Bizarre ‘rawdogging’ flight trend in which travellers ignore all forms of entertainment on their plane journey branded ‘psychopathic’ by sceptical onlookers – but psychologists point to MAJOR health benefits

Social media users are baffled after a new travel trend – known as ‘rawdogging’ – has emerged.

The practice, also known as ‘barebacking’, explains a gruelling way to spend a flight, shunning all forms of entertainment except for the basic maps or flight data.

Some participants have taken it to greater extremes, forgoing food and drink for the entire journey, regardless of how long it is.

TikTok users have wowed viewers as they shared their own experiences with the craze, often recording themselves looking ahead with a blank expression.

The movement has quickly sparked concern, with people perplexed as to why people have chosen to spend their journey without consuming entertainment and, with one claiming it’s ‘psychopathic’ behaviour.

The trend has encouraged people from across the globe to spend the duration of a flight alone with their thoughts.

Rapper ArrDee from Brighton took to TikTok to share footage of himself ‘rawdogging’ an eight-hour flight.

He explained in the video: ‘Just rawdogged an eight-hour flight, no music, no food, just instructions’.

Elsewhere, British DJ and producer @oiwudini said he set a new personal best on a flight by ‘rawdogging’ for seven hours with ‘no headphones, no movie, no water, nothing.’

He concluded in the clip, which received over 13 million views: ‘Incredible. The power of my mind knows no bounds.’

While the trend is appealing for some, others have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to express concerns.

One claimed it was ‘psychopath behaviour’. They explained: ‘People who rawdog transit of any form are so scary.

‘What do you mean you’re on the subway with no noise cancelling headphones? A plane with no shows to watch? A car in silence? Psychopath behaviour.’

A British producer, who goes by @ojuwudini on TikTok, racked up over 13 million views on his clip about ‘rawdogging’

Another added: ‘People who raw dog flights are a special kind of human. Woman next to me isn’t using the tv. Isn’t reading. Isn’t napping. Isn’t looking at her phone. 

‘She’s just looking straight ahead. This is a 5-hour flight. I don’t know if I’m obsessed or terrified of her. Maybe both.’ 

‘I will never ‘raw dog’ a flight, that’s one trend I’m not with because…. why torture yourself like that for nothing,’ said another.

A fourth added: ‘It’s psychotic to be honest’. Another wrote: ‘That’s wild. There’s absolutely no way my ADHD would allow me to ever do that.’

While it might sound like a nightmare for many, Dr Sandi Mann, senior psychology lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, an expert in the science of boredom, wellbeing, and emotions, claimed there are benefits to the trend.

Talking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: ‘The new craze of ‘rawdogging’ flights might seem like a humorous and slightly bizarre trend. However, there are some real mental health benefits to gain from it.

‘When we give ourselves time away from our phones or other stimuli, we allow our minds to wander, and this can help to spark new ideas and creativity.

‘Having absolutely nothing to do or distract ourselves with causes us to experience low levels of stimulation.

‘The feeling of being under-stimulated, or bored as it is often called, can feel uncomfortable, and be something we try to avoid. When we force ourselves to sit in this state, our minds therefore begin to look inwards.’

The lecturer continued: ‘Our brains can provide the neural stimulation missing from the external environment. The firing of networks and connections, jumping from ideas to images to thoughts, becomes less conscious. We stop controlling where our brain is going. This allows us to see things in new ways, and draw on new ideas.

‘I once conducted an experiment at the University of Central Lancashire that involved taking people from the street and placing them in a room with no stimulation, such as music, phones or even anything to look at.

‘At first, the participants found the experience uncomfortable and they were itching to do something, but they eventually relaxed and found it calming.

While the trend has gained momentum in recent times, others claim it’s ‘wild’ and ‘psychopathic’ behaviour

‘Taking time to let our brains wander allows us to daydream – both processes are the catalyst for creativity. 

‘In this time, we come up with more creative ideas and different approaches to problem solving. It also provides us with much-needed downtime from the stresses of day-to-day life.’

Sandi explained that plane journeys are a good time to try out low-stimulation scenarios.

She noted: ‘A flight provides the perfect time for us to take a much-needed daydream break from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. 

‘Switching our phones to aeroplane mode removes the requirement to jump on any messages or notifications, so it’s a great excuse to put the screen away altogether and focus on our thoughts.

‘Whilst we might find it difficult at first to sit on a plane and do nothing, we will eventually start to relax. It requires some patience, but can be hugely beneficial.’

She added: ‘I’d actually recommend that we all set some regular time aside to let our minds wander, rather than just waiting for our next flight.

‘Slowness and quietness force us to experiment more, or try new ideas that we wouldn’t usually think of, and this leads to improved creativity. Hopefully this trend can inspire more of us to give it a go!’

However, a team of travel experts from the site Netflights have warned that the practice can also have many negative impacts.

‘Rawdogging’ on a long-haul flight may be great for building your mental strength, however, they said relaxation and sleep help curb jetlag.

Therefore, passengers ‘may feel worse’ after disembarking the flight if they have been sat for hours forcing themselves to stay awake.

They add: ‘Relaxing and sleeping on a flight can allow your body to rest and recover, minimizing the potential effects of jetlag.’

Passengers who are ‘rawdogging purists’ during their flight will have to say no to the snacks and meals.

Along with not getting your money’s worth, the experts say not eating can cause ‘fatigue and extreme tiredness’.

They recommend eating the meals or at least snacking on long-haul flights so ‘passengers feel energized when arriving at their destination’.

Passengers who decide to ‘rawdog’ on their flights tend to avoid drinking completely.

Travel experts have warned of the drawbacks of ‘rawdogging’ flights, including dehydration and exhaustion. Stock image used 

However, the travel pros warn that ‘flying can be dehydrating, which can result in headaches, dizziness and fatigue’.

Continuing on the topic, they said: ‘With low oxygen pressure on flights and a change in humidity levels, an increased amount of water evaporates from our skin and lungs when flying, so it becomes increasingly important to stay hydrated and consume liquids when flying.’

Drinking alcohol on flights also contributes to symptoms of dehydration, so experts advise opting for soft drinks over alcoholic beverages when flying.

Some ‘rawdoggers’ have said that doing nothing during their flight has benefitted them due to the ‘dopamine detox.’

However, the experts warn that it might ‘actually have the opposite effect and pose the risk of increasing stress.’

Explaining why doing nothing could raise stress levels, they said: ‘Passengers who decide to stare into space on a long-haul flight may experience increased stress because with nothing to do, they could start overthinking and this could spiral out of control.’