Binge Watching Netflix, Hulu, and DVDs is linked to depression and loneliness
A new study by researchers at the University of Texas found that the more lonely and depressed a person is, the likely he or she will sit through a marathon of their favorite TV show.
The study, titled “A Bad Habit For Your Health? An Exploration Of Psychological Factors For Binge-Watching Behavior,” asked 316 people ages 18-29 how often they watch TV; how often they had feelings of loneliness, depression and self-regulation deficiency; and how often they binge-watched TV. It found that people who are lonely or depressed were more inclined to binge watch, using the activity to move away from negative feelings.
“Even though some people argue that binge-watching is a harmless addiction, findings from our study suggest that binge-watching should no longer be viewed this way,” said Yoon Hi Sung, who conducted the study with Eun Yeon Kang and Wei-Na Lee. “Physical fatigue and problems such as obesity and other health problems are related to binge-watching, and they are a cause for concern.” [Deadline]
The study also pointed out that those who have a hard time to control themselves are more likely to binge-watch. These viewers were unable to stop clicking the next episode even when they were aware that they had other things to do .
“When binge-watching becomes rampant,” Sung said, “viewers may start to neglect their work and their relationships with others. Even though people know they should not, they have difficulty resisting the desire to watch episodes continuously.”
Just like a study on Facebook, the more people use technology the lonelier and more depressed we become.
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