From TikTok to Hyde Park, Londoners are joining ‘scream clubs’ – a grassroots movement turning collective shouting into a new form of free therapy.
A new phenomenon is sweeping across London, as thousands of residents gather in the city’s parks to scream into the open air. What began as a viral social media trend has quickly evolved into a grassroots movement, offering a powerful and free form of collective therapy for a generation grappling with stress, anxiety, and the high barriers to traditional mental health care.
In parks from Hyde Park to Primrose Hill, Londoners are coming together for organised “scream clubs.” The concept is simple: a group of strangers meet, count to three, and let out a collective, cathartic scream. The events, popularised on TikTok after a video from Minneapolis went viral, are now being independently organised across the capital, drawing huge interest from a populace seeking new ways to cope with the pressures of modern city life.
One such event, held at the Huntress Fountain in Hyde Park, was organised by 23-year-old culinary management student Shania Barnes. She started the group to “release pent-up energy” from the “stresses of work, life and being a girl.” For her, it’s about more than just making noise.
“It’s not only a scream club, but also a social club,” she explained. “In a city like London, people are constantly stressed. It’s nice to be able to release your energy together.”
This sentiment was echoed at another event in Primrose Hill, organised by Mona Sharif. After posting about the idea on TikTok “as a bit of a joke,” she was stunned when a WhatsApp group for the event attracted over 1,000 people eager to take part. The turnout highlights a profound need for connection and release.
Participants describe the experience as unexpectedly liberating. “I realised I’ve never screamed at a loud volume in my whole life, so I wanted to see how that would feel,” said Ikhlas, a 20-year-old politics student who attended alone. “A few years ago, I would’ve never imagined I’d come by myself to a park and scream with strangers. It helps with social anxiety… That in itself is a kind of therapy.”
The movement is providing what some sociologists call a “third space” – a place for community and connection outside of home and work that doesn’t revolve around spending money or consuming alcohol. In a city known for its high cost of living, the appeal of a free, inclusive social gathering is undeniable.
“There aren’t many places for young people to go to meet others without feeling pressured to drink,” Barnes noted. “People really need that.”
The rise of scream clubs is also a stark commentary on the state of mental health services in the UK. With NHS waiting lists for therapy notoriously long and private treatment financially out of reach for many, these informal gatherings are filling a crucial gap.
“It’s really hard to see a therapist in the UK,” said 21-year-old master’s student Maliha Hussain. “Coming here and having some sort of stress relief, even if you’re not talking about your problems, works for people.”
The trend has even attracted older participants. Shania’s mother, Raswella Warburton, 55, attended to support her daughter and found herself joining in. “People of an older age might think screaming is quite silly,” she admitted. “But I actually felt a kind of unburdening.”
As the world continues to grapple with complex global issues, the simple act of screaming together has become a powerful symbol of shared frustration and a collective search for release. For the thousands of Londoners participating, it is a moment of catharsis, community, and a declaration that even in a bustling metropolis, they are not alone in their struggles.
While some local residents have expressed mild concern about the potential for noise, the overwhelming response has been one of support for a movement that is, for many, “like free therapy.”
Feature Image by Hannah Popowski from Unsplash
