It is all too easy to curl up on the couch and watch a few straight hours of television after a long day. Americans on average watch a total of fourteen hours of television a week, and some simply just fall into the habit of scheduling their routine around their favorite television shows. Even dinner, which is traditionally meant to be a time for families to spend time together, has now been taken over by the television set in the family room as over 66% of Americans eat their dinner while watching their favorite shows. When does bad habit begin to cross the line to an unhealthy habit? When it starts to affect one’s mind.
According to the University of Michigan Health System, Children who are between eight to eleven years old are affected the most, as they begin to imitate what they see. They also start to confuse fact with fantasy, but this problem affects teenagers and adults also. The drama-filled and unrealistic plots give viewers a distorted view on reality, and they begin to expect their lives to turn out the way they see it on the television. It has also proven that students who watch too much television have a hard time concentrating during lectures, because their minds are used to the fast paced visual stimulation they get from their shows. This addiction can lead to unfocused students and adults, problems in development for toddlers, and sets idealistic standards that are sure to disappoint the majority of viewers.
These results are obviously not effects of watching shows reasonably, but families should be aware of the affects when one of the top priorities is to make it home in time to sit down in front of the television for four long hours.
By Pallavi Bamzai, staff writer
