Yahoo Web Search

Search results

  1. Mar 22, 2022 · Are You A TV Addict? Quiz. Created by ProProfs Editorial Team. Questions: 10 | Attempts: 1,232 | Updated: Mar 22, 2022. Start. Create your own Quiz. Television viewing can be a fun hobby. There are a plethora of interesting television shows that may grab your attention. Do you think you may be addicted to watching television?

    • Overview
    • What to watch for
    • Why it happens
    • How to rein in your viewing
    • When to see a doctor
    • The bottom line

    According to 2019 research from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend, on average, a little more than half of their leisure time watching TV.

    This is partly because TV’s gotten a lot better in recent years. Fancy cable isn’t as prohibitively expensive as it once was, and you can find just about anything you want on streaming sites. Plus, you aren’t just limited to your TV set anymore. Laptops, phones, and tablets can all get the job done, too.

    The evolution of TV has come with some unintended consequences, though. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) didn’t include TV addiction in its fifth edition. However, 2013 research suggests excessive TV viewing shares considerable similarities with DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder.

    Here’s a look at when your TV intake might warrant a closer look and what to do if it feels like too much.

    Again, TV addiction isn’t a formally recognized condition. That means there’s no agreed set of symptoms.

    Some researchers, however, have developed questionnaires to help identify TV dependence. One of these, published in 2004, uses substance dependence criteria to help measure TV dependence and addiction with statements along the lines of:

    •“I feel guilty about watching so much TV.”

    •“I get less satisfaction from watching the same amount of TV.”

    •“I can’t imagine going without TV.”

    Problematic behavior generally interferes with typical daily function, explains Melissa Stringer, a therapist in Sunnyvale, Texas, although specific signs can vary.

    There’s no single thing that makes people watch excessive amounts of TV.

    For starters, there are plenty of good things about TV. These tend to draw people in. For some, the allure may just be a bit stronger.

    TV can:

    •teach you about specific subjects

    •offer entertainment

    •inform you about current events

    Keep track of how much you watch

    To get a better idea of how much TV you usually watch, try keeping a log of the time you spend watching each day. It also helps to note things like: •patterns around when you generally watch TV •mood changes related to TV use Finding patterns in TV viewing can give you more insight into how it affects your daily life. You can also use these patterns to watch less TV. For example, if you always turn on the TV right after dinner, you might choose to go for a walk instead.

    Explore your reasons for watching TV

    Maybe you started watching TV out of boredom. Or you began drifting off to late-night talk shows and now you can’t sleep without the TV on. Stringer recommends exploring your reasons for watching TV and asking yourself if these reasons align with the ways you really want to spend your time. Increasing awareness about why you rely on TV can enable you to address and work through challenges that affect you negatively, whether those include: •persistent sleep issues •lack of rewarding hobbies •few fulfilling relationships

    Create specific limits around TV time

    If you generally watch a lot of TV, you may have a hard time giving it up completely. Stringer points out that taking a large step away from your baseline may not be the best option when working toward lasting behavioral change. It often helps more to focus on smaller, gradual change. For example, you might decide to: •cancel all but one streaming service •limit viewing to new episodes of your favorite shows •only watch TV on weekends or when you’re doing something else, like working out

    Talking to a healthcare professional can help if you’re experiencing physical symptoms that seem related to excessive TV use, such as trouble sleeping.

    While it’s possible to take steps to address it yourself, cutting back on TV isn’t always easy. If you’re finding it difficult, talking to a therapist can help.

    Therapists offer compassion and support without judgment.

    They can help you explore:

    •strategies to limit viewing

    •unwanted emotions related to excessive TV viewing

    There’s nothing wrong with relaxing by catching up on your favorite show or watching an entire season in one weekend. As long as you don’t have trouble taking care of your usual responsibilities and can find time for other leisure activities when you want to, your TV use probably isn’t problematic.

    If your viewing seems to have a negative impact on your health or relationships and keeps you from doing things you usually would, it may be time to talk to a therapist, especially if your own efforts to watch less TV are unsuccessful.

    • Crystal Raypole
  2. Feb 10, 2022 · Characteristics that have been associated with self-identified TV addiction are binge-watching, susceptibility to boredom, and the use of TV to fill time. The TV (whether streaming on a device or watching on a traditional TV) is used as a way to avoid rather than seek out stimulation.

  3. Sep 8, 2024 · Television addiction is the compulsive and harmful watching of tv shows, movies and online videos. It can involve binge-watching tv shows on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu or YouTube.

  4. A child watching in front of a TV illustrates the addiction of television on children. Television addiction is a proposed addiction model associated with maladaptive or compulsive behavior associated with watching television programming .

  5. Watching television can be an attractive source of emotional and informational needs. Christian Jarrett. Asked by: Toby Graham, Shrewsbury. The idea that technologies, like TV, can be considered truly addictive in the same way as substances like nicotine and alcohol is controversial.

  6. People also ask

  7. Dec 3, 2021 · If you feel binge-watching is taking over your life, you should seek a referral from your GP to see a clinical psychologist. Most addictions are symptomatic of other underlying problems.

  1. People also search for