You ever start marathoning a tv series or playing video game and just cannot stop playing until you finish it or reach a point where clicking   pause is acceptable in order to create the needed suspense?

Sure you have.  We all have.

They become what we lovingly call addictions, like an entertaining drug that hits you right in the feels. You seek to complete it, you cannot rest properly until you do.  Your brain will not let you because darn— it wants completion!  And it’s gonna get it one way or another.  It will nag you even if you’re not purposely thinking of it; the desire, the need, to go and finish is there lying under the surface.

This is called the Completion Principle and we all have it ingrained in our brains. Look at that; even when we don’t seek to be outstanding, our nature just demands that we be obsessive in some type of way.  Consciously your mind is on the job- at the office, school or wherever and whatever else you need to focus on that actually matters in life. On the other hand,  subconsciously of course you’re thinking about that moreish tv series.  So if you’re wondering why you’re tired and have a headache at the end of the day, it’s because your mind is putting energy into whatever it is you wanted to finish!

Not only that, it’s distracting and unnerving because you keep thinking “What’s gonna happen next?!”

And it feels like if you don’t get to watching right now you’re missing out on it. But quite honestly it makes no rational sense that you feel that way.  The show’s not gonna go anywhere! It’s not gonna grow legs and run off into the sunset. Just stream it when you get home.

Such is the effect of any brilliant and gripping story. It’s like being a mouse in a field while eagles circle overhead; the moment one of them have you in their talons, it’s all over. It’s got you and you’re not getting away any time soon.

Welcome to the fandom.