We have more instantaneous access to media than ever before. At the touch of a button—or even a simple voice command—you can pull up your favorite movie or TV show anytime, anywhere. However, these advancements are also often paired with psychological effects on the human brain.
Many technological devices and programs have proven to be addictive, including TV. While plenty of people use television as means of entertainment or unwinding after a long day, others can be consumed by television in every waking moment. These people are classified as TV addicts.
Since television watching is so prolific, a gray area has developed for watchers who are not sure whether or not they are “addicted.” Especially during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, individuals have found themselves relying more and more on screens for entertainment.
The use of TV and streaming services surged during lockdowns and are only expected to grow. As television-watching increases, many people may have picked up addictive tendencies when it comes to TV and movie binge-watching.
When is binge-watching OK, and when does it become an addiction?
Request infoWhat is an Addiction?
According to Medical News Today, addiction is the “psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.”
From this definition, we understand a few things. For one, addiction is more than just a habit. Addiction renders its victims psychologically and physically unable to stop performing the addictive activity.
We also see that addiction extends beyond substances, meaning activities and actions can also be addictions—like binge-watching TV.
What is Binge-Watching?
Binge-watching, binge-viewing, or marathon-viewing are acts of watching content on TV or online for hours on end in one sitting. If you have stayed up all night to watch up to six episodes of your favorite show, then you have participated in binge-watching.
The bite-sized nature of television shows or other video content can also contribute to binge-watching tendencies. This can be connected to shortened attention spans among humans—the average attention duration is now less than eight seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish.
When Does Binge-Watching Become an Addiction?
According to the list of disorders found in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, binge-watching cannot officially be classified as an addiction. That said, it’s undeniable that there’s still a huge problem to be addressed here, as excessive TV viewership can have serious effects on the brain.
Addictive tendencies can arise when you experience psychological or physical harm as a result of watching TV and you still find it challenging to stop. In addition, if you are experiencing what is known as binge-watching depression (a down feeling that comes with binge-watching), then you are probably addicted to TV.
Effects of Television on The Brain
The effects of binge-watching on mental health are numerous. Some of them include:
- Reduced quality of sleep
- Increased risk for stroke and heart disease due to lack of physical activity
- Mental and physical effects such as depression, insomnia, and obesity
- Decline in verbal memory
How to Stop Binge-Watching
Try these tips to stop binge-watching and regain control of your TV viewing:
- Limit the time you spend watching TV. Try setting timers to keep yourself disciplined or set a certain day of the week that you watch a particular show.
- Use your favorite shows to reward yourself after you have completed a set task or necessary work.
- Delete streaming apps on your devices.
- Try apps such as TV time, moment, to limit the amount of time you spend on streaming sites every day. When that limit is reached, stop watching immediately.
If you are interested in studying more about addiction psychology and the steps that can be taken to deal with addiction, consider applying to The Chicago School’s B.A. in Psychology, Addiction Studies minor program.