Many of us worry about letting our children watch too much television. We all know how important it is to get the kids away from the television set long enough for them to go outside and play for a while. But television addiction isn’t just a problem with kids. It affects adults too.
Television addiction is a stealthy addiction for several reasons. For one, the affects it can have on your life aren’t as immediate or drastic as addictions to drugs and alcohol. Substance addictions can be pretty destructive to your family, your health, and your career. And, while television addiction can also affect these things, it is no where near as catastrophic or obvious.
Also, there isn’t much of a stigma attached to television addiction. Drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs, and even overreacting to the point of obesity can all have a negative affect on the way those around you look at you. But no one will really give you a hard time if you watch too much television.
For some, it might be hard to even believe it’s possible to get addicted to television. But studies have found that television addiction is all too real, and affects sufferers like other “drugs.” Television addicts often experience depression and anxiety. And, when their television viewing is curbed, those suffering from television addiction can actually suffer from withdrawal.
So, how can you tell if you are suffering from television addiction? Here are a few of the signs.
Putting Off Important Tasks to Watch Television
Every once in a while, it’s normal to put off something you don’t want to do in order to watch a television show you’ve been waiting to watch for weeks or months. But if you do this regularly, even putting off important tasks to watch television shows you don’t actually care that much about, it could be a sign of television addiction.
Putting Off Fun Tasks to Watch Television
If you put off going to parties, concerts, or outings with friends so you can stay home and watch TV, this could be a sign of television addiction.
Overreacting When You Miss a Certain Program
We all have our favorite shows, and don’t want to miss an episode of them. However, an extreme reaction to missing a show (like crying, or getting extremely angry) could be a sign of television addiction.
Watching TV Even When You Don’t Want To
Sometimes, despite all the channels available, there just seems to be nothing good on TV. At those times, you could probably find more fun and entertaining things to do away from the TV. But if you find yourself still sitting in front of your television set, listlessly flipping channels, that might be a sign of television addiction.
Television addiction can be a hard condition to spot in yourself. However, realizing that you could be a TV addict is the first step to defeating this stealthy problem.
Reference:
- “Television Addiction” at Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_addiction)
