The TV Drug

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Substance abuse does not always come in the form of fine powders, dried herbs, or ferment hops. Equally seductive are the bright lights and blaring sounds of the television. So often it happens that people sit down for their favorite program and do not get back up for hours. They start with the intention of watching one sixty minute show. Then, an advertisement for a new crime drama plays, and they just have to check it out. Not long after, they notice that Turner Classic Movies is playing their favorite childhood film. What they had intended to be an hour becomes five. The dishes never got done, the bills did not get paid, and they have to be up for work in six hours. They decide that they can finish their chores the next day; maybe after the new CSI. Watching television seems harmless. It is just a box after all, what damage can it possibly cause? By the time the average American turns sixty-five, he will have spent nine years of his life watching television (Television & Health). The behavior starts at a very young age. Shows featuring bright colors, rapid movement, and repetitive sound appeal even to infants. As children grow many parents begin using the television as a babysitter. They turn on the television to keep the children occupied while they clean, cook, and work. It is inexpensive and highly effective. Not to mention varied. There is education, animation, music, celebrity gossip, politics, news, and much more. Children grow into adulthood, cradled by their digital mothers; all the while, being inundated with best and worst that their culture has to offer. Every year, the average American child spends nearly twice as much time watching television than they do in a classroom (Television & Health). This usage... ... middle of paper ... ..., go for a walk or set aside family time. Even, occasionally, take a week or two off from television entirely. Television does not have to be the center of your world. If you do included television in your day, make sure it is a small part of your overall life and not the driving force. Works Cited "17 Ways to Beat Your Television Addiction." Reader's Digest Version. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. Kubey, Robert, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. "Television Addiction Is No Mere Metaphor." Scientific America. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. "Television & Health." California State University, Northridge. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. Unplugged, Mom. "TV Turnoff Resources." Unplug Your Kids. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. White, Melinda. "How Adult ADHD Affects Relationships: Strategies for Coping." ADHD Treatment (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Counseling and Therapy). Web. 09 Feb. 2011.

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