I'm too attachted to a tv show...

[IRE5695]

... at least that's what I'm told. TV is a big comfort and distraction from my anxiety disorder for me (and a lot of people I know), but I guess I'm too attached to the characters on my favorite tv show because I recently found out some not so nice stuff about the actors from it and now I can't stop thinking about the bad things the actors did when I'm watching it. I'm looking for any advice other than stop watch tv. That's avoiding the problem, not working through it...

[AliasEQ]

Hey IRE

It happens to me too. Every character I like, I get attached to. Every show I like, I get attached to. The thing is, it becomes a problem only when you make it a problem. Don't think of it as a problem. Just keep in living as if you're not attached to it. If you make it a problem, it becomes a problem.

I'd advise you not to watch TV to get away from your anxiety though. Work through your anxiety instead. I was like that too. I used to play games to get away from it. But the truth is, it doesn't really help. You just snooze the problems.

Deal with your anxiety. Figure out what's causing it and how you can control it. There's many threads here on the forum. Here's a good one:

http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?8633-Techniques-I-Used-to-Overcome-My-Panic-Anxiety-Disorder

Good luck and wish you the best! :)

[Snakeadelic]

I wanted to answer this last night but kept getting logged out and for some reason the login box keeps vanishing off the top of the page.

It's easy to get attached to TV characters, even for those of us who don't watch much by way of series shows. We didn't even start watching True Blood until the final season was already airing, and no matter how many "it's our little Louisiana vampire soap opera" jokes we made I truly did feel like someone had left my life when it ended. I even cried a little at the end of Sons of Anarchy (apparently sad moments on film are my kryptonite; I even snivel when the Terminator has himself melted down at the end of T2).

There are a couple of things that might help if they suit you. One is creative writing. I've been working with the same character pool for well over 20 years now and they don't have to do anything awful if I don't want them to. Writing for publication is a whole different monster, but these are MY imaginary friends ;). We also have a Roku on our TV, and they just introduced an all-80s-music-video free channel! I see a lot of the same faces, true (they love them some LL Cool J, Duran Duran, Blondie, etc) but the short format of concept videos gives me stories without having to worry about the musicians' off-camera habits.

[Fahrenheit]

I think TV as a coping mechanism and reprieve from anxiety is perfect okay and healthy and almost everyone does it.

As for your specific issue...I think you just have to accept that what you are attached to is the characters and their stories, and the actors are a separate thing. That show you are watching and those characters are real and important to you, and that value is real, and you don't need to abandon it. The show is a thing that is out in the world, now. and now it is out it the world, it belongs as much to you, as the viewer, as it does to the writers/producers/actors/etc. When you watch it, you bring your own perspective, emotions, and experience to it, and you make your own meaning out of it. Everyone watching the show is watching a different show, because they are taking an active part in making meaning or pleasure from it.

If, however, the actors personal flaws and behaviors are so wrong to you, that you don't feel right watching it...then that is okay. It is a loss for you, but you have to ask yourself if you feel morally obligated not to watch. I personally make that separation and try to enjoy shows I like for the merits of the show, but it can be kind of hard to work around.

Good luck! Out of curiosity, do you mind sharing the show with us? ;)