It’s embarrassing to say just how many nights I stayed up till 7 o’clock in the morning binge-watching new shows that I found the night before. There’s something so addicting about finishing the plot of a show in such a short period. Before every episode begins, I tell myself it will be the last, but somehow, I find myself continuously pressing the “play next episode” button as if I am in a trance. So, why do I, and so many other people, partake in such destructive behavior? Well, the article “The Science Behind Why We Binge-Watch'' outlines the causes and effects of binge-watching. 

We binge watch shows because it provides an escape from reality and “makes us feel good” by “producing a continuous stream of dopamine in our brains.” This would explain why we binge trash shows; we are not enjoying the show itself, but the dopamine rush that it provides us with.

The article clearly states binge-watching is not inherently negative as it does aid in relaxation but becomes problematic when it is prioritized over other important activities regularly. Similarly to other behavioral addictions, over time, we produce less and less dopamine for the same amount of binge-watching as we build up a tolerance for the activity. So, to get the same “high” we must prolong our binge-watching sessions. 

Researchers found binge-watching to be correlated to lower sleep quality. This is probably because people, like me, lay awake past bedtime just to watch an endless stream of episodes. Binge-watching our shows, rather than consuming new episodes weekly, might be “less memorable and less enjoyable.” We may absorb too much information all at once, making it harder to process the information effectively and store it in our long-term memory, therefore making the show feel forgettable after we have watched it. So, binge-watching affects not only our health but also the satisfaction we have with a series. 

Something I found fascinating was that after we have to stop watching the show that we being-watched, we “‘mourn’ the loss.” I agree that many times after completing a series in which I binge-watched, I often felt empty and miss when the show was still novel and exciting.

Overall, I think binge-watching is a habit that can turn negative very quickly. With binge-watchings addictive qualities, a simple tool for escapism can turn into a negative habit that interferes with one’s life and well-being. I’m not saying I’ll never binge a show again, but I will proceed with caution and be mindful of the effects these habits have on me.