It's official - excessive TV watching makes you miserable

Concludes the study: "These points have parallels with addiction; since addictive activities produce momentary pleasure but long-term misery and regret. People most vulnerable to addiction tend to be socially or personally disadvantaged, with TV becoming an opiate."

Watching TV was the only activity that had a direct correlation with unhappiness.Unhappily married couples also watch more TV: "(Happily married couples) engage in 30 percent more sex, and they attend religious services more and read newspapers on more days," reports the study. "While those not happy with their marriages watch more TV."

Yet there may be good news here for broadcasters. Commenting on the study, co-author John P. Robinson said the worsening economy could boost TV viewing.

NVDL: I once read a very good comment. The danger in TV is not the behaviour it inspires, but the behaviour it prevents. Also, TV watching is a powerful form of hypnosis. Our thoughts are suspended while lights and sounds flash at us, imputing their thoughts in our minds. Buy Coke, look sexy, be unhappy....

clipped from news.yahoo.com LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – An extensive new research study has found that unhappy people watch more TV while those consider themselves happy spend more time reading and socializing. The University of Maryland analyzed 34 years of data collected from more than 45,000 participants and found that watching TV might make you feel good in the short term but is more likely to lead to overall unhappiness.