Turn off TV News for Personal Growth
Television & Media Focus on Violence & Sex, Contribute to Depression
Feb 6, 2009
Turning off the TV may be the most effective personal growth action of the year. Use the time previously spent watching television for personal improvement activities and avoid the potential risks inherent in excessively watching TV.
Dangers of Excessive TV
TV seems to add a double dose of danger to a person's self improvement efforts, not only occupying time otherwise available for more productive activities, but also causing some harmful effects, such as depression, anxiety, and susceptibility to hypnotic suggestion.
From a purely practical standpoint, a TV-fast will free up precious time that can be devoted to positive personal growth. Studies show the average American spends 20 to 28 hours per week, 3 to 4 hours each day, watching television. These are hours that could be devoted to learning something new and developing fresh skills. Research indicates that challenging the mind is linked to better memory and may even prevent or delay the onset of age-related dementia.
Sex and Violence on TV
Much television programming is devoted to sex and violence. Though captivating, neither focus is positive, enlightening, nor inspiring. Because people are naturally drawn to notice the threats in life, most TV news shows focus on negative events such as crimes, fires, natural disasters, and disease, a narrow, slanted, and negative view of world events.
Hypnotic Suggestion
Research studies find that TV is a unique medium for communication in that it appeals to the brain's right-side, the emotional, visual-oriented side. This side of the brain takes in information without the analytical benefit of the brain's rational left-side. Images are assimilated literally, without significant screening. The result is a kind of hypnotic transfer of information. The fearsome violence one sees on TV seems personal, more as if it's happening to the watcher than if the event was read in a newspaper.
According to Carlin Flor ("Tragedy on the Tube," Psychology Today, January 20, 2004), "neuropsychiatrist Richard Restak argues that technology is reshaping the way we think, feel and respond. Thanks to high-definition screens and surround sound, our brains process filmed events as if they were actually happening to us."
Watching TV and Depression
Does excessively watching sex, violence, and natural disaster affect a person's day to day life? Research suggests it does. Studies uncovered a link between watching television and depression. A report in the February, 2009 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry (US News, February 2, 2009) describes a study begun in 1995 of over 4100 adolescents who watched an average of 2.3 hours of TV each day and a total of 5.7 hours of total media exposure.
Seven years later over seven percent had developed symptoms consistent with depression. Furthermore, their chances of becoming depressed increased by eight percent for every extra hour of television watched.
Though study author Dr. Brian A. Primack cautions that "We cannot be sure it is cause-and-effect," but "...the television viewing came first. It did not include people who had symptoms of depression when the study began."
Writer Sherri Fisher (Positive Psychology News Daily, February 4, 2007) refers to "eminent psychiatrist Richard Restak, in which he looks at how the media manipulates and creates anxiety so that we will 'pay more attention to those who speak to us of the terrible things, than to people who assure us that everything is all right."
TV and Media Fast
Personal development guru Steve Pavlina suggests a 30-day media fast as part of his conscious personal growth program. Though Pavlina's suggestion includes all media - TV, radio, and newspapers - some might find this extreme and very difficult. Study results indicate beginning with TV may make more sense as a starting action toward personal growth this year.
Related Articles:
A Seven Stage Personal Growth Plan
 |
 |
