How to Decipher if You Have a TV Addiction<\/h2>\n
We\u2019ve all been there from time to time when it comes to an over-indulgence of TV shows. That Saturday you spent watching back-to-back episodes of The Office<\/em> or Grey\u2019s Anatomy <\/em>all day long doesn\u2019t indicate that you\u2019re addicted if binge-watching isn\u2019t a regular pattern of behaviour for you.<\/p>\n So how do you know when it\u2019s a problem? How do you know when you\u2019re a TV addict who needs to make some serious changes?<\/p>\n The keyword is excessive. <\/strong>Yes, excessive <\/strong>TV consumption is what you need to be cognizant of. It\u2019s not just about tracking the specified number of hours you engage your TV addiction. It\u2019s also about the behaviour interfering with your daily functioning.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at some ways to determine if your TV watching is actually an addiction:<\/p>\n Do 3 or more of the above resonate with you to some extent?<\/p>\n While anyone <\/strong>can experience addiction, it\u2019s fairly logical to assume that certain circumstances or characteristics can cause a higher likelihood that you become addicted. Your mental health can play a significant role.<\/p>\n TV can keep you company if you are lonely, anxious, or depressed, and you just want to escape. If you have an addictive personality and typically approach things with an all or nothing mentality, then this can pave the way for TV addiction.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a loner, suffer from social anxiety, tend to avoid the outside world, or are an avoidant attached type, then staying home and watching TV all day and\/or night may be all too easy for you.<\/p>\n A night owl or one who suffers from delayed sleep phase disorder and whose body clock is out of whack (a circadian rhythm disorder) can have you awake until the wee hours of the morning, and while the rest of the world is asleep, you satisfy your boredom by streaming TV.<\/p>\n Maybe you\u2019re an entrepreneur who has too much free time so you just squander the majority of the day away in front of the TV.<\/p>\n While we can\u2019t place blame on Netflix or Hulu for a TV addiction, we can acknowledge that the availability of full series makes it easier than ever to keep hitting \u201cnext\u201d. The bts TV Gods\u2019 ploy of having an episode end with one big open loop can easily make you keep going because of your innate desire for catharsis and the need to know, to solve a puzzle or problem.<\/p>\n Side effects of excessive TV watching can range from negative body outlook among women, problems shutting down to sleep, ADHD, and the natural effects of being sedentary<\/a> for too long such as obesity and not engaging in enough physical activity.<\/p>\n Which all begs the question \u2013 what can you do to break this bad habit?<\/p>\n As with any addiction, the first step is awareness<\/strong>, to acknowledge that you have a problem \u2013 after all, denial won\u2019t get you moving away from your screen anytime soon.<\/p>\n The next step is to realize that you are powerless to it so far<\/strong>, meaning that you\u2019ve tried to cut back or stop watching TV and you haven\u2019t been successful in doing so.<\/p>\n That\u2019s okay \u2013 there is hope.<\/p>\n The key is to replace your addiction with healthier, more purposeful ways to invest your time and energy<\/strong>, which means different things to different people. You can\u2019t advise an introvert to go out dancing much like you can\u2019t tell a night owl to crawl into bed at 9 pm with the hopes of falling asleep.<\/p>\n The most obvious way to combat an addiction is to try keeping track of exactly when and the amount of time you spend watching each day (which ties into awareness).<\/p>\n Similar to how logging what you eat and keeping a food diary<\/a> helps you with your diet, logging your TV hours helps you develop the awareness you need to make changes. Writing down on paper that you spent 4 or 6 hours watching TV can jolt you into realizing how much time you are wasting each day, which can prompt the need for change.<\/p>\n This will also help you note things like patterns around when you generally watch TV. For instance, if you notice that you always turn on the TV as soon as you come home from work or right after dinner, then you might choose to do something else instead like go for a walk or grab a good book.<\/p>\n If you are one of those who has quite a lot of free time, then the important thing is to fill it with activities.<\/p>\n Scheduling blocks of time to spend with friends, family, or engaging in physical activity can easily take your mind off of screen time. You may find it easier to commit to these activities by putting them on your calendar<\/p>\n Lots of people come alive at night or have trouble sleeping. Then this is the ideal time to do some work or prepare for work the next day \u2013 especially if you\u2019re late nights = late or unproductive mornings.<\/p>\n Maybe do some journaling and goal-setting, coloring, or painting. Take a long bath or immerse yourself in a good book.<\/p>\n If your messy room or cupboards are bugging you, plan out some nights to clean or organize them.<\/p>\n Why not finally dig into that recipe or go for a drive if you feel like busting out of the house?<\/p>\n I resonate personally with this one. As a self-proclaimed and proud introvert, I\u2019m a homebody and do not benefit much from spending long periods of time in social situations. The only way I recharge is alone \u2013 I thrive on it.<\/p>\n Maybe for you, it\u2019s to the extent that you have social anxiety or just avoid close relationships with anyone.<\/p>\n In this case, you need to pull away from the TV by engaging in an activity where you feel comfortable. After you put down or hide the remote, read or teach yourself a new language with apps like Duolingo, or do a puzzle.<\/p>\n Try a new takeout place or prepare a comforting meal. Create a space for exercising by hopping on your treadmill or doing some yoga.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s the evening or nighttime and the temptation is to stream TV, then why not just go to bed earlier instead? My personal favorite thing to do is throw on my PJs, brush my teeth (so I avoid munching [more] in bed), grab a book or notebook, and head for the bedroom. I\u2019ve made it a nice little pre-slumber ritual that I\u2019ve come to love and look forward to. I find that I sleep better and wake up earlier, feeling fresh and ready for the day ahead.<\/p>\n The key here is to occupy your time and feel connected. Dr. Hassan Ali, a clinical psychologist, says, \u201cTry to remove the source by going to a local coffee shop with a good book and no access to TV.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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<\/figure>\nWho is More Likely to Struggle with a TV addiction?<\/h2>\n
Why Watching Hours and Hours of TV is Bad for Your Health<\/h2>\n
Strategies To Combat TV Addiction: Being Able to Hit \u201cPause\u201d or \u201cStop\u201d<\/h2>\n
When you have too much free time\u2026<\/h3>\n
If you\u2019re watching TV because you\u2019re a night owl or have a sleep disorder\u2026<\/h3>\n
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You turn to TV because you\u2019re introverted or don\u2019t want to leave the house due to social anxiety\u2026<\/h3>\n
When TV is your escape from your depression, anxiety, or loneliness<\/h3>\n