Gen Z just can’t catch a break.

For those born before 1980, ‘raw-dogging’ has been re-purposed to describe a plane passenger sitting silently and staring ahead for hours on end instead of reading a book, watching a movie, or catching a few winks. For those born after 1980, thrombosis occurs when blood clots block your vessels from carrying blood to your heart.

As for the actual term ‘raw-dogging’, it might have more carnal origins, but increasingly it is used for anything being done without protection or support, such as sitting still and staring at someone’s bald spot for a few hours. Your friend with the camera will have to raw-dog on the way back, seeing as someone has to TikTok your dogging.

“Just raw-dogged a 7-hour flight” has become a popular hashtag to attract attention, with one raw-dogger’s recent video on TikTok already receiving over 14 million views. And there’s an endless stream of videos just like this, in which (mostly male) passengers spend hours mid-air abstaining from any in-flight entertainment – with some even refraining from eating or drinking anything.

@oiwudini 🧘🏻‍♂️ #fyp ♬ The Only Thing They Fear Is You – De8ed

It’s not clear what started the trend – or why the in-flight map is the one exception to screen-free time – but it seems like for these influence-hungry passengers, showing off their mental stamina is the aim of the game.

The only raw dogging I ever did was in the NG Kerk on Sunday mornings, squeezed in between my mother and heavily-hatted Ouma. But the trend is now so popular that even Manchester City soccer stars and rappers have joined in, posting videos of themselves staring intensely sans distractions on recent long-haul flights.

@footballjoe Erling Haaland raw dogs a 7 hour flight 🤣 #erlinghaaland #haaland #footballtiktok #premierleague ♬ original sound – •MÛŠÎX•

While ‘switching off’ for a few hours may actually have health benefits, both physical and mental, experts now say that, unlike your usual mindfulness exercises, raw-dogging is dangerous because people are doing it for a badge of honour online, instead of actually switching off.

It’s taking meditating to the extreme, and instead, the lack of stimuli, hydration, and nutrition can have the opposite effect and cause heightened stress levels, dizziness, negative thought patterns, and anxiety. Similar to a morning in the NG Kerk circa 1979.

Gin Lalli a psychotherapist specialist in anxiety, stress, and depression, and author of How to Empty Your Stress Bucket, says she would not recommend it “at all”.

“I really have no idea why anyone would do it. You’re better off sleeping than raw-dogging.”

Psychotherapists also warn that the extreme lack of stimulation could even cause disassociation or disembodiment – where one no longer feels connected with their own body.

“Especially on flights, movement is important, and complete lack of movement can come with risks of deep vein thrombosis.”

“A healthier approach would be to integrate periods of reflection with adequate hydration , nutrition and light entertainment.”

Whenever a new trend surfaces on TikTok, an expert crawls from a textbook to explain why it’s unhealthy. I doubt that a vague warning about thrombosis would deter people from raw dogging their flights, any more than getting thrashed with a Gideon bible stopped me from rolling peppermints between the pews.

[source:inkl]