[WantsSomsTruth]

Now, of course, I'm not talking about the obvious health problems of constant television viewing. But I'm talking about television possible affect on our mental health. I guess I should at least explain my experience.

Okay, at the beginning of this year, I had decided to quit watching television, for good. For many, many reasons. Some I had when I decided to quit, and some I've just now realized that I had but didn't think about it then. I was sixteen then. Of course, the plan went into effect sooner because I saw the worse show ever (Reno 911). I had instantly lost my pleasure from television with that. (Which was for the best). I would describe Reno 911 more or less as the straw the broke the camel's back because I had previously read many convincing views against television, and almost zero convincing views for it.
So, yeah, I did stop watching television. And I of course was able to replace the television with better things. Like creating things like websites or playing games(video, board, doesn't matter to me) to pass the time. Of course, as time passed on, I just started feeling better and better.
This is what I can think of happening to me;

• A slowly dying fear of driving and other things like dogs or people who want to kill me
• Feeling more comfortable in my own house (though sleeping without locked doors is still far away)
• Better eating (more free time = more time to cook)
• Better sleep
• Removed television and video games out of my bedroom
• Better relationships with other people
• Better opinion of myself and others too

• No longer caught up with finding a girlfriend

I could keep going on and on, but I'm not at all saying that this will all happen to you if you choose to quit television. You do have to deal with other factors too. But I see these results in me, and I see other people. I see people who seem to be afraid of something that's somewhat irrational, like a school shooting, or they are really shallow because their dream man is Tom Cruise, because he's "attractive" and in a really unrealistic way(that's right! Lighting and good camera angles!). Of course, this is from my point of view, that is the way I see people who watch loads of television. Not all of them, some of them.

Really, it bothers me that people are so caught up with television, that they seem to listen to it too much. My mom won't eat catfish anymore because she saw a show that said that they'll eat anything. Everyone is free to have their feeling on something, but it seems sad to base something by what you see from television. Oprah had a show about red colored juice being "bad for your health" and my mom tried to stop buying red colored juice because of that. Some kids have a school shooting, people (including me in the past) become afraid of the rare happening in the schools and crappy news reports and even crappier measures are taken to stop school shootings. All are examples I see, often.

Then the people who seem to expect others to live up to the actors they see daily on television. Really, I may not be "cool" but I am nice. It seems like some people have a major fixation with unreal attractiveness. That and a obsession with finding a mate in life. Every television show has an "item" and it's annoying when you see people in real life kissing like they're about to die, but to then see on television was too much! Here, I was wanting girlfriend almost because it seemed expected. And I suffered because of that. Feeling unwanted for love and the kind of love you want is usually overly conditional really hurts. Been there, done that. Now, I live my life girlfriend or not, but I still see people with a really messed up view on relationships. I used to envy other guys who had a girlfriend, now I pity them because for some reason, the girl always wants to make out all the time.

Now, this isn't a rant, but I see people who do stuff like that and it's sad. I'm not saying that television is totally to blame for problems, but, doesn't at least irritate pre-existing emotional or mental issues/status?

I can see girls who could easily qualify for Separation Anxiety Disorder, and other people who have eating disorders from wanting to be thin and attractive, kids who may feel like they aren't being listened to because their parents listen to Oprah before their own kid, people who can't function in school or other buildings from news of murders, school shootings, terrorist bombings, and just in general low self esteem and bad perceptions of our world, therefore, unhappiness.

I want to know what people here think about television and if they believe if television can have a negative affect on people's minds.

Feel free to ask me things back, I am in a great mood for a equally great discussion.

As a random piece of info, looking at clouds is so much fun!

[VickiesPath]

My son is 16. He probably watches an hour of TV a day, mostly on the science channels. He plays some UO for a couple hours. Besides being on the honor roll at school, he is into 3D art (sculpture, glass sculpting). But by far, his favorite thing is reading. His older sister and her husband got him into reading, beginning with Stephen King. I'd say, not watching TV has been a good thing for him.

I don't watch it at all. Except for NCIS reruns.

[AAAAA]

My opinion is that TV like anything else has its positive and negative sides. I truly enjoy the Discovery channels along with the History and Biography channels.

I love comedy, and the OLD sitcoms (which I cannot seem to find these days. Doby Gillis, Father knows Best etc.) This thread reminded me that summer under the stars starts soon (probably the beginning of the month) on TCM and I can watch the really old classical movies.

I don’t watch a lot of TV. Even shows that I like I just don’t have the commitment to stick with them. But the only show I ever recall watching when I was your age is Saturday night live with the original not ready for prime time players.

I’m glad that you’ve found something that works for you. I’m the first one to agree that usually watching TV for the just for something to do can be a tremendous waste of time. But then again, sometimes a nice sitcom can really brighten your day.

I do not watch very much Tv either...I have to say with being sick I have watched a couple of shows and Im floored by some of them. I finally turned the Tv off.
I did like that Tara show. I use to watch ghost whispers. I loved the golden girls

I do watch the news when something big is going on. My son I must say learned alot of off the dicovery channel and history channel as his reading is not good as you know. He retains info very good off of those shows. Now he does not watch Tv too much

I will say with TV there is alot in my eyes that maybe we could all due with out.
imo

[WantsSomsTruth]

Originally Posted by muffy

I do not watch very much Tv either...I have to say with being sick I have watched a couple of shows and Im floored by some of them. I finally turned the Tv off.
I did like that Tara show. I use to watch ghost whispers. I loved the golden girls

I do watch the news when something big is going on. My son I must say learned alot of off the dicovery channel and history channel as his reading is not good as you know. He retains info very good off of those shows. Now he does not watch Tv too much

I will say with TV there is alot in my eyes that maybe we could all due with out.
imo

I really don't like the format of the news. Because I do not want to hear about the latest murder near my town, and keeps people afraid. Even when positive news is on, five seconds later, a mother blew up her whole cul-de-sac with a meth lab that was supplying terrorist groups with money to destroy the United States with nukes. And with a smile in some cases.

I'm kinda worried that television may be really hurtful to people's happiness. Channels like the Discovery Channel are not that bad, as long as it doesn't give messages about how they may not be good enough for certain things that they want or give them an idea like they need something that they don't need.

Or maybe my experince is too unique to question if other people were affected by television like I was.

((((WantsSomsTruth))))))))))))))) I meant I watch if something big is going on in the world. Local news I can look on the comp for that ...That way i can pick and choose what i want to see .
With my son he was into dinasaurs and rocks and the stars and he loved history. I would read to him. But that was not enough. He wanted more info. I was amazed and so were his teachers at what he had picked up off of those 2 channels.

you said ((Or maybe my experince is too unique to question if other people were affected by television like I was))))))))))
I agree with you I think many ppl are affected by TV.
I know young ppl are ...They sometimes think they need to be like the stars. Which is sad.
I can not watch any horror shows at all. to tell you the truth anything to do with violance Sorry for spelling errors

I will say In times of world issues I turn to the tv. But thats just me
You seem very kind. You also have brought up a very important point in how our lifes have changed over the years just with TV and how it can affect us all.
Tc of you ....your thread is very good

[pachyderm]

There are a few shows on TV worth watching, for me. It's just that I have to search hard for them, and wait, and wait, until I find a good one. Of course, unless you like to laugh at the ones like "Make A Fortune From Foreclosed Real Estate" or "Make A Fortune From Other People's Miseries" or something as weird as that.

[Naturefreak]

I watch television maybe a few times a week at the most these days and when I do it's usually a dvd movie. Not because I find it influences me , but because my depression has taken the interest away. I used to like watching wildlife and nature shows , older comedy sitcoms of the 70's and 80's , late night talk shows like
Letterman and Carson , and live sports mostly.
But when it comes to movies , I can watch anything . Comedy , drama, thriller , horror , action , romance , western , it doesn't matter.
I am entertained by it . I use it as a source of entertainment .
I've seen thousands of movies over the years but I don't believe
I'm going to go on a ship , meet the love of my life , and sink to
the bottom of the ocean , or put on a cape and try and save the world , or grab an axe and start chopping up my neighbors.
It may have an effect on some people , but it doesn't effect me.
There are a lot of things that are said to have an influence on
a person's state of mind. Violent video games , they stopped making
western movies for a while because they claimed they were too violent . lol . Playing some vinyl records backwards produced satanic messages , etc. etc. All I can say is ,it's a good thing we can choose
to watch or not watch television . To remove it from society because
it MAY effect our health wouldn't be fair to the kiddies and their
Saturday morning cartoons .

[KathyM]

I never liked watching TV as a kid - only watched it when I was too sick to go out and play. My mother was almost fanatical about her TV shows and Hollywood movies. It looked to me like she preferred to hide from life rather than live life. It made me angry because she was supposed to be my "role model" - the one responsible for teaching/showing me how to be a woman/wife/mother. Instead, she appeared to care more for the Hollywood actors and fictional characters she knew on TV.

I did, however, like watching the news with my father. I grew up in Chicago during the 60s, so the news was pretty traumatic. My father would discuss some of the issues with me, and he took the time to tell me stories of his own childhood. Some were funny, some were poignant tales of his trials and tribulations. I preferred his stories over everything else because they were real, I knew the "author," and the story had been given to me for a reason.

I watched TV with my son when he was little, but I tried to do as my father did with me. He didn't spend much time in front of the TV though because I felt it was more important for him to work on other things like developing social skills and finding his own way - something you can't learn on TV.

Another thing that bothers me about TV is the advertisements. I know they are necessary, but I don't buy anything I don't need - 99.9% of the time I don't need what they are selling. Ads for alcohol infuriate me, as do some of the pharmaceutical ads. It's as if their goal is to have us all on medication, and for us to expect a completely pain-free life - it's not realistic.

I'm glad you've chosen to experience life rather than watch it on TV as a bystander.

[nowheretorun]

i dont watch much tv, mostly cause i dont have one lol, but even if i did, i still wouldnt watch much... i like the educational programming tho when i do...

[WantsSomsTruth]

Originally Posted by KathyM

I never liked watching TV as a kid - only watched it when I was too sick to go out and play. My mother was almost fanatical about her TV shows and Hollywood movies. It looked to me like she preferred to hide from life rather than live life. It made me angry because she was supposed to be my "role model" - the one responsible for teaching/showing me how to be a woman/wife/mother. Instead, she appeared to care more for the Hollywood actors and fictional characters she knew on TV.

I did, however, like watching the news with my father. I grew up in Chicago during the 60s, so the news was pretty traumatic. My father would discuss some of the issues with me, and he took the time to tell me stories of his own childhood. Some were funny, some were poignant tales of his trials and tribulations. I preferred his stories over everything else because they were real, I knew the "author," and the story had been given to me for a reason.

I watched TV with my son when he was little, but I tried to do as my father did with me. He didn't spend much time in front of the TV though because I felt it was more important for him to work on other things like developing social skills and finding his own way - something you can't learn on TV.

Another thing that bothers me about TV is the advertisements. I know they are necessary, but I don't buy anything I don't need - 99.9% of the time I don't need what they are selling. Ads for alcohol infuriate me, as do some of the pharmaceutical ads. It's as if their goal is to have us all on medication, and for us to expect a completely pain-free life - it's not realistic.

I'm glad you've chosen to experience life rather than watch it on TV as a bystander.

!!!!

Ah! So you also have a mom like that. It still ticks me off personally, after all the convincing ideas, she still watches whatever show. I know I shouldn't obsess over changing people, but oh boy, it's annoying to get my hair done (My hair is too long for me to take care of it by myself so she helps it getting my hair in french braids) and for her to have to have that crap show The Little People on. I mean, they're people, albeit short. So why do they get a show? Oh! Now I remember, they're midgets, and therefore freaks by television's standards. Really, it's the ads that get on my nerves, but it's the "freak-show" junk that makes television bad. I could never have my own reality show, because I talk too much about things that would make people turn off their set. Plus, I'm not "exciting" enough.

Oh well, I like not watching television, can't help those who refuse it.

Besides, staring at the clouds is a lot more fun when you know you're doing something "different" from everyone else. (random thought)