Credits: Social Media
Psychotherapist explains why we get literally addicted to reality TV
For some people, reality TV is a guilty pleasure. For others, its just pleasure.
Reality television has generated some of Britains most iconic pop culture moments. It has created national celebrities like Jo Supernanny Frost. For the full scoop, make sure to check out our sister site, Reality Tidbit, where you can really indulge. For now, however, psychotherapist and trauma specialist Renee Zavislak explains that theres a fine line between becoming literally addicted to consuming reality TV and acknowledging that, dopamine and ego issues aside, these shows are also just plain fun. �
Reality TV makes us literally addicted
For years, I eschewed reality TV in favor of more intellectual pursuits. I admit to an attitude of condescension.
Experience has since granted me perspective, and as an occasional convert, I sometimes find myself thinking about the role reality TV plays in society at large.
- DIDN’T CATCH THAT: Filmmaker helps explain why people watch TV with subtitles
Renee tells me that, on a chemical level, watching reality TV prompts our bodies to secrete extra dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline.
These hormones not only create a feeling of excitement and pleasure, she says, but dopamine’s primary job is motivation, which means that the more we watch, the more we want to watch.
Our nervous systems get quite literally addicted to these chemicals, she goes on, which means we can be quite literally addicted to reality TV.
Sound familiar? It does to me!
There are also potent psychological processes that get us hooked
Beyond the endocrine and neurological worlds, there are a few potent psychological processes that can get us hooked on reality TV, Renee tells me.
The first layer is escapism. Living vicariously through the characters we see in shows like 90 Day Fianc�e or Love Is Blind triggers an emotional release, or catharsis, which allows us to escape our own problems and anxieties. The daily stressors from work, money, and family, go out the window for an hour& or three.
For some, Renee says, this immersion goes even deeper.
People form parasocial bonds with reality TV stars. They follow them on Instagram and TikTok. They might even fool themselves into thinking their bond is two-sided.
I have clients who talk about reality TV in their sessions! Renee says, referring to her work as a psychotherapist. These are educated adults who are paying for the time they use to express how deeply connected they feel to characters and relationships in reality TV shows.
Shes convinced that were “more susceptible to these seemingly real but decidedly imagined connections than ever before.” She blames an epidemic of loneliness and digital disconnection.
When we compare ourselves to others, we always come off worse
Renees third point has to do with how we compare ourselves and our intimate relationships with those we see on screen.
The ego’s favorite strategy and one that fails every time is comparison.
Even if we decided were prettier, smarter, mentally healthier than a given reality TV star, Renee argues it is still unreasonable to compare ourselves to someone we see on television. This is partly because their lives are curated and, ultimately, artificial.
Its also predicated on a more fundamental error: that a comparison paradigm is the cornerstone of a scarcity mindset. In other words, we only resort to comparison if we already feel inadequate.
Women are particularly susceptible to this, she says, as we are culturally conditioned to compare ourselves to other women, particularly when assessing superficial and TV-friendly traits like physical appearance.
The more we compare, the more insecurity and self-criticism we experience, the more we go looking for another comparison that will soothe the self-esteem crash. It’s a no-win feedback loop.
If you found this fascinating yet depressing, take heart that Renee admits to being as guilty as any of my clients. As we speak, she says, she is eagerly awaiting the next installment of Love Is Blind. Because dopamine and ego issues aside, these shows are also just plain fun.
Renee Zavislak is a licensed marriage and family therapist, PTSD/trauma specialist, nutritionist, and host of Psycho Therapist: The Podcast. You can also find her on Instagram.
