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TV Addiction

Ge0rgiana
Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
I have really realized lately that I am addicted to television. I have to have it on when I'm home, even if it's just for background noise. I can't sleep without it when my SO isn't around. If I am watching and I want / need to get up and do something, I feel like I'm held captive until a commercial comes on. Only then can I break the spell and escape.

This is really sad. In my ideal world, I watch television rarely and instead spend my time listening to music, reading, hanging out in my office, working on leisure coding projects, sewing, crafting, messing around with my bass, and getting more done around my home, etc. The only time the television would be on is if I'm actually watching a particular program, and it gets turned off when said program is over.

Anyone else ever come to this realization? Anyone kick the habit or at least get yourself to the point where you can watch a show you like and then turn it off and go on with life? How did you do it? I'm planning on trying to swap it out for radio to start with.

Replies

  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    No one? No one at all???

    I am so alone. :frown:
  • Claire594
    Claire594 Posts: 349 Member
    I love tv so much I have square eyes.
  • hanna1210
    hanna1210 Posts: 286 Member
    I've kicked the habit of having it when I sleep. I realized it was really messing with me. However, what has helped is DVR. If I need to walk away from a show, I can do it without worrying about missing anything. Maybe it's not so much a help as an enabler :laugh:
  • ChristineMarie89
    ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,079 Member
    ive never rele liked tv however im addicted to music i cant sleep witout it on n i used to be addicted to videogames but i just slowly quit playing as much
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    After memorial day, when our pool opens, I am shutting off my cable for the summer and flipping off TV (hopefully) at least, I TELL myself this.

    I WILL break my TV addiction and WILL spend more time moving, or die trying. But not before the pool opens - cause there's really nothing else to do indoors (when you live alone)
  • stacygayle
    stacygayle Posts: 349 Member
    i also sleep with the TV on.....I may sleep better if I turned it off but I can't fall asleep with it off anymore. What happened to those sleep buttons TVs used to have....I used to set the sleep timer and then i wasn't sleeping with it on all night. And my DVR stays at 90% full so I would say I'm addicted :blushing:
  • JBott84
    JBott84 Posts: 268 Member
    I watch Netflix or Hulu usually so I can pause - pause is the greatest gift ever....I have had a show paused until the screen turns black countless times...but I do not ever feel trapped by T.V. even though it is my best friend. (SAHM, with 3 chickies so most the time we are watching Annie, Tangled, Thumbelina etc...) :bigsmile:

    To clarify, I have a HUGE movie collection too...I have always loved the visual arts. All movies - all eras. I am a movieholic, Cinaphile, FilmFreak...etc... :heart: :heart: :heart: it!

    But to be serious, I do turn on music by 2 or 3pm everyday until we are done eating dinner, cause I like to get my groove on too.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    ahahaha I'm the same way. But honestly, I don't have an issue with it. The only change I've made is taking the TV we had in the bedroom out so I can sleep without it on when my husband is out of town.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    I used to watch TV tons. But not anymore. I don't have cable, and I don't really need it or have time to watch it alot until football season then I'll probably watch but other than that still no cable.
  • aj_sweets5683
    aj_sweets5683 Posts: 1 Member
    Its funny I was just thinking along this line last night.... Im with you.... Im sooooo addicted its ridiculous... and Ive been noticing that when Im "plugged in" (tv, comp, cell phone) Im not paying attention to the things that are really important....like my family... I decided that Im going to start scheduling time to be completely focused on my family....I know it sounds pretty messed up, but my reasoning is this... It might have to be scheduled at first but it will eventually be habit... so thats the plan.... maybe you could try it too? Schedule yourself some time to devote to something else... start small... and work your way up.... good luck to you!
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Turn it off and put some music on.
  • em435
    em435 Posts: 210 Member
    I've never met anyone else with this problem!

    It got pretty bad a few years ago and I actually had to sell my TV!
    Nowadays, I only watch programmes available on 'on demand' tv channel websites and, more importantly, I only watch programmes I actually like whereas before, I could watch rubbish all day just because!

    If it's really affecting you, I'd say go cold turkey or maybe get your SO to control your tv hours.
  • sassyjvg
    sassyjvg Posts: 32
    I think I too am a couch potato/television junkie. I have all the extras to make it worse which include Tivo, Netflix, and cable tv with all the best lineups money can buy. I sleep with it on and when I do fall asleep, as soon as I wake up during the middle of the night, I am seaching for the remote which is by my side in the bed, and proceed to play catchup all night long on all the recordings that I have recorded. Btw, I have yet to catch up(not on sleep but on all the shows, lol). Sad huh?
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
    1. Get rid of the tv
    2. Get rid of cable


    We watch probably an hour of tv a week at the most. We don't have cable and find there is little on that is that good. We would rather spend time with our kids and each other doing things that are active. We go outside and play a lot or go for bike rides. Perhaps first get rid of cable?

    Studies have shown that people who watch a lot of tv tend to be heavier because of the mindless eating they do. Not that I'm saying you do this, but it's something to think about.
  • mfanyafujo
    mfanyafujo Posts: 232 Member
    I never owned a TV, so when my roommate left (with the TV) I learned to live without. I stopped paying for cable (which I could watch through the computer). If I really want to watch a show, I can find it online or watch it some other time.

    If you want to kick the TV habit, just turn it off completely for a couple months. You'll eventually get used to not having it. Stock up on some good books for distraction.
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    I love TV! I can't sleep with a TV though. But it's usually on when I'm at home....I LOVE having digital cable because I can pause it if I need to take the dog out or something and don't miss anything! If anything, I'd UPGRADE my cable. Of course I'd need to earn more since the cable companies are criminals! lol
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    Yeah, my SO suggested that he hide the remote. We both decided against that for his own safety. :laugh: It has to be something I do for ME, not because someone is forcing me.

    Not a really big mindless eater. I will sit and eat a meal in front of the tv, but once the meal's eaten I'm done. I never actually sit there with a bag of chips or something. Actually, I really don't even eat chips at all... Anyway...

    I would like to ditch cable, at least the tv part (we also have cable modem). After my 6 month intro period, my bill damn near DOUBLED. Yep, that's right. I'd love to cut out all but the basic channels that come with just having the service. Switching to something like Netflix is also pretty appealing.

    I feel afraid I'm going to miss something if I cut it out. I feel like that's crazy.

    I think I'm going to try leaving it off tonight and listening to Sirius. I'll try to remember to post tomorrow about how well that goes.

    Thanks for all the replies. :happy:
  • ampa916
    ampa916 Posts: 189 Member
    I pretty much always have the T.V on, I don't sleep with it on, but in the mornings after breakfast my son watches backyardagains and Blues Clues while I clean up, then I usually turn it off play on the computer until I feel like watching it again. Then I turn it off and pick my husband up. I recently got cable and I love DVR. Though that being said I realize I don't have the desire to watch it all the time if I have what I want recorded.
  • jaric01
    jaric01 Posts: 132 Member
    I have to have the tv on, or I can't get to sleep. I just can't lay there in complete darkness/quietness and fall asleep.

    I record a ton of different programs but end up deleting a bunch after a while. I just like having them available in case I want to watch. I have 2 lcd tvs in my living room. I have the tv on one while browsing the internet on the other.
  • johnlatv
    johnlatv Posts: 654 Member
    I love TV... i watch it every chance i get, and i watch the worse TV shows but i love them. I do watch a lot of good shows too.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    I have 2 in the living room so I can watch one and play video games on the other. :blushing:
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    Just in case anyone is still reading, I made it through an evening without television rather successfully! The radio did the trick.

    I turned it on around 9:30. As I said in my initial post, I can't sleep without it when my SO isn't around, and he got home late. But, hey, baby steps...
This discussion has been closed.

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