What 'Netflix and Chill' Means to Me as Someone With Anxiety and Depression

Watching the same TV show over and over again gives me the ability to relax. I know that sounds weird and not many people understand why I do it, but it is calming. It is like a security blanket.

I know what is going to happen — there are no surprises. I know it will always be there (thanks, Netflix). Watching the same TV show provides a routine for me. I do not have to take the energy I would need to watch something new (a great deal of this stems from my anxiety and depression).

Watching something new requires so much energy because I’m not sure what it is about. I don’t know if there is content that will be a trigger for me. I’m not sure if I can handle something new on top of the crazy changes I’m already facing. It’s OK to want something familiar at the end of the day. It’s OK to want some background noise that isn’t music or something distracting like the news or a TV show that you don’t really have to focus on.

You might be thinking, Well, how did you land on TV that you watch repeatedly? That’s a great question! I grew up watching “Gilmore Girls.” An episode here or there, but it was only when I got Netflix in middle school did I watch the entire series (thanks, Netflix). There are some days when I have the energy to watch something new. Right now I’m watching “How I Met Your Mother” and I am loving it. I just recently finished “Private Practice” (a spin off focusing on Addison from “Grey’s Anatomy”). I’m also watching the “Fast and the Furious” movie series with my partner.

Bottom line: It’s OK to not have the energy to watch a new TV show or movie. You’re allowed to do what works best for you and if that means watching “Gilmore Girls” for the billionth time — go for it. You do you, my friend.

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Thinkstock photo via manaemedia.