What lies behind TV addiction, internet addiction etc?

[jwz]

I've seen quite a lot of 'stop watching TV' and 'cut down on the internet' threads lately and that made me realize a thing or two about where I am now.
Approx. 2 years ago I spent most of my spare time in front of the TV, playing a videogame (Playstation or PC) or watching DVD's.
Suddenly I realized how time-consuming this habit were, and I instantly cut down on it.

Until now I've been feeling good when I think about the masses of time I've set free by not watching TV. (now I watch TV 30 mins a week TOPS).

But it seems that I've transferred the time previously spent on TV to other things such as the internet.
When I come home from work i turn on my PC, check my mail, play some games and mostly wander around the internet searching for interesting stuff and reading PD related stuff.

It seems that the 'TV addiction' isn't exactly a TV addiction, but an addiction to pretty much ANY electronic devices that wastes your time and gives you the feeling similar to the one you get when you've just bought that new smart cellphone or whatever.

Am I trying to aviod something by hiding here by my computer/TV?
Afraid of going on with my life maybe? Well, it must be SOMETHING because I think that I'm a person with a decent IQ and pretty much in touch with my feelings. If everything was just fine, I wouldn't be this stupid. Throwing away precious time on such things.

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Thoughts on this? Am I off the track?

I don't like spending 2-7 hours every day in front of my computer.
I need to do something about it. The problem is that when I DON'T sit here I get really bored.
I procrastinate REALLY much. I don't go out much. Probably because of my 'internet problem'

I will think a little more about this and update.

[Rockchick26]

This is a very interesting question and i'm surprised i've never seen anyone ask this before! Maybe we all dont want to admit we're the same way LOL I think its just an effect of the way society is,and we just think its normal. You're right,what WOULD you do if you didnt have a tv,videogames,or the internet? You could read a book,but i think you can learn just as much from the internet. You could excersise,but you cant really work out for 8 hours a day. You could hang out with friends,but most people are busy with their families,school or work to hang out for 8 hours a day every day. You could get a part time job but then you're working too much and you're not doing anything relaxing or fun. I think tv and the internet isnt ALL BAD as long as your mind is contributing,like if youre watching a program that is helping you learn,or if you are doing something worthwhile.

[Vasilisa]

May be you need to find friends you can communicate with instead of watching Tv or being on the computer? Or talk to your spouse or girlfriend.
That's very interesting - living in Russia I didn't have a computer and hated Tv, so I would either meet with my friends at night or neighbours. I actually was chatting a lot with the neighbour old lady, and when we had nothing to talk about we were singing songs.

[Kaspian]

I find that I like to have one or two moments of down-time, often 15-30 minutes of checking email, reading blogs, and browsing the Pavlina forums. The tricky part is refusing to allow a 15-minute moment to turn into a 2-hour time sink. The thing is, thought, that down time doesn't have to involve a screen. Sometimes a little dejunking or house cleaning feels just as good, if not better.

Back in October, I did a 7-day experiment where I chose to do no reading, no TV/movies, no audio books, no long phone conversations, no forums, no news, no comics, etc. (I checked email once or twice per day, limiting myself to under 5 minutes and only responding to things that were scheduling related.) It was a worthwhile experience—one I will consider repeating 2-3 times per year. Here's what I wrote about it at the time:

How did the experiment go?

I enjoyed it. It felt great to take a break from the self-imposed obligation to stay caught up on reading blogs and forums. Without the distraction of reading, movies, etc, my mind had the space and quiet to think about other things. I realized that I don’t benefit from the blogs and forums as much as I thought I did and they’re not providing as much inspiration for growth as they used to. Also, I appreciated the challenge of filling my time in other ways, as if refusing to read gave me the opportunity to consider other activities. I discovered a box of art supplies that I had forgotten about, and it inspired some fun ideas for hand-made Christmas gifts. I played with Sculpey, drew pictures, practiced horn more, and went outside to work in the yard even when the weather was cold.

Refusing to read wasn’t always easy, and I did have a few slip-ups. Sometimes I’d wake up from a nap and stand around for several minutes before finding something to do that didn’t involve sitting in front of the computer. Thursday night, I consciously and intentionally chose to watch movies while knitting.

I noticed that I became more conscious about what I do with my time instead of defaulting to my habitual activities with little thought of other options. With those default activities removed, I put more thought into my choices. When I had 15 minutes before teaching the next horn lesson, I often found myself cleaning or de junking, not internet browsing or checking my email for the 10th time in as many hours. Because finding new things to do was a priority, my awareness of possible activities expanded and my sensitivity to my environment increased. I realized that the cork board near my computer with several long-term project lists tacked to it had been causing a low level of anxiety, irritation, and dread. I cleared it off, copied the lists to a computer file, threw the old lists away with satisfaction, and pinned up a picture I had drawn. In time, I may add more drawings and photos. In its new state, the cork board will be a creative inspiration instead.

Now that the "no reading" experiment is over, I’m thinking about ways to carry its benefits into my daily life. I have already unsubscribed to a couple of blogs that I no longer find useful. Perhaps I’ll have “no reading” days. I might choose to read forums and blogs once or twice per week instead of daily; I might choose not to read them at all. Whatever I decide, I intend to put more thought into doing things that are outside of my habits and be more conscious about spending time doing things I truly enjoy.

[jwz]

Great replies all.

Kaspian, thanks for the advice. I should (want to) try a couple of days with NO screentime. Or should I say NO time spent doing anything that I attend passively while being 'brainwashed'.

I've thought a bit about this today, and it seems that it's true that a TV addiction or an internet addiction is actually the same thing.

I think I'm addicted to spending my spare time being as passive as possible while being filled with useless info.
Or 'Killing time instead of spending it'.

Now the only thing left is to name this addiction. lol.

No. I will think about this until tomorrow. Then I will do what I find nescessary.

[Rockchick26]

I dont think a tv/internet addiction is always "brainwashing yourself with useless info". In my case,its far from an addiction,i do it because i learn so much online,and i keep in touch with my friends this way. All i do online is find out info regarding the stuff i'm interested in,and email/chat with friends. That stuff isnt useless,its good for you. And as for tv,that goes the same way. If youre sitting through hours of sitcoms just because they're on,thats one thing,but if you flip through to see which shows interest you,and you find something informative like Global Warming or Psychology,something like that,thats good for you too. And if you can exersise while doing all this,even better! :-)

[jwz]

Rockchick26, I get your point and i truly agree.

BUT that's not really what people with the TV / Internet problem do.
They spend their spare time sitting in their couch watching mostly programs that they don't benefit from. Or surfing around the internet killing time.

In your case, since you use your TV / internet time wisely and benefit from it, I don't think that you're among the ones with the 'addiction'.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by jwz

Am I trying to aviod something by hiding here by my computer/TV?

Probably.

Afraid of going on with my life maybe?

If you can form that question, that's probably it.

Well, it must be SOMETHING because I think that I'm a person with a decent IQ and pretty much in touch with my feelings. If everything was just fine, I wouldn't be this stupid. Throwing away precious time on such things.

Probably just a form of procrastination.

----

Thoughts on this? Am I off the track?

I don't like spending 2-7 hours every day in front of my computer.
I need to do something about it. The problem is that when I DON'T sit here I get really bored.

But, isn't it kind of boring to use the computer so much?

I procrastinate REALLY much. I don't go out much. Probably because of my 'internet problem'

I will think a little more about this and update.

I would say procrastination is the root. The TV or Internet is a symptom.

[ladybug]

I so understand where you are. This is our fourth year now without TV and I can tell you that I do not miss it. At all! I, however, used to procrastinate something awful and yes, it was because I was afraid. I can't quite pin point it, but at the time, I got absolutely nothing accomplished until I started finding out what I really WANTED to do. So then I started filling my time with old and new hobbies, friends, and now, a new business that is starting to grow and become successful. I can tell you now, not only am I much happier, but also I am accomplishing goals, feeling much stronger and I run out of time for all of the things I WANT to do in my day. There simply isn't enough time for everything I want to do. That is a good feeling and you can do it too! Also, I am a graphic designer,so I completely understand about the internet sucking the life out of you. I am on the internet a lot for business and some leisure, but as soon as I find myself getting sucked in I switch gears...like reading a book instead or making beer.

Start slow with a few things to see if you really like them then just wean yourself off the TV and internet. You will be amazed! I wish you the best!

[jwz]

Thank you all.
You're right that it's probably fear/procrastination based.

And no, it's not very funny or interesting surfing around the internet for a couple of hours each day.

It kinda feels like you've missed the bus that should drive you through your life....

I will think about what to do in my sparetime instead of.. yeah.. this problem.

I work 08:00 until 17:00 (5PM), and then I relax a bit, eat, wash the dishes.
Most days I'm done doing these things at 7-8PM, that doesn't leave much time to do stuff. (of course I can use my weekends more wisely too).

And I absolutely love my job as it is now. My career is on the right track and I wouldn't switch job unless I really had to.

[ladybug]

Jwz,

I work 08:00 until 17:00 (5PM), and then I relax a bit, eat, wash the dishes.
Most days I'm done doing these things at 7-8PM, that doesn't leave much time to do stuff. (of course I can use my weekends more wisely too).

I have this same schedule for my day job Monday through Friday. I know how it feels not to have a lot of time left over. I found that reading before bed helps, even if it's a book that you have always wanted to read, but never allowed yourself to because you felt it wasn't "important" enough. It just makes you "feel" better and starts getting you on the track as how you want to spend your time. Any small project that doesn't take a lot of set up is good for after work on the weekends you will find lots of new things to do because you will have the time now. Just think, if Saturday you have 12 hours free to do anything you wish, what would it be? Do that! Go to the book store, take your dog for a walk, cook a nice meal for a friend, work on your movie script, write three pages of your short story, meditate for an hour, etc. Make a list of what you want to do and then do it. If you want to watch TV and get on the computer, do it, but give yourself a set amount of time for those things, so they don't suck you in, or if you have to, cut them out completely. Have FUN!!!

[jwz]

Ladybug, thanks for the advice.

I get what you mean (and I pretty much agree) but by living like this, I don't feel that my life is evolving to the life I want to have. It feels like I'm stuck in time or something.

But you're right, I should spend my sparetime much more wisely, especially because I don't have very much of it.

[ladybug]

Originally Posted by jwz

Ladybug, thanks for the advice.

I get what you mean (and I pretty much agree) but by living like this, I don't feel that my life is evolving to the life I want to have. It feels like I'm stuck in time or something.

But you're right, I should spend my sparetime much more wisely, especially because I don't have very much of it.

Yeah, it does feel like that sometimes, especially when a lot of time passes and you think about what you wanted to do and haven't done it yet and you wonder, "what the heck just happened?!". If you have made a list that will help and I have noticed with myself that I can only make a list of one, two or three things to focus on during the weekend, if I want to make any progress forward. I have good intensions to follow through with the huge list, but it never gets done if it's too long and then I procrastinate. Try to focus on something small, but important to you, so once you finish that if feels like you have accomplished something...and you have! Make it important, but something you feel confident doing. If it scares the crap out of you right off then you may not get yourself to push forward until your confidence builds from other things you have accopmplished. I realize the list I gave you was vague and probably not at all what you would do with your time, but you get the idea and I know once you start, you will start to feel great!

[Keith]

I'm reminded of Steve's Posteriorities blog entry, only in reverse.

Giving up or reducing an activity is only half of the equation. You have to consciously decide what you're going to do with the time instead. Ideally it'll be something that meets the same needs.

Otherwise other bad habits will just drift in to fill the space.

P.S. I'm posting this while procrastinating about studying. Aargh!

P.P.S. That's it! I'm off to study now! Thanks.