Ever wonder why the TV is always on even when you’re not watching? Psychologists says there's a reason for that
Timothy Wilson, a social psychologist, found that people would do anything to escape silence, even if that means hurting themselves
Are you someone who needs the TV on at all times? Whether you are reading a book or cooking dinner, you are so used to the television running in the background that you can't function without it. Well, that's because the background noise, apparently, is helping you escape the silence that otherwise brings uncomfortable thoughts that trigger anxiety and overthinking. To analyze whether there's any truth to this theory, let's first focus on understanding if 'silence' truly bothers people.
Forget working while the TV is on; people want something to escape silence even while they are sleeping. Yes, that's true. A survey conducted for Newsweek by Talker Research found that about one in two Gen Z adults use 'white noise' to get sleep. This is because while silence may not directly trigger overthinking, it is a buffer where we allow ourselves to think, which in turn leads to overthinking or anxiety. Likewise, Timothy Wilson, a social psychologist, found through his series of experiments that people would do anything to escape silence, even if that means hurting themselves. In one of his experiments, he asked the participants to sit alone in a lab room with nothing but a button that, if pressed, would deliver an electric shock. Before the experiment, all participants were confident that they wouldn't press the button, but 67% of men and 25% of women chose to inflict shock rather than sit quietly with their thoughts. Now that we know people definitely have a problem with silence, it's easier to understand why they prefer putting on music, TV, or the radio to distract themselves.
While the reasons may vary from person to person, it's believed that background noise from the TV provides comfort. The fast-paced world can often make things stressful, leaving us overwhelmed or anxious. During such vulnerable moments, we tend to use TV or the radio as a distraction to escape real-life problems. "Engaging in a fictitious show or listening to a story being played can allow your brain to relax and engage in another reality," says Birmingham City University. On the other hand, people who live alone feel less lonely because they have constant access to hearing human voices on television. However, this dependency becomes a problem when someone repeatedly uses TV to avoid dealing with reality. While there is no harm in watching a good movie or a series after a tiring day at work, using it to forget what's happening around us leads to procrastination and avoidance of responsibilities. "When healthy 'mood management' crosses the line into chronic 'life avoidance,' the dependency can become a crutch that prevents personal growth and problem-solving."
Meanwhile, people who resonated with the unusual habit shared their own experiences; for instance, @xo_qadirah commented, "Oh wow, and I do this all day. Either the TV is background noise, or I’m rewatching a series or a movie I've watched a million times. I didn’t know this was the reason, but now I realize when I’m not doing this, all I’m doing is worrying, overanalyzing, overthinking, and having anxiety." Similarly, @mferoli wrote, "This is so informative! And it's so me! I also like to have the same one or two shows I like and have seen before as 'background.' I read somewhere that doing that helps reduce anxiety." @newpathpride commented, "This feels targeted. 100% I play mindless Hallmark movies for background stimulation. It weirdly helps me stay focused on work or writing. Even way back in high school, I needed the TV on to do homework, which puzzled my parents, but they let it go because I was a good student."
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