The Dangers of Binge Watching

“I’ll stop after this episode.” You probably said that to yourself 12 episodes ago, and now you realize that you have just watched an entire television season in one day. This is what a professional would diagnose as binge watching. It is an epidemic that has swept the nation since the introduction of internet video streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu.

Back in the day, binge watching consisted of going to Blockbuster and renting the television series one VHS at a time, but now all 6 seasons of “Parks & Recreation” are right to your finger tips, so say goodbye to the real world and say hello to Amy Poehler who you will begin to consider a real friend.

The dangers of binge watching can include: thinking you are one of the characters in the show, forgetting what day it is, losing all contact with the real world and headaches. I am not a medical expert, but I would say that I am a binge watching expert. Therefor, here are some tips for you to have the safest experience while watching multiple episodes of a television show in one sitting.

1. Create a comfortable environment. This is vital if you are planning on being in a stationary position for approximately 12 hours.

2. Drink plenty of fluids. But not too many because you want to keep your bathroom breaks limited. Also, make sure to have snacks within an arms length, because around hour four, your legs fall asleep and become more difficult to use.

3. Do not cross contaminate your shows. If you switch between shows your shows, plot lines will become confusing and you may start combining the shows and that can just get messy. You would not want to get your hopes up for an “Arrested Development” and “Law and Order” mashup, because that would be amazing.

4. If you live in the same space as another human please do not forget to shower. As interesting as your show may be, around day four of not showering, the stench becomes unbearable and your roommate may be wearing a gas mask, so just be courteous and take that 15 minute break for a quick shower.

5. After a session of binge watching, try to talk about other things with your friends than the show you are currently watching. Believe me, they are tired of hearing about the emotional roller coaster that Jim and Pam’s relationship is putting you through.

6. And finally, the golden rule of any sort of television watching is to remember that is is just a
show, so try not to get too attached, because at the end of the day they will just be characters of a television show and you will be the one crying in front of your laptop.