How Too Much Netflix Could Leave You Feeling Ill

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Could binging leave you feeling blue?

A new study is saying too much Netflix could lead to poor mental health and other physical issues.

The study released by researchers at the University of Toledo classified binge watching as a potentially scary new social phenomenon with real health risks.

In the study participants were asked to complete a survey regarding their TV viewing habits.

Out of 408 participants, 35 percent identified themselves as "binge-watchers", while 77 percent reported watching TV for two hours or more on average per day without any break during the past week. Moreover, participants who self-identified as "binge-watchers" rated higher on the TV addiction scale than those who did not identify themselves as "binge-watchers".

The study found that the self-proclaimed "binge-watchers" were more likely to feel anxious, depressed, or stressed.

"We were ultimately able to demonstrate a relationship between binge-watching, average screen time, and mental health status," researchers who authored the study wrote.

But, for those still on the second season of the Good Wife, do not fret. The study did not find evidence that the feelings binge watchers felt were caused directly by their television habits.

"We don't know if depression, stress, and anxiety are caused by binge-watching, or if it is the other way around," researchers wrote. "In other words, people might binge-watch as a way to temporarily alleviate preexisting feelings of stress and anxiety."