Your Binge-Watching Might Be Turning Into ‘Doomstreaming’—Here’s What It Means and How to Stop It, Experts Say

After a hard day, nothing is more appealing than spending time on the couch catching up with your favorite TV shows. If that’s part of your after-work routine, you’re not alone: the average American spends 3.5 hours a day streaming TV and movies. But for some people, it’s more than a pastime: it’s a coping mechanism. In a recent survey on Americans’ TV-watching habits, 73% of participants said that they binge-watch in order to deal with stress—something also known as “doomstreaming.”

But what sets doomstreaming apart from watching a little TV to unwind and temporarily escaping from your problems? We spoke with mental health professionals about that distinction, as well as alternative ways to manage stress. 

What Is Doomstreaming? 

While there’s no clinical definition of doomstreaming, there are a few things that differentiate it from regular TV watching. The first is that doomstreaming goes beyond intentional unwinding and veers into the territory of emotional avoidance, says Mandy Morris, licensed professional counselor. “Watching an episode or two can be a healthy way to decompress and reset,” she says. “But when it turns into hours of doomstreaming, using TV to tune out uncomfortable emotions becomes a coping mechanism for avoidance.”

Rather than processing or managing stress, when we find ourselves doomstreaming, we’re really just disengaging—attempting to distract ourselves from uncomfortable emotions rather than confronting them, says Dr. Charles Sweet, MD, board-certified psychiatrist at Linear Health. “Doomstreaming may give temporary relief, but it delays the real work of processing stress and emotion,” Morris explains.

According to Angel Butler, LMFT, therapist at Mindpath Health, the difference between watching a little TV and doomstreaming comes down to balance and how it makes you feel after. “Watching a few episodes might be a nice time to rest and recharge, however, doomstreaming may lead to negative thoughts or feelings and lead to loss of productivity,” she says. Additionally, doomstreaming may create a binge cycle of procrastination and stress, says Dr. Michelle Dees, MD, board-certified psychiatrist at Luxury Psychiatry Clinic. “This approach may lead to even greater anxiety as a result,” she explains. “Balance is key.” 

Another difference between watching TV and doomstreaming is how present you are, says Lauren Freier, licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Ignite Counseling. “When watching an episode of your favorite show to decompress, you’re engaged, aware, and present in your body and in the experience,” she explains. “When you’re binge-watching and avoiding, you are more likely to be in a disconnected and even dissociated state. This isn’t quality recharge time, as quality time requires mind/body presence and connection.”

How Can Doomstreaming Affect Mental Health?

Even though doomstreaming is something people do to cope with stress, it can end up causing even more stress and anxiety. “When we are not allowing ourselves to experience a complete stress cycle, we can inadvertently keep our nervous systems in an activated fight/flight/freeze state,” says Victoria Smith, LCSW, licensed therapist. One reason for this, Butler says, is that doomstreaming prolongs dealing with unprocessed feelings. “Essentially, it’s a temporary emotional numbing tool that doesn’t address the root cause of distress—kind of like putting a Band-Aid on a broken pipe,” Sweet says. 

Doomstreaming can also rob you of precious time that could be better spent doing something else—like sleeping, socializing, or self-care. “It can rid you of the opportunity to be an active and interactive participant in your life,” Freier says. When that happens, it may cause feelings of guilt, shame, or depression, Butler notes.

How to Cope With Stress

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to de-stress that don’t involve doomstreaming. And while exercise is a common stress-relieving alternative that may work for some people, others find working out stressful. Plus, if you’re considering doomstreaming, chances are you don’t have a lot of energy, as stress can cause fatigue. So, here are a few examples of lower-energy coping strategies you may want to consider the next time you feel like watching TV for hours on end.

Name It to Tame It

Try writing down (or saying aloud) how you’re feeling and why you’re stressed. This activates the prefrontal cortex and reduces amygdala activity, which helps regulate emotion, Morris says. Similarly, journaling your thoughts—even for five minutes—can help you process emotions instead of pushing them away, Sweet explains.

Go Outside

Spending just 20 minutes outdoors in nature can effectively lower the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body, according to a 2019 article published in Frontiers in Psychology. And you don’t have to be running or hiking: you’ll receive the same benefits from sitting or taking a slow stroll outside.

Connect With Others

You don’t have to meet up with someone in person to benefit from the interaction. “Even a brief social connection, like a check-in text, has been shown to release oxytocin and reduce stress-related cortisol,” Morris says. “Every time you choose connection over avoidance, even in the tiniest way, you build emotional resilience.”

Let Yourself Cry

Our instinct may be to try to stop ourselves from crying, but sometimes, a good cry is exactly what you need. If you feel pent up stress energy, it needs a place to go and often comes out in the form of tears, Smith explains. “It’s one of the ways your body clears out stress,” she says. “If you need to cry, let it happen.”

Try Gentle Movement

“It doesn’t have to be an intense workout, and as a matter of fact, it probably shouldn’t be,” Smith says. “Gentle movement is a way to connect to and soothe your nervous system.” Stretching or taking a short walk can release endorphins (also known as “happy hormones”) and help calm your body, Sweet says. Additionally, it helps relieve tension throughout your body, Dees says.

Breathe

When in doubt, breathe. “Deep breathing really works,” Smith says. “It is the fastest, most direct way to communicate with your nervous system, and it is a tool you can always depend on.” She suggests trying this simple box breathing technique: inhale for four seconds, hold it for four, exhale for four, hold for four, repeat. “Just a few minutes can help your body shift out of stress and into calm,” she notes.