Television addiction is a real and well documented thing. The term “addiction” can apply to anything that one does compulsively and excessively. Since the creation of television, people have been watching it compulsively and excessively. People who are addicted to their televisions devote their valuable personal resources to TV watching, replace other things of value in their lives with TV watching and exhibit inappropriate emotion when prevented from watching TV. You can identify a TV addict by their revealing traits:

• A television addict will have inappropriate emotional reactions when they are prevented from watching TV. Any addict turns to their addiction as a means of escapism. Their addiction represents a way to shut the world out and release stress. Everyone needs to do this in a recreational way, but when a person becomes so dependent on television that they cannot stop themselves from indulging in it, they have become addicted.
• A television addict will also replace their socializing, relationships, hobbies and responsibilities with television watching. This is another tell tale sign of any addict. Addiction infects a person’s thinking and convinces them that there is nothing more important in the world than engaging in their addiction. A TV addict will go as far as ignoring their family, friends, job, school and health in order to engage in their TV watching.
• Lastly, a television addict invests themselves into TV watching in every way a person can invest themselves, including their time, money, energy and affection. They prioritize their TV watching over every other activity and sacrifice their resources to accomplish their excessive TV watching.

Television addiction is not accidental. It is carefully orchestrated by TV producers, writers and directors. Television shows and commercials are a commodity of their own, and whoever keeps audiences returning is selling their commodity most effectively. If you or someone you care about is a TV addict, it is wise to join a support group or seek counseling. TV addiction can be overcome, but it takes work and effort.

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