What is Binge-watching??
It is the process of watching TV for a very long time than usual and mostly a single television show. It is also known as marathon viewing.
So here is confession time, most of us would have been stuck to our TV screens when "Stranger Things 2" came out or "House of Cards 5". Atleast, it is true for me. My whole world was revolving around the chracters of these shows. And then, there are shows which consists of less than 5 episodes. We can knock those out in a day.
But the question here is, why do we binge so much? Does it have a bright side? Is there a dark side of binging?
So, let's begin with brighter side of binging :
Stress - reliever : Everyone has a lot of responsibilities and we are constantly connected to them. So, we are looking for ways to just look away from these responsibilites, only if for a small period of time. TV show binging comes in handy for this as it keeps our responsibilites at a bay while we are busy binging.
Community building : This is my favorite one. It helps one to connect with other people. It helps in building a relationship with people with whom you might not have something else in common. Moreover, you could even ask them over when the next season comes.
Now is the time for the dark side of binging :
Fake relationships : Yes, you could end up having a fake relationship with the fictional chracters of the show you are watching. And when that show ends, this relationship breaks and it hurts. So, it will be better if you could spend some time with blood and flesh people.
Time wastage : You could definitely relate with this, the feeling of a night wasted and the exhausted next day at work. So, it will be good to set a limit every time you go on a marathon for TV watching. But who am I kidding, we can't stop once we start. These shows kept us awake and glued to TV screens.
Increased stress and anxiety : Although, binging is also a stress reliever, it could also increase stress and depression. It completely depends on one's personality. According to a study conducted by University of Toledo, marathon watchers are more prone to high anxiety and depression. The main reason for it is isolation.
So, in my perspective, although there are some benefits of binge watching, I would suggest to refrain from this habit and try to set some limits. This is one of my new year resolutions and I am trying to stick to it. So far, it is successful and I am hoping it to continue.
