I once heard someone refer to TV as our drug of choice. We tend to use it daily and can zone out for hours at a time. Many parents try to restrict the amount of time their children spend watching TV knowing it can have a negative impact on their mood and behaviour.
The way we watch TV has changed over the years. I remember the time we had only three channels to choose from. I remember running home as fast as I could to not miss any of my favourite shows. I remember the anticipation for Friday nights at 9.25pm for ‘Starsky and Hutch’. I remember dancing around the living room after the show ‘Fame’ had finished. I remember the first time I was allowed to stay up and watch a show called ‘Dallas’. I remember people dashing to their cars to get home in time to watch ‘ER’. If you missed it, you missed it, no such thing as catch up. Those days are long gone and I can’t help feel a little sad.
I don’t know how many channels we have to choose from today. In fact like many people I can spend more time switching channels than I do actually watching a programme. Netflix enables us to watch our favourite programmes whenever we are ready. Many of us have binge watched a great box set.
Is this good for our mental health?
I think too much of anything is not good for our mental health. Spending all day, most days in front of the TV is going to have a detrimental impact on both our physical and mental well-being.
Many of us lead busy lives, working long hours, caring for family and completing domestic chores. Taking time out from the stresses of life is important. Escaping into a great movie or drama can be a wonderful way to unwind. Sometimes it’s okay to just Netflix and Chill.
What are your thoughts? Do you have special memories of watching particular TV shows?
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