It might be the icy depths of winter, but turn off that Netflix and crawl out of bed. Say goodbye to hibernation, because it could mean that you’re depressed. A new study from the University of Texas at Austin say that the more lonely or depressed you are, the more likely you are to binge. It’s kind of a chicken or the egg scenario — do you get deep into a show and refuse to leave your house because you’re more invested in the character’s lives than your own, or do you turn to Netflix because you’re feeling friendless? Unclear.
Here were the findings:
The researchers conducted a survey on 316 18- to 29-year-olds on how often they watched TV; how often they had feelings of loneliness, depression and self-regulation deficiency; and finally on how often they binge-watched TV. They found that the more lonely and depressed the study participants were, the more likely they were to binge-watch TV, using this activity to move away from negative feelings.
So, no matter how cold it is this weekend, it’s your duty to put that snow suit on and say goodbye to Gossip Girl. It’s the perfect time to practice some much needed self control.
