Television: Could it really cause depression?

As teenagers we go to school for eight hours a day just as most adults work for eight hours each day, but for some teenagers thier day continues with sports and/clubs, and sometimes work long after the end of the school day. Therefore it's understandable that when they get home all they want to do is kick back and relax. What better way to do that then to sit on the couch and watch some TV right?

Although many teens seem to find TV relaxing, it might actually be harming their health. A study was conducted by the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine that showed that teens who watch TV for a longer period of time are more likely to develop depression. The teenage years are meant to be filled with learning and development. TV keeps teens cooped up in the house when they are bored or alone which in turn prevents them from communicating with others. Some teens reported an astounding 5.7 hours of their time was devoted to watching their regular television shows! That's almost six hours of the day that are wasted on meaningless shows. This time is being taken away from meaningful time spent with family and friends.

Aside from the amount of time spent watching TV the content of the programs being viewed by teens seems to be another factor that adds to depression. For both young men and woman television shows influence their self -esteems in ways that aren't always apparent. They continuously compare themselves to celebrities and models on TV, and it weighs heavily on their mental health. The negative effects of television begin to take a toll on teens and that is when depression sneaks up on them. The answer to this problem is to stop being such a couch potato! Take the six hours that you would have spent watching mind numbing television, and use it to spend some quality time with friends and family. Don't waste your time worrying about actors and actresses lives, and instead go out and live your own life!

Facebook...Harmless or Addiction?

Facebook has become the new social-networking phenomenon. Currently there are over 350 million members and the number is continuing to grow. For many teenagers logging onto Facebook is both the first and last thing they do to start and end their day. Teens tend to spend the most time out of any age group on this particular social networking site, whether it is updating their statuses, commenting friend's pages, playing games, or simply chatting with friends. Communication through Facebook has begun to take the place of actual physical interaction. Not only is Facebook taking over people's social lives, but it is also taking its toll academically. Teens grades have began to plummet, because their school work has taken a backseat to their Facebook use.

So this leads me to ask, are you addicted to Facebook? Do you think about Facebook even when you're not online? Do you use it as an escape from work, school, or problems in general? Do you stay online for a longer time period then expected? If you said yes to two or more of these questions then you my friend may have a Facebook addiction on your hands.

Facebook is becoming a concern for parents. They feel as though their sons and daughters would rather be stuck in a virtual reality than living their own life. One father stated, "It's not healthy for teenagers to be in constant contact with their peers, it only leads to altercations." Facebook use is raising concerns. It has gotten to the point where there have actually coined Facebook as an addiction. There are support groups that specialize in people's addictions to Facebook. Really? A support group for Facebook addicts, what is our society coming to? Some people would rather sit on Facebook than go out and live their lives. Is this how you want to waste your precious time?

If you fear that your Facebook usage is getting in the way of your personal life then these tips may help you out:


1.) The first step in breaking your addiction is admitting your excessive Facebook use.
Spend less time alone. This leaves less time for you to get bored and browse your Facebook for hours on end.

2.)If your homepage on the computer is Facebook then change it to something less appealing. This will help you resist the urge to surf the web.

3.)Find a different way to express your feelings etc... Facebook has become a way for people of all ages to tell others how they are feeling through their profiles and status', so find an alternative such as writing a blog, keeping a diary, or signing up for some type of class. These things will still allow you the freedom to express yourself without the use of Facebook.

Hopefully these tips will allow you to make a positive change in your social life. You don't want to be the one that needs to sign up for Facebook use anonymous in your thirties! (watch the video for more info!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21dbOiS5fwM