Why ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is ruining our lives

We all have that one guilty pleasure in our lives — whether it is food, reading trashy magazines, listening to certain kinds of music or watching certain movies and television shows. I recently discovered that around eight million people share my guilty pleasure: “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The hit ABC medical drama is currently on it’s 11th season after making its way on air in March 2005. The show revolves around a group of doctors working in Seattle and the experiences and challenges they face. With each passing episode, the millions of viewers each week laugh, cry and relate to the characters. We viewers watch friendships grow and break, romances blossom and expire, and of course we watch our favorite characters die, with the words “time of death” following quickly after.

When Googling “why Grey’s Anatomy has ruined my life” about 319,000 results appear in 0.46 seconds. I was relieved to discover that I, along with 318,999 other people felt this way. Before I proceed, I must warn that there may be spoilers, but if you are like me you will continue to read the spoilers and then regret doing so right after.

I first got hooked on “Grey’s Anatomy” when I was sick and had nothing else to do but binge-watch Netflix. “Grey’s Anatomy” was a show that I had heard of but never really took an interest to, but once I began I knew that this could possibly be the worst decision I could have made.

I began to watch episodes as if there were no tomorrow. The next episode could never come fast enough and I automatically became invested into each character and their lives, which I now have learned is a terrible mistake because once you get attached to a character they will most likely die, or maybe that’s just something creator Shonda Rhimes does.Here are five reasons why “Grey’s Anatomy” is ruining our lives, including my own:

1. No matter how many episodes you watch, it will never be enough: You tell yourself that you will just watch one or two episodes. Quickly enough those two episodes turn into three and four, and then maybe even the whole 20-episode season in a span of four days. Grey’s Anatomy has increased my procrastination level to an all time high, and it is almost impossible to only watch one episode. It also becomes difficult to stop watching because each episode seems to end with a cliffhanger that is impossible to resist.

2. It influences your college major and career path: Never in my life have I been inclined to study science, or join the medical field, yet after watching this show I have started to think maybe neuroscience would be a good major, or maybe becoming a surgeon would be cool. The show has disillusioned my mind towards the real hardship of what being a surgeon or doctor entails, yet I still think that maybe I could have careers like the characters.

3. You begin to have an unrealistic expectation of finding our own McDreamy’s: It is no lie that Patrick Dempsey is an attractive man. Yet when he puts on a white coat and goes by Doctor Derek Shepherd he becomes irresistible. But really, what are the chances of finding a handsome, personable, successful neurosurgeon the next time you go to the hospital?

4. It promotes unrealistic relationship goals: We all dream of having relationships like Derek and Meredith’s or Lexie and Mark’s. We dream of meeting our soul mates and going through the best of times and the worst of times with them. Almost every couple in the show has gone through fights and traumas, yet always seem to find a way back to one another in a way that seems to rarely happy in real life. Derek Shepherd and Meredith Grey have the relationship that every girl dreams of.

5. The endless amount of deaths break your heart everytime: It is no secret to society that Shonda Rhimes kills off every character the audience has ever liked or felt attached to. The emotional rollercoaster that the show provides has made my cry when I thought I was just recovering from the previous fictional death that occurred. Each death gets harder and harder to digest and I will never be able to forgive Shonda Rhimes for killing my absolute favorite characters.

That said, I highly recommend Grey’s Anatomy and encourage everyone to find out what the hype is about. Prepare to commit to 11 seasons of happiness, heartbreak, fear and love; it is so worth it. I recommend sitting down with a box of tissues for the tears and a computer charger for when your computer is running low on battery but you still want to watch another episode. You won’t regret it.