Television Is Probably Making You Depressed: Here's Why

Do you watch an excessive amount of television? It could be making you depressed, according to a new study. 

"Even though some people argue that binge-watching is a harmless addiction, findings from our study suggest that binge-watching should no longer be viewed this way," said the researchers, in a news release. "Even though people know they should not, they have difficulty resisting the desire to watch episodes continuously. Our research is a step toward exploring binge-watching as an important media and social phenomenon."

For the study, they surveyed 316 young people about how much television they watched. Study participants were between the ages of 18 and 29. All involved were asked questions about how frequently they experienced feelings of depression and loneliness.

Findings revealed that people who reported more feelings of depression and loneliness tended to watch more television. Furthermore, the study showed that these individuals had issues with self-control, as well.

"Given that binge-watching involves obsessed, intense, and dedicated behavior, characteristics indicative of addictive behaviors, it is expected that negative emotions such as loneliness and depression will be positively associated with binge watching," the researchers added. 

Furthermore, they found that television-viewing habits oftentimes increased the risk of a sedentary lifestyle as well as related health issues such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular issues.

Everything in moderation, right? 

More information regarding the findings were presented at the 65^th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in San Jan, Puerto Rico.

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