Anxiety and watching television ?

What a weird thing to ask I hear you shout . Is this just another excuse for you to sit in a coffee shop and drink a large latte and pretend to do something important , you might wonder . Well , yes and also no , it’s true I’m sitting in a rather crowded coffee shop and have bought a ridiculously over priced steamed milk with a bit of coffee in it . Oh and when I order they ask me ” would you like our smoother house blend for an additional thirty pence ?” I don’t think so ! . The question ( let get back on point ) is not as mad as you might think at first glance . This is only a question that a sufferer would ask , others might not get this …its not one thats going to hit high on google search , SEO from google will pass it by , but so what .. I don’t care we’re not here to make money !

Ok , this is how the question works in my mind , lets say you are terrified of bridges , bridges of all sorts , this probably has links with a fear of heights , Generalised Anxiety Disorder or a fear of being trapped , perhaps a combination of all.

You’re watching a thriller , the cop , let’s make her an attractive dark haired Southern European cop (thats for me …sorry ). She is in hot pursuit of a rather nasty man , let’s make him a northern European politician who’s been taking bribes . She is far behind him , he darts into a road that leads to a high bridge , he runs up onto the rails on the side of the bridge , the drop is sheer into icy water . He climbs over the rails and attempts to escape his pursuer by walking on the girders under the bridge . The cop shouts that he can’t get away , she only wants to talk . He misses his footing and slips , clinging on with one hand , his body dangling over the drop . He looks up , his fingers start to slip , she reaches for his hand , but it’s too late he falls , bouncing off the girder below and then into the icy green water flowing below.

Perhaps you haver a fear of traveling to new places and the episode or film you are watching is shot in a picture perfect location , you might well feel guilty that you never want to travel there due to your anxiety.

Television is designed to get your adrenaline flowing , characters are introduced to you , you feel attached to them , you feel invested in their story and it seems somehow real. It’s a bit like how our brains find difficulty in realising when a threat is current and real or perhaps in our past. These dramas are written to get you stressed watching the movie or programme , imagine then that you have an anxiety disorder or suffer with trauma , those feelings may be unwelcome or they may become unpleasant.

This is similar to the post I wrote about anxiety and advertising , but there we were being sold a lifestyle that as anxiety sufferers we see as unachievable . Here we are shown a story , places , events , situations that may make us feel uncomfortable , it’s subtle , but different. As television becomes more real , definitions are increased , screen size , better sound and eventually perhaps holographic images it may affect anxiety sufferers more and more.

Dr Carole Lieberman , Emmy winning and Writers Guild of America award winner , known in the US as the “Media Psychiatrist” specialises in Media and its effects. She told Health.com ” It may seem counterintuitive since it doesn’t make sense that someone would want to keep watching a show that makes them feel anxious or depressed, but they are drawn like a moth to a flame “. This she says is not even as bad as daily news broadcasts thanks to the heavy emphasis on violence and negative events. As for the drama shows as we mentioned above , Dr Lieberman points out that sensitive , emotional or anxious can be affected by these shows. ” In particular , if a viewer has experienced something in the plot line”.

Calmclinic.com says that it is highly unlikely that television could create an anxiety disorder , what Im interested in personally is whether there is any evidence that Television or Movies can make anxiety or trauma symptoms worse.

The Guest house Trauma specialists in Silver springs Florida point out something we have covered in a previous post and that is individuals with anxiety watch the same shows over again. This they point out is a well known phenomenon effecting those with trauma or anxiety . I know this is true because I do the same , I have re watched Reacher three times and enjoyed it more the subsequent times and likewise other shows. Its not really known why we do this , the Guesthouse thinks it may involve ; Lower Cognitive Load and a feeling of being in control .

I had a Quick Look at Quora and there are many questions from anxiety sufferers asking if anyone knows why they feel panicked watching films or Television one writer asks ” Why do movies suddenly stress me out?” another ” I am emotionally shaken after watching a movie , what should I do ?’. ” Why do I get anxious when watching television ?”. There are many of these , I can see that it’s not just me that sometimes feels this way. A similar thread can be found on Mentalhealthforum.net , a common answer from others is to just stop watching .

I need to find some good research on this subject to get closer to the truth

Jia-Ji Sun and Yen-Jung Chang published a paper in the Int J Environ Res Public Health Feb 2021 ( Im not familiar with this journal so Im sorry of I have the abbreviation wrong ) . The authors looked at individuals binge watching television series and possible effects on depression , anxiety and loneliness risks among adults in Taiwan .

Hang on a minute …my coffee has somehow all gone , I’ll go order another and I’ll be back …..you want one? …ok ..I’ll make it a large and extra hot ….! …anyway Im back now so let’s continue :). …….

The paper confirms previous studies by Gunnell et al 2016 that there is a positive association between anxiety and screen time , however this study went further , the paper suggests that watching television can be relaxing for those affected by anxiety providing a distraction . It further warns that for those who suffer from social anxiety this might cause the individuals to seek virtual social interactions with the characters rather than those in real life. I guess what they are saying is that we find a bond with characters on television a bond that we cannot get in real life , binge watching although distracting actually limits the time given to real life relationships. The paper asks for more research in to the link between depression , social anxiety and binge watching .

There was an article in the New York Post 27 February 2018 reports that a study performed by Patient.info of 2,000 individuals under 24 shows that they were three times more likely to feel depressed and twice as likely to feel anxious after watching Television . This view is supported by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America . The author only identified as Sparky4545 reports that he noticed that he could no longer watch new fiction without his anxiety triggering .He points out the he is happier watching shows that he had previously watched , interestingly he finds this also applies to reading , an area that now makes him anxious when he is engrossed in the stories. Comments to this thread confirms that others feel the same and can relate to this.

Ive done a good old search on our old friend the internet and although there are not many research papers into this I have found lots of blogs and comments from individuals who say they have the same problem. For example mrporter.com in her journal remarks she says ” In place of new television I favour the old , ie , watching on repeat …..I am a little ashamed to admit , that this newfound proclivity for fluffy , low stakes television was connected to my anxiety level “. …” It’s something that my husband a non anxious person , doesn’t understand”. ‘It’s difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t struggle with anxiety “.

Assistant Professor at the University of Buffalo confirms that watching television can be stressful. She says ” We have found that self-proclaimed binge watchers exhibit higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression “. So what are we saying ? is television and Movies bad for us as Anxiety sufferers?

Deakin University is an Australian institute , I think its based around the Melbourne area have a nice article on their website , its not dated, but the comments are from Associate Professor Linda Byrne . The article ‘Press play the link between stress and re-watching the same TV show on repeat’. was written after the pandemic as it refers to it . Professor Byrne says ” One really effective way to reduce stress for many people is to re-watch or revisit something they have already seen before” . ” When people play familiar content , they know what to expect .” ” When there is too much uncertainty around , we retreat to something familiar because it’s reliable and reassuring and can be calming for us “. ” So if you are still feeling some stress and anxiety , sit back ,relax and press play on Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone for the 64th Time!”.

Thats really interesting , although we can see that stress can be derived from watching Television and Movies , Prof Byrne reminds us , watching already watched programmes or movies can be really comforting and relaxing, so it works both ways.

Popular Science ( www.popsci.com ) says that ” In the right circumstances , television may help the brain recharge “.” A pair of 2012 studies in the journal of Social Psychology and Personality Science found that re watching old favourites can give us a mental boost”. The paper in 2012 by Derrick et al said ” Immersion in this familiar fictional world restores self-control …….it is the social nature of this familiar world that contributes to restoration “.

Ok , I think I’m seeing a pattern here , my own experiences have led me to watching Hallmark movies with my wife . I know I should hate them…. but I sort of find them relaxing . You know the sort of movie …I top lawyer from a big city , single or unhappy inherits a Christmas Tree farm from her family , she used to spend lot of her childhood there. She travels to the farm to sell it , meets a handsome farmer type , has an offer from a big housing company to buy the land , but at the end she doesn’t sell , marries the farmer and moves to Oregon …or wherever the farm is . It’s unlikely to trigger anxiety , it’s mundane enough for my brain not to have to get too engaged and Ive spent a time with my wife . Compare this to the new Reacher series or an action packed drama and I can see how one might have a greater effect on my anxiety than the other.

I am going to round this one up with television and movies can make anxiety worse , or at least thats what I personally believe . However on the other foot ….Television and movies can be distracting , they can allow rest and relaxation , time with loved ones and an escape from your worries. So choose carefully what you watch , don’t make it your only escape or distraction , don’t feel bad about watching old favourites , it might just be what your body needs.

As ever I hope I have found you in a good place , thanks for spending time with me , I know there is a lot out there wanting your time …..don’t forget you are not alone , if your in a bad place , seek out some proper professional help from trauma or anxiety specialists if you can .