Exposure Therapy in a Public Bathroom

In this episode of Breaking the Rules, we record from an unusual location — the bathroom floor of a public restroom — as we explore an increasingly popular social media trend: “clean girl culture.”

Across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the clean girl aesthetic promotes a polished, minimalist lifestyle — natural makeup, tidy wardrobes, “clean” eating, and curated routines that appear effortless and healthy.

But when does a healthy routine become rigidity, anxiety, or compulsive behavior?

In this conversation we unpack how trends like clean girl culture can blur the line between wellbeing and preoccupation, and how certain aspects of the aesthetic can overlap with OCD patterns, particularly around contamination, checking, perfectionism, and the need for control.

We also explore the broader question clinicians and individuals often face: how do we know when something has gone too far?

In this episode we discuss:

• What “clean girl culture” is and why it’s trending on social media
• The appeal of curated lifestyles and polished aesthetics
• When healthy habits start becoming rigid or anxiety-driven
• Parallels with orthorexia and other wellness trends
• How social media trends can reinforce perfectionism and control
• When checking, reassurance seeking, and contamination fears creep in
• How compulsive behaviours can sometimes hide behind socially rewarded habits
• The importance of flexibility, connection, and values when evaluating lifestyle choices
• Questions clinicians can ask when assessing whether a habit has become unhealthy

Ultimately, this episode isn’t about criticising trends — it’s about helping people reflect on the “why” behind their behaviours and recognizing when something that started as self-care begins to shrink a person’s life instead of expanding it.

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