When Binging on Netflix Might Actually Be a Good Thing
But only as long as it’s a temporary coping mechanism
We’ve all had the occasional sleepless night when we just had to finish that binge-worthy season of our favorite show. But when some people repeat this behavior, we call binge-watching an addiction instead of seeing it for what it really is: a coping mechanism.
Take the problem away, and binge-watchers will revert to their everyday lives, just as soon as there’s no more pain to numb.
I should know this first-hand. Binge-watching has been a crutch that I’m not proud of, but it has gotten me through some tough times.
Dealing with breakups
About twelve years ago, I went through a horrible breakup, the kind you go through when your heart gets broken for the very first time. The relationship was short-lived but intense and irrational in ways that only twenty-somethings can experience. I ended things even though I still felt very addicted to that person.
Sketchy streaming websites were the only thing that got me through that period in my life. For weeks, I laid in my bed, eating ramen noodles and watching episode after episode of illegally downloaded Grey’s Anatomy. And whatever else was trending in 2009.
