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Oct 13, 2023 · Depression, in particular, can have a significant impact on viewing habits. Individuals experiencing depression may be drawn to familiar content as a form of self-soothing or escapism. The Impact of TV Addiction on Mental Health: Exploring the Connection between TV Addiction and Depression delves deeper into how excessive television viewing can be both a symptom and a contributing factor to ...
Definitions of 'tread'. 1. The tread of a tire or shoe is the pattern of thin lines cut into its surface that stops it from slipping. [...] 2. If you tread in a particular way, you walk that way. [literary] [...] 3. If you tread carefully, you behave in a careful or cautious way.
Jun 11, 2022 · 55-year-old PR agency head Joel Jelen has been watching videos on 2X for about 15 years now — and one type of video in particular. "I watch a lot of sports videos at two times speed," Jelen told ...
- Overview
- Signs of YouTube Addiction
- Identifying YouTube Addiction
- Causes of YouTube Addiction
- The Impact of YouTube Addiction
- How to Get Help
- A Word From Verywell
Youtube addiction commonly refers to a compulsion to watch Youtube videos to the point that it interferes with daily life. This article discusses the signs, causes, effects, and treatment of this disorder and where to turn if you think you're affected.
Although the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) doesn't officially recognize YouTube addiction as a mental illness, many experts argue that it and other internet addictions should be considered for inclusion.
Because YouTube addiction is not a recognized condition, there are no specific diagnostic criteria. However, your online video viewing might be excessive if you're:
•Spending most of your time watching, thinking about watching, or planning to watch YouTube videos
•Feeling like you must watch online videos to feel good
•Continuing to watch YouTube videos even though the behavior leads to negative consequences
•Feeling like you can't cut back even though you want to
•Neglecting important work, family, school, or other tasks
Many people report feeling that their compulsion to watch YouTube videos is similar to an addiction. Indeed, becoming dependent on viewing online videos can represent a form of behavioral addiction.
Behavioral addictions are defined as non-substance addictions in which a person becomes dependent on certain behaviors or actions.
Like other types of behavioral addictions, viewing YouTube videos can produce short-term rewards in the brain. Over time, some people begin to feel that they've lost control over their viewing habits and may continue watching excessively despite adverse consequences.
A person might want to watch videos at inappropriate times—for example, in the middle of a date. Or they might watch in inappropriate places (at work), and in a way that interferes with daily life (missing work to watch YouTube videos).
The difficulty with this type of behavior is that it often starts slowly and builds over time. Because these behavioral changes tend to happen incrementally, it's difficult to see how they are interfering with daily tasks and well-being.
For example, you might watch videos for a specific purpose at first. Then, you might watch when you're bored or alone. Later, you might start opening the app first thing in the morning and get sucked into watching one video after another. Before you know it, several hours have passed, and you haven't even gotten out of bed.
The wide variety of videos also means you're unlikely to get bored. If your interest in one genre wanes, the recommendation algorithm will inevitably suggest videos suited to your interests. This can make it hard to know when to stop.
How to Know If You Have an Internet Addiction and What to Do About It
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) defines addiction as a chronic condition that involves complex interactions among genetics, brain circuits, the environment, and life experiences.
This definition encompasses the pathological pursuit of rewarding behaviors such as watching YouTube. Such behavior becomes compulsive and continues even when it has harmful consequences in a person's life.
If you're having difficulty meeting obligations and maintaining your relationships, consider talking to a mental health professional. They can help you with treatment options and strategies to help you manage—and maybe even eliminate—your YouTube video-watching habits. Therapy can help treat any other underlying mental health concerns that might be contributing to your behavior.
Research suggests that people who have behavioral addictions–including gambling disorder, compulsive internet use, exercise addiction, and compulsive shopping behavior—also tend to experience anxiety, substance use, mood, and other disorders at a much higher rate than the general population.
In addition to getting professional treatment, here are a few steps you can take on your own to help reduce problematic YouTube use.
•Set limits on when you can watch YouTube: Trying to completely eliminate something you enjoy can make you want it even more. Instead, allow yourself a specific amount of time each day.
•Turn off autoplay: Toggle off Autoplay next video in the settings. Eliminating the constant feed may make it easier to stop viewing when you'd planned.
•Set a reminder to take a break: Toggle the “Remind me to take a break” option. You can set this to whatever time you have decided to allow for video-watching.
Watching YouTube can be entertaining and informative. In some cases, however, you might find yourself watching too much YouTube or even experiencing symptoms of behavioral addiction.
Whether your viewing is a distracting habit that consumes too much of your time or is a more serious problem, you can take steps on your own to get it under control. Even better, talk to a mental health professional for advice.
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
1.Bozoglan B, ed. Psychological, Social, and Cultural Aspects of Internet Addiction: IGI Global; 2018. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-3477-8
2.Alavi SS, Ferdosi M, Jannatifard F, Eslami M, Alaghemandan H, Setare M. Behavioral addiction versus substance addiction: Correspondence of psychiatric and psychological views. Int J Prev Med. 2012;3(4):290–294.
Jan 31, 2022 · In this piece, the authors discuss the results of a series of studies exploring what makes people more or less likely to get sucked into endlessly watching videos or looking at posts. They ...
Here are some of the most common: Lack of Focus: Shorts are designed to grab your attention quickly and hold it for a short period. As a result, they may encourage a lack of focus and concentration, making it difficult to sustain attention on longer-form content. Addiction: Because Shorts are so engaging and addictive, some people worry that ...
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Jul 21, 2023 · 5. Get computer work done first. Within your allotted computer time, make sure you take care of business before going on to YouTube videos. One of the benefits of breaking your addiction is that you will be in control of your time—rather than your addiction being in control of you.
