Most
of us are in the habit of watching television. We grew up with it. At
this point
it has become part of our culture.
Even when you are not sitting down and watching,
someone else invariably is, and it hums away in the background,
adding the chatter of canned voices to our environment.
Not surprisingly, many people with
CFS/ME cannot tolerate the noise. Dr. John Richardson, a British
physician who treated thousands of ME patients, listed the inability
to tolerate chatter as one of the primary symptoms of ME. Not only do
people have difficulty with the noise, they have problems with the
sudden shifts of light. A number of years ago, several Japanese
children suffered seizures while watching Pokemon on TV. The
rapid flickering of light led to a massive firing of neurons, and the
children collapsed.
While people with CFS/ME do not usually
run the risk of having seizures while watching TV, photophobia
(sensitivity to light) is one of the most common symptoms of the
illness. Our nervous systems over-respond to light and other
stimulation, which can lead to pain, a creeping sensation, anxiety
and malaise.
The ideal solution for this problem is
to turn off the TV. If you live in a household, this may not always
be possible. But turn it off when you can. If there is a program you
would like to watch, you can minimize the effects of flickering by
making sure the room is well lit. Keep as far from the screen as
possible, and wear polarized sunglasses.
Most important, do not watch TV at
night if you suffer from insomnia. While watching a movie on a DVD
can be pleasant in the evening, watching TV is too stimulating. You
will have a more restful night if you read before bed.