TV Addiction
How To Address Your TV Addiction
Some people are so obsessed with watching television that it would appear they have fallen victim to a TV addiction. If you live with someone (or you are someone) who watches TV 24/7, you can probably relate to what being addicted to TV means.
If any of the following statements applies to you or anyone you know, you may just have a TV addiction on your hands:
• It is normal to have the TV on for 24 hours in a row.
• You have a TV in every room of your house.
• You leave the TV on even when you are not in that room.
• You sit and watch at least 5 or more hours of TV every day.
• You sleep with the TV on.
• You give up activities outside the home just so you can watch TV.
• You can't bring yourself to turn the TV off, no matter what is going on around you.
• You have fought with a loved one who tried to turn the TV off.
• You have stayed home from work just to be able to watch TV.
While these are pretty extreme behaviors, some of them are not uncommon. While there is no true diagnosis of TV addiction, there are definitely people out there who spend way too much time in front of the tube.
The nature of addictive behavior is that you partake in an addictive activity or substance on a regular basis to the point that it becomes extremely disruptive to your life. If you live normally - maintain a regular job and typical relationships - but watch TV during virtually all of your free time, you are probably not addicted to television, although you may have a bit of a self-control problem.
Watching too much television does not pose the same threat as other true addictions, but it can be a problem when it interferes with normal activities and relationships. In fact, many people who have gone cold turkey and tossed their TV out the window say that their family relationships improve and they are happier without the old telly in their lives.
If you are concerned about the amount of time you spend watching TV, there is an easy way to see if you are going overboard. Simply keep track of exactly how much TV you watch for a week or two. If you notice that the time spent watching TV is a great deal more than the time spent doing other types of recreational activities, then you may want to cut back and give that time to something more constructive.
There is no real danger in watching TV, but it is also not very beneficial either. While it is good for entertainment and a laugh every now and then, there are other more useful things that can be done for fun. Try going for a walk, playing a game, reading a book or just sitting around and talking. It's a great way to boost relationships and still provides that entertainment and relaxation value that we get from watching TV.