Can Scrolling TikTok on the Toilet Cause Hemorrhoids? Doctors Say Yes

New Study Says Sitting on the Toilet for Too Long Can Increase Risk of Hemorrhoids – And TikTok Might Be the Reason

The Bathroom Has Become the New Living Room
In 2025, bathrooms are no longer purely functional spaces. With smartphones in hand, many people—especially younger generations—transform the toilet into a private sanctuary for scrolling, messaging, or binge-watching TikTok videos. While the convenience of social media at our fingertips has blurred the lines of where and when we consume content, a new study warns that this cultural shift may have an unintended consequence: a rising risk of hemorrhoids.

As physicians, we often counsel patients about diet, hydration, and exercise when addressing anorectal health. But increasingly, we also need to address behavioral changes linked to technology use—including how long patients spend seated on the toilet with their phones.

Hemorrhoids: A Refresher for Clinicians
Hemorrhoids are vascular cushions in the anal canal, composed of blood vessels, connective tissue, and smooth muscle. They become symptomatic when engorged, inflamed, or prolapsed. Symptoms include:

• Bright red rectal bleeding
  
  
• Anal pain or discomfort
  
  
• Pruritus ani (itching)
  
  
• Prolapse during defecation
  

Risk factors traditionally include chronic constipation, straining, pregnancy, low-fiber diet, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. Now, toilet sitting time is being recognized as a modifiable behavioral risk.

What the New Study Shows
The 2025 study, conducted across multiple gastroenterology clinics, evaluated toilet habits among 2,500 adults aged 18–45. The findings were striking:

• Average toilet sitting time increased from 5 minutes (2005) to 15–20 minutes (2025).
  
  
• 62% of participants admitted using their smartphones on the toilet, with TikTok the most frequently cited app.
  
  
• Symptomatic hemorrhoids were reported in 28% of frequent long-sitters, compared to only 11% in short-duration sitters.
  
  
• The relative risk of developing hemorrhoids increased by 70% in individuals spending more than 15 minutes per toilet session.
  

The conclusion: prolonged sitting, compounded by digital distractions, contributes to hemorrhoid development in otherwise healthy young adults.

Pathophysiology: Why Sitting Too Long Matters
Sitting on the toilet differs from sitting on a chair. The position, particularly in Western toilets, places the anal canal in a slightly flexed angle, increasing intra-abdominal and anorectal pressure.

1. Venous congestion – Gravity and straining promote pooling of blood in rectal venous plexuses.
   
   
2. Increased intra-abdominal pressure – Long sitting, even without straining, leads to subtle but sustained venous engorgement.
   
   
3. Mucosal prolapse risk – Prolonged downward pressure stretches supporting connective tissue.
   
   
4. Exacerbation of constipation – Longer stays may encourage unnecessary straining.
   

Over time, these factors weaken supportive structures, making hemorrhoids symptomatic.

TikTok and the “Scroll Syndrome”
TikTok deserves specific mention in this conversation. Unlike long-form media, TikTok delivers rapid, continuous, bite-sized content. This infinite-scroll model traps users in sessions far longer than intended.

• Attention capture – Dopamine-driven algorithms extend usage time.
  
  
• Bathroom sanctuary – Many users admit that the bathroom is their “private TikTok time.”
  
  
• Delayed defecation reflex – Users may remain seated even after completing bowel movement, simply to continue scrolling.
  

This cultural habit could be coined as “Scroll Syndrome”—the compulsion to stay seated longer than physiologically necessary, putting strain on the anorectal vasculature.

The Role of Other Digital Habits
While TikTok dominates the headlines, other platforms contribute:

• Reddit & forums – Long text threads encourage extended reading.
  
  
• YouTube Shorts & Instagram Reels – Similar short-form addictive loops.
  
  
• Mobile gaming – Puzzle or strategy games commonly played during bathroom breaks.
  

Together, these habits amplify sitting times well beyond physiologic necessity.

Clinical Implications
As physicians, we must adapt our history-taking and patient counseling. When evaluating hemorrhoid risk, it may be useful to ask:

• How long do you typically spend on the toilet?
  
  
• Do you use your phone in the bathroom? Which apps?
  
  
• Do you sit after finishing defecation just to scroll?
  

Patients may initially laugh at these questions, but normalizing the conversation can reveal overlooked risk factors.

Public Health Perspective
The burden of hemorrhoids is significant:

• Millions of outpatient visits annually.
  
  
• Frequent source of minor rectal bleeding (sometimes leading to unnecessary colonoscopies).
  
  
• Common cause of work absenteeism due to pain or discomfort.
  

Addressing digital behaviors could lower this burden, especially in young adults. A public health message around “toilet hygiene” may be as important as dietary fiber campaigns.

Prevention Strategies for the Digital Age

1. The 5-Minute Rule – Educate patients to limit toilet sitting time to under 5 minutes.
   
   
2. No Phones Policy – Encourage leaving phones outside the bathroom.
   
   
3. Optimize defecation mechanics – Consider footstools for a squatting-like posture.
   
   
4. Diet and hydration – Continue reinforcing fiber intake (25–30g daily) and fluid balance.
   
   
5. Physical activity – Reduces constipation, lowers venous congestion, and improves colonic transit.
   
   
6. Mindfulness substitution – Replace bathroom scrolling with designated “screen breaks” elsewhere.
   

TikTok’s Responsibility?
Social media companies face growing scrutiny for mental health effects. Could they also bear responsibility for gastrointestinal disease? While that sounds extreme, consider:

• TikTok usage is highly correlated with extended bathroom time.
  
  
• In-app reminders or health campaigns could help.
  
  
• Some companies already introduce “take a break” features for eye strain and posture—adding “toilet health” might not be far-fetched.
  

Research Gaps and Future Directions

• Longitudinal studies – To establish causal links between screen use and hemorrhoid incidence.
  
  
• Cultural differences – Squat toilets vs Western toilets may influence outcomes.
  
  
• Digital health interventions – Testing app-based reminders to reduce sitting times.
  
  
• Pediatric populations – With younger children increasingly using devices, will we see earlier onset hemorrhoids?
  

A Case for Humor in Clinical Counseling
Discussing hemorrhoids can embarrass patients. Framing the issue humorously—“TikTok is giving you hemorrhoids!”—may reduce stigma and increase compliance with advice. Doctors should feel empowered to use relatable, culturally relevant explanations.

The Doctor’s Role in 2025
Physicians should:

• Recognize prolonged toilet sitting as a real clinical risk factor.
  
  
• Counsel patients using tech-specific language (“limit scrolling sessions”).
  
  
• Advocate for digital wellness initiatives alongside traditional health campaigns.
  

The challenge is bridging medicine with cultural trends, ensuring our patients understand that even minor behaviors like toilet scrolling can have health consequences.