Tension and TV

[kenvj]

I've been suffering a lot of tension lately from various sources but it seems to me that watching TV, any kind of program, makes the tension much worse. Has anyone else experienced this or know of any connection.

[niaholt]

I cannot explain why I cant watch TV either. I become very agitated.....extremely bored , restless, even tho I might like the subject. It seems the plot goes too slow or I mentally cant figure out what is happening. I just become sooo restless 5 mins into a show. I think at the bottom of it is mental confusion......cant sort things into piles. However if it is the news, it is fed to me in a more bite size pieces A+b =C somehow. I can digest it better. I dont bother with it much after the headlines as I cant cope with any form of negativity.

I find I cant even watch a DVD.....only in 5min bite pieces. I think I get hyper and have to stop it. Can take me 3 weeks to watch a movie. Maybe all an adrenaline thing. The Amygdala maybe reacting to the plot or anticipation of something bad going to happen......often TV is like that in the form of news or so called entertainment shows that display some ones misery or misfortune.

Maybe the Amygdala cant separate what is happening. It may think it is happening to us....cant detect fact from fiction as it is on high alert. Even happy movies affect me as maybe I think something bad will follow. Sounds crazy I know.

[kenvj]

I'm glad I don't have your problem in addition to the tension. What I can watch on TV is an Andre Rieu concert - I suppose the music helps to relax me a bit.

[*Emerald*]

Im pleased someone posted about this.

I get this too and i have never been able to understand
why this happens.

I often find if i watch tv at night i get bad dreams about the
things i have seen. Im a one off or does this happen to others?

Thanks Ken, its great to brings these issues into the open.

[Recovery Soon]

I get this reaction depending on what I watch. Hard News is a big contributor. Just sitting around idle does it to me as well.

I also find that if I watch a bunch of news shows before bed my sleep is negatively impacted.

Yet movies are much better received by me. I think that's because News is more startling to the mind. Same reason Ken can handle the music program.

Prior to CFS I read many mediation books, and they all generally advised against mindless TV or Radio for just this reason, it is disturbing to the subconscious mind.

If CFS sufferers have an overactive amygdala it would make sense that a negative reaction would be much more pronounced, even physical, as evidenced by these testimonials.

I think normal people have a reaction as well, but its just mild irritation that they are unaware of.

[damask-rose]

"Just sitting around idle does it to me as well. "

I think one problem with these activities (or near inactivities) such as watching TV, or reading or sitting around is that our minds are not very engaged and therefore they begin to search around for something wrong, or even just to notice how restless, tense, and hyper alert we are. When we're busy, we don't notice and so we don't get alarmed about it.

I'm not a TV watcher myself, more of a bookworm, but with this condition I can't sit quietly and read a book; I become too aware of symptoms, tension, high-alertness and either I'll have to be jumping up every few seconds to stop the secondary thoughts about it, or sit there trying to endure it. That ruins the whole idea of a peaceful read!

Charles Linden of the Linden Method for anxiety, insists that people like us have to find very engaging activities for the mind and try and fill the day up with them - that's another way to help train the amygdala, with [b]very strong[/b] diversion every hour. I've been finding this to work well.

When I don't have much physical strength to get up and do, then I just invent stories in my mind - visualising them and absorbing myself in every detail and find that a good diversion technique. Or simple craft work etc. Charles Linden recovered by taking up photography, and I've been doing that also for the last few weeks - it's very engaging. The very worst thing we can do is leave our minds unengaged. In the evening, to relax, it's a good idea to chat with someone or watch a funny film, rather than just try and space out.

[Recovery Soon]

I think photography is a great example, because photography is a very meditative experience. It requires paying close attention to life unfolding moment by moment in order to capture a moment of beauty.

There's not much room to go worrying about your body, life or problems. If you do, you're not going to get great pictures.

This is also why the lack of exercise in CFS is really a blow. Exercise can also be extremely meditative and mentally rejuvenating. It works wonders with anxiety.

[Emergo]

To me TV (and music) is extra stimulation of the system, hard news is a stimulation of fear. In both cases tha amygdala plays a part.

[efly]

The Amygdala is reacting to all input ....the senses take in a lot that we are unaware of. Electro magnetic radiation....sound vibration[as opposed to not only content]....my computer humms......this stirs up my brain when im in a dip.....TVs have a lot of flickering images...this can irritate a disturbed brain...its all stimulating........efly

[neil25]

yeah i get this myself, tv can worsen my symptoms but reading also makes it worse. Some days i have no energy to do anything, is there any suggestions of activities i can do? cos when i just sleep in bed i find myself getting very depressed and sucicidal i get worried of what i might do so i try stay awake as much as possible to beat this.

[ldg]

I am ok with TV as long as it is not negative or dramatic, and I avoid the news. Can't be on the computer at night though - too stimulating and then don't sleep well. But find it a good distraction during the day. Reading is another useful distraction but it's hard to keep finding engaging stories to read. Boredom is another negative thought to let go of...mmmm... Restlessness is ....time to meditate... if only I could concentrate. Listening to the CD calms me down, but if I am laying down the mind wanders too much but sitting up I can focus better. I have been in the habit of meditating before bed for awhile which helps settles everything down before sleep. And now I start with the visualisation. I do S & F any time I notice tension and anxiety, just a few minutes with a few deep breaths. Also do deep breathing while watching TV, when I remember of course lol. I have a note on my computer to remind me to breathe and drink water.

I miss exercise also especially yoga.

[spring]

A few ideas:

1. I enjoy puzzles. Now when a friend first suggested doing puzzles I just laughed because I did not consider my self a 'puzzle person' (and dare I say it I thought they were only for kids and old people, rude I know ). But in the end my friend just delivered me a puzzle and kept asking me how it was going so I started it for peace.

I found it surprisingly satisfying. It used up time and the achievement of making progress gave me a good feeling.

They can be picked up or put down at any time and cause no 'must do' pressure. I enjoy the challenge of WASGIJs

2. Another thing I found good to pass the time was downloading audio programs to listen to on my MP3 player (I use Juice to subscribe and automatically download the programs so all I have to do manually is transfer them to my player).

3. I'm trying to teach myself to write.

4. Going for walks now I am strong enough is a real treat

I suggest brainstorming your real passions in life and then some pass-times might pop up from there.

How about writing a blog on something you are passionate about?

[marpsych]

This has been helpful to read. I can watch TV during the day but not at night when I am more tired. I also thnik it stresses th amygdala. mpsych

[neil25]

i used to have this problem when i first got cfs, i could only watch a program for five minutes it was hard concentrate. now 6 months down the line i can watch anything, i also go to the cinema once a week which i enjoy. i suppose the problem just got better with time for myself. Without tv i would be pretty bored.