When we’re really busy with school work, chores, and the busy flow of life, we like to take a break. For many people, including myself, that break can mean watching TV. We think that watching an episode or two of our favourite TV series can be a good way to uplift our mood or get us re-energized to get back to work. At the end of those two episodes, however, we still feel just as tired, if not more, than before the TV session. This way, we do not get any sort of motivation to get back to work. The only motivation we have in us is to grab hold of the remote, press the “continue watching” button, and mindlessly sit through hours of TV. We fall into the trap of binge-watching.
What is streaming addiction?
Streaming addiction refers to the excessive and unhealthy overload of content on streaming platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok. Streaming addiction can lead to changes in the brain, and reduce our ability to focus, prioritize tasks, regulate our mood, and build interpersonal relationships outside of the online world.
Symptoms of streaming addiction:
A streaming addiction looks different for everyone, but some of the symptoms are common for everyone. These include streaming for longer than initially intended, despite attempts to cut back the use, and being unable to stop even after knowing and understanding the consequences. Many people experiencing a streaming addiction are often irritable, anxious, and in a bad mood when they are not watching something. This way, their uncontrollable usage of television begins to act as a way to shut them out from reality. By increasing their online presence, people often begin to compromise their outside life and interpersonal relationships with family and friends.
Effect of streaming addiction on health and well-being:
A key reason as to why many people use TV, the Internet, and other streaming services as a way to cope with difficulties is because all of these induce a surge of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger which acts in the brain. It plays an important role in helping a person feel sudden and extreme pleasure. However, the dopamine release triggered by screen time affects an individual’s impulse control. Similar to the usage of drugs, screen time has shown to cause damage to the frontal cortex part of the brain. The frontal cortex plays an important role in the performance of motor tasks, judgment, abstract thinking, and creativity. The dopamine releases caused by screen time usage causes structural change in the frontal cortex, leading to impairments in an individual’s decision making ability, cognitive function, emotional processing, and working memory.
Streaming addiction also causes damage to a person’s day-to-day lives as it is correlated with fatigue, lower sleep quality, and insomnia. Many individuals also feel a sense of shame or guilt about their streaming addiction, and try to isolate themselves from their close ones.
What’s the solution?
Like any addiction, becoming sober from streaming addiction is easier said than done. However, there are lots of free resources and support groups to aid in this process. A good support group to use is the Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous (ITAA). ITAA is a 12 Step Program that provides tools, strategies, and supports to deal with compulsive Internet use. The ITAA hosts everyday online meetings in various languages which are free for everyone. The meetings are safe, secure, and anonymous so that those suffering from streaming addiction have a platform to express their thoughts without judgment.
Conclusion:
I, personally, was surprised after realizing how serious streaming addiction can get. When we binge watch TV, we think “oh, it’s just another episode, I ‘ll get back to work after 30 minutes.” What we don’t realize, however, is how easily those 30 minutes can pile up so that a harmful habit begins to develop. If you are dealing with symptoms of streaming addiction, please do not hesitate to find support.
Link to Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous: