My Strange Addiction
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
OCD docuseries is more voyeuristic than informative.
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What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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Based on 3 parent reviews
Funny sometimes but also sad might give kids nightmares
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Self Harm I
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What's the Story?
MY STRANGE ADDICTION tells the stories of people who are struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorders. Cameras follow as they engage in addictive behavior like eating toilet paper, sleeping with their blow dryers, and extreme exercising. First-time meetings with psychological experts are also featured.
Is It Any Good?
The series takes a superficial look at some people's disturbing and dangerous obsessions that have the potential to mutilate their bodies and/or potentially kill them. It also features conversations with concerned friends and family members who mean well, but are unable to offer the support needed to curb their behavior.
Brief interviews and meetings with therapists reveal the importance of dealing with compulsive behaviors, but the series doesn't offer a lot of detail about the actual compulsions or what leads to them. As a result, the images of people engaging in these behaviors seem more voyeuristic than educational.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about obsessive-compulsive disorder. What do you know about these kinds of addictive behaviors? If you or someone you know seems to engage in these kind of behaviors, where can you go to get help?
When do images intended to shed light on a person's symptoms or behavior become too much? What is the difference between being informative and being voyeuristic?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 29, 2010
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: November 5, 2022
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