Comments on: Overcoming TV addiction

By: Sandie

Sandie — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:10:11 +0000

I read an article where doctors recommend no more than 2hrs of electronics, including TV. I try to limit my kids and now they are reading and playing outdoors more. My husband is addicted to certain shows, he just stares at the TV during dinner time instead of interacting with the family. I’m against overuse of TV now since I see the bad effect it has on my loved ones. It can easily turn into an addiction.

By: alejandro

alejandro — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:59:22 +0000

to much watching television can harm you. that is why i decided to limit my self from watching tv. there are more important things to do than watching tv too much and waste time.

By: Luis Novoa

Luis Novoa — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 22:41:12 +0000

I am 14 years old and have a great family but am to distracted. I have a wide screen tv along with an XBox 360 and a Wii that I waste my life up in front of it. I want to go to colledge and be responsible and do things without having to be controlled by a screen or to be told to do something. I was consumed by it at the age of 5. I need to do something about now or else I won’t be ever able to stop. I need help and encouragement.

By: lawrence chance

lawrence chance — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:12:28 +0000

I AM A TELEVISION ADDICT. I NEED HELP!

By: Ruzanna

Ruzanna — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:33:43 +0000

TV addiction is terrible, it causes numerous health and mental problems. People become lonely and selfish. People should stop watching TV and communicate more.

By: Katherine Westphal

Katherine Westphal — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:30:48 +0000

Eventually, I got rid of my TV. There were also a few things that worked a little along the way.

1) Unplug the TV. This prevents kids from turning it on without asking first, although they eventually figure out how to do it themselves. It also helps give you time to think whether or not you really want to watch.

2) Cover the TV. Keep it out of site and out mind.

3) Fast-forward through commercials, which cuts TV Time by 25-33%.

4) Try a TV fast. Go completely without TV for at least a month. It was an accidental fast that first led me to question TV’s role in my life. Reintroduce TV back slowly afterward, if you want, that is.

I’ll also second cutting cable and finding other interests as good ways to limit TV, which have both already been mentioned.

But the only way for me and the kids to fully get in control was to get rid of the TV.

Good Luck,
Kathy

By: Dave Farquhar

Dave Farquhar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:51:08 +0000

For most of my life I’ve been able to find things I’d rather do than watch TV. The last show I watched regularly was Quantum Leap, which of course went off the air 15 years ago. I once went a stretch of a couple of years where the only thing I watched on TV was the World Series.

The key is to find other things to do instead. Enjoy a hobby, read books, get your news off the Internet (you’ll get more actual news that way anyway, since most TV news is basically the same as Entertainment Tonight). It’s amazing what you can accomplish in that reclaimed time.

By: MInTheGap

MInTheGap — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:06:23 +0000

Well, can’t say that I didn’t try! I just find that with blogging and keeping up with the family I have little time for television– even when I have the desire to check out a movie!

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:02:54 +0000

I got over my TV addiction when I moved out of my parents house and had no cable and a TV antenna that only got one station that seemed to only play episodes of MASH and occasionally, a show where people would be dancing to polka music. I found better things to do pretty quickly.

I still don’t have cable and I don’t really miss it. However, recently my wife and I have been downloading a lot of japanese anime and watching that; which I am noticing is starting to eat up a lot of our time. We need to nip this time suck in the bud before it gets out of hand.

I’d like to get rid of the TV but I love playing video games on occasion and the Wii is tons of fun. Maybe my TV doesn’t have a digital signal converter, I wouldn’t be sad if it went dark after they switch over.

By: GHolmes

GHolmes — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:35:31 +0000

What I am hearing is to get rid of TV. To have TV in rural Oregon one needs basic cable. Hate paying for channels other than ESPN and DIYnetwork.

Sorry MInTheGap but I have a 5 week old boy and flopping in front of the TV still happens.

Issue is that I am the one in the household that has the addiction. Others enjoy it in moderation.