Teens watching too much TV could end up depressed, study finds
A new study links increased TV watching as a teen with a greater likelyhood of becoming depressed as an adult.
While the study did not prove a direct cause-and-effect link, it is suggestive that there is a connection. According to an article in the L.A. Times, here are some possible reasons why:
Perhaps TV watching cut into time that could have been spent on organized after-school activities and other pursuits thought to reduce the risk of depression.
TV watching also could have displaced sleep, which is important for cognitive and emotional growth.
The programs and ads teens watched may have made them feel inadequate and worthless, or they could have stirred feelings of anxiety and fear, all of which contribute to depression, researchers said.
Compared with other forms of media, TV may be particularly damaging because it is so time-consuming, all-absorbing and laden with ads. If that’s true, Primack said, today’s teens could be even more vulnerable.
I think young children today watch much more TV than any generation prior simply because of all the options out there from Noggin to the Cartoon Network. I wonder if we will see a spike in depression as these kids grow up.
Aisha covered education and breaking news for nearly ten years before joining the Lifestyle staff where she writes a "Dirty Laundry" parenting column. She is the home and family editor and wastes too much time on Facebook and political blogs. 
I wonder if part of the depression isn’t from the fact that they’re interacting with TV instead of parents. I wonder the same thing about PC and cell phone usage. Personally, I think TVs should stay out of bedrooms and teen’s cell phones should be off in the house or at least time limits set. I hear about too many teens holed up in their rooms texting or on facebook while their parents have no idea what they’re doing or who they’re doing it with.
Perhaps it’s not so much that there are more channels to watch but that parents are not setting limits on how much TV their children and teens can watch.
If a kid’s worried about which Jonas brother is going to get the ax, like this forum seems to be, no wonder a kid would be depressed.
Match Game 73 on the Game Show net is a cure-all. Better yet, bottle rockets and firecrackers.
Otherwise, turn your kid onto Debbie Gibson.
Whiffle-ball helps. Not enough players?
Have ten kids.
Or just let your one run loose, get lost, and get picked up by cops and taken home.
All happened. But, the kids are alright.
Tried and trusted rules for parenting?
Never existed.