In the latest study on this topic, a research team in Poland surveyed 645 young adults, all of whom reported that they had watched at least two episodes of one show in a single sitting. But research into this phenomenon is growing. We also don’t have accurate estimates of the prevalence of problematic binge-watching. Like many other behavioural addictions, such as sex addiction, work addiction and exercise addiction, binge-watching addiction is not officially recognised in any psychiatric manuals. A person who only fulfils some of these may be exhibiting problematic binge-watching, but wouldn’t be classed as addicted by my criteria. In my view, any person who fulfils these six components would be genuinely addicted to binge-watching. If the person manages to temporarily stop binge-watching, when they engage in the activity again, they go straight back into the cycle they were in previously (relapse). The person experiences psychological and/or physiological withdrawal symptoms if they’re unable to binge-watch (withdrawal) The number of hours the person spends binge-watching each day has increased significantly over time (tolerance) The person engages in binge-watching as a way of reliably changing their mood: to feel better in the short-term or to temporarily escape from something negative in their life (mood modification)īinge-watching compromises key aspects of the person’s life like relationships and education or work (conflict) In relation to binge-watching, this would mean:īinge-watching is the most important thing in the person’s life (salience)

Over many years studying addiction, I’ve argued that all addictive behaviours comprise six core components.

As with other addictive behaviours, more important is whether binge-watching is having a negative impact on other aspects of the person’s life. Problematic binge-watching isn’t defined by the number of episodes watched (although most researchers agree it’s at least two in a row), or a specific number of hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen. Unsurprisingly, during Covid lockdowns, research shows many of us spent more time binge-watching than usual.īut can binge-watching become problematic or addictive? And if you can’t tear yourself away, what can you do? The proliferation of streaming services over recent years has made it very easy to do. Today, millions of us – including me – regularly consume our favourite series in this way. Although it didn’t win (“selfie” ultimately took the crown), this pointed to the rise of what was becoming a popular activity of watching multiple episodes of a TV show in a single sitting. The term “binge-watch” was a contender for the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year.

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