Frequent Binge-Watching May Affect Loneliness and Mental Health

• A recent study found that “binge-watching addiction” may be associated with loneliness.
• While “binge-watching addiction” is not a diagnosable disorder, addictive tendencies can arise when you experience physical or psychological harm from watching TV.
• Frequency of binge-watching and motives behind the behavior may offer insight into when it becomes problematic.

Binge-watching is a common practice that has become even more popular in recent years. This practice is defined as watching between two and six episodes of a series in one sitting.

While binge-watching in and of itself is not necessarily a problematic behavior, it may be associated with problematic viewing habits, as well as mental health issues and loneliness.

Addictive tendencies can arise when a person experiences physical or psychological harm as a result of watching TV, and they find it challenging to stop.

A recent study from Huangshan University in China was published in PLOS One. It examined how binge-watching behaviors may affect loneliness and how they may be used to cope with loneliness.

The researchers surveyed 551 adults who watched at least 3.5 hours of TV per day and viewed more than four episodes in one sitting per week.

Participants were asked to answer questions in order to assess addictive behaviors, motives for binge-watching, and loneliness.

Of the respondents, 61% (334) met the criteria for “binge-watching addiction.”

Among this group, higher levels of loneliness were associated with binge-watching. The group of respondents who did not meet the addiction criteria did not show this same association.

These results led the researchers to suggest that people experiencing “binge-watching addiction” may have distinct motivations and mindsets that those who watch a lot of TV without addiction do not have.

They found an association between both escapism and emotional enhancement motivations. This indicates that “binge-watching addiction” may be due to people engaging in both avoiding negative situations and seeking to boost positive emotions.

“Binge-watching would have a serious impact on our mental health because it limits us from engaging in a wide range of activities that are known to be healthy for our well-being,” Menije Boduryan-Turner, PsyD, licensed psychologist and founder of Embracing You Therapy, who was not involved in the study, told Healthline.

“Meaning, for wholesome self-care, one needs to engage in both physical and mental, emotional, and spiritual activities. To lead a balanced life, we need to enjoy physical movement to release stress, engage in self-reflection to process our emotions, and explore spiritual practices to provide a sense of grounding,” she said.

The study authors posit that people who experience higher levels of loneliness, are seeking emotional fulfillment, or are using binge-watching as an escape mechanism, may be more likely to experience “binge-watching addiction.”

This research only showed associations between “binge-watching addiction” and loneliness, however. Further research is needed to examine whether loneliness drives the behaviors.

“What’s counterintuitive about this study is that loneliness predicted binge-watching addiction, but had no relationship to non-problematic binge-watching. Someone enjoying a whole season in a weekend isn’t necessarily lonely. Someone who can’t stop despite wanting to? Loneliness is likely driving that behavior,” said Rod Mitchell, MC, MSc, registered psychologist, and founder of Emotions Therapy Calgary, who was not involved in the study.

The research only examined television series, and didn’t take into account problematic video streaming behaviors on platforms like YouTube or TikTok.

Still, the findings suggest that people may use an increase in media consumption to the point of addiction in order to cope with social disconnection.

“A vicious cycle can develop,” Mitchell said. “The more we invest in parasocial relationships with fictional characters, the less emotional energy remains for the messy, reciprocal real relationships that actually cure loneliness.”

A 2021 study found that problematic binge-watching was associated with increased social interaction anxiety, loneliness, and depression in adults.

The findings also suggest that the connection between problematic binge-watching behaviors (“binge-watching addiction”) and mental health issues may be linked to using it as an emotion-focused coping strategy.

“When we are binge-watching, we are neglecting and depriving ourselves of these other forms of activities our mind and body need, aka physical, spiritual, and volunteering, to name a few,” Boduryan-Turner told Healthline.

She said that a lack of these activities in these areas of our lives, people will see an increase in anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

This small study showed that both anxiety-depressive syndrome and the motivation to watch TV series are significant factors in the manifestation of problematic binge-watching behavior. Like the other studies, this one also linked problematic binge-watching to escapism and motivation to cope with loneliness.

“When binge-watching becomes compulsive, it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a broken bone. What looks like laziness is often a nervous system that’s found its only reliable source of comfort and is clinging to it for dear life,” Mitchell said.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines addiction as, “A state of psychological and/or physical dependence on the use of drugs or other substances, such as alcohol, or on activities or behaviors.”

Another common definition for addictive behavior is continuing to engage in behavior that may be self-destructive despite any adverse consequences.

However, some research states that the frequency of watching series on TV may not be a sufficient indicator for problematic behavior.

These researchers suggest that people consider the motivation for binge-watching as an additional indicator of problematic use.

For example, if a person perceives extensive TV series viewing as their only means to reduce stress or feel socially connected, they may continue to watch series excessively despite potential negative consequences.

If you suspect your binge-watching habits may be problematic, there are ways you can manage this behavior.

“As with any addictive behavior, it is important to view the addiction as the solution to the problem,” said Boduryan-Turner.

“Whatever the problem is, the person is trying to solve it by watching TV. Therefore, we want to slow down and identify what is going on for me before I turn to TV,” she continued.

Boduryan-Turner suggested asking yourself a few questions:

• What am I feeling or thinking?
• At what times of the day do I watch TV a lot?
• Am I avoiding something or someone?

Mitchell added that that it’s important to address any underlying causes that may be contributing to your feelings of loneliness..

“This study found that escapism and emotional enhancement fully explained the connection between loneliness and addiction — meaning binge-watching is a symptom, not the disease,” he said.

• Turn off autoplay on your streaming platforms.
• Put physical distance between you and your device.
• Look for in-person ways that satisfy your craving for storytelling (i.e., organize watch parties or group chats during episodes).

Take the time to ask yourself whether you are choosing binge-watching as entertainment or if you are escaping in it to avoid something else.

If you feel that binge-watching is affecting your mental health, social health, or day-to-day life, you may want to speak with a mental health professional.