Making a Murderer? You’ve watched all 20 installments. Cold Justice? All six seasons. Dr. Death? You’ve seen every episode. Dirty John? Ditto. You even can’t resist listening to a good true-crime podcast when you’re on the move.True crime shows, podcasts, and books are not inherently bad—or bad for you. But if you realize that you’re having trouble shaking off a sense of doom or anxiety after consuming them or you’re blowing off important tasks and people, it may be time to take a break. Here’s how to know if you’re watching too much.
Can you get addicted to true crime?
While having a healthy fascination with true crime is fine, you might get to a point where your fascination is … not so healthy for you anymore.You actually can get addicted to watching a television show, says Dr. Lori Ryland, PhD, a clinical psychologist, addiction expert and chief clinical officer at Pinnacle Treatment Centers. You’re repeating a behavior in order to achieve a desired effect. “Technology itself can have a very alluring effect and it is not uncommon these days to lose hours or parts of a day, immersed in Netflix or scrolling through social media,” she says. And not everyone reacts the same way.A 2010 study published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science proposed that women seem to enjoy the true crime genre of books more than men do. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all women enjoy a true-crime series binge—or that all men don’t. Even so, everybody is a little bit different, according to Dr. Mike Brooks, PhD, a psychologist in Austin, Texas, and author of Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World. One person might enjoy watching a few episodes of a true crime series without suffering any effects at all. But another person might feel really uneasy or discomfited from watching a true-crime show. That is, you might be the kind of person who can binge-watch a series like Dr. Death and then sleep like a baby afterward. Or you might be the kind of person who feels anxious and fretful for hours or even days afterward. Are you one of the ones who can tell a difference in your mood after you’ve immersed yourself in the grim world of a doctor maiming patients or hardened criminals getting away with murder? That’s not unusual.“It sort of seeps into their consciousness,” Brooks says. “It probably heightens their sense of alarm and maybe their anxiety about the world we live in.” Clinical psychologist Jenna DiLossi, PsyD, co-founder of the Center for Hope and Health in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, agrees. “We’re not talking about turning into a murder or something drastic, but you may see increased fear and anxiety and depression,” she says.
Signs that it’s time to take a break from your true crime habit
Starting to wonder if your habit is causing any problems for you? Here are a few questions to ask yourself: You could also try asking your spouse, roommate, or close friends who spend time with you if they’ve noticed any changes in you.
How to set healthier boundaries around true crime
The first step is awareness, according to Ryland. Then you can commit to changing your behavior. Try setting some limits for your true crime habit. You might be able to easily watch one or two episodes in a row, then go about your life, but three might be pushing it. Figure out where your line is. “Some may decide to cut down on viewing the shows,” Ryland says. “If you have a favorite show and can eliminate the rest, this may be a good strategy.” A few other strategies:
Listen to a podcast if watching a show causes more stressForego the shows that seem to cause more emotional distressSchedule your viewing sessions in advance so you don’t get tempted to watch when you should be working or tackling other tasks
“You don’t have to give it up,” says Brooks. “But know your limits.” But if you feel you need to go cold turkey, figure out how to replace the hole it will leave. “Write out a plan of what you will do during that time instead of watching true crime,” Ryland suggests. “Perhaps you can fill that time with other activities you used to enjoy that do not have negative consequences.” Next up: Can’t Get Enough True Crime? These Are the 36 Best True Crime Shows—Ranked!
Sources
Mike Brooks, a psychologist in AustinJenna DiLossi, a clinical psychologist in Admore, PennyslvaniaLori Ryland, clinical psychologist, addiction expert and chief clinical officer at Pinnacle Treatment CentersVicary, Amanda. Captured by True Crime: Why Are Women Drawn to Tales of Rape, Murder, and Serial Killers?Social Psychological and Personality Science.
