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Parents' Guide to

My Strange Addiction

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

OCD docuseries is more voyeuristic than informative.

TV TLC Reality TV 2010
My Strange Addiction Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Rukittenme
Rukittenme Adult
November 20, 2020
age 14+

Funny sometimes but also sad might give kids nightmares

Ok, one episode I’ve seen was so funny I literally fell off my couch laughing, that one is, drumroll please.... I wanna be a couch It was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS but the other ones were sad like addicted to eating bricks. Some were somewhat inappropriate such as a man who was in a sexual relationship with a car. Just depends on the episode
protectourkidsnow
protectourkidsnow Parent
May 6, 2014
age 18+

Self Harm I

This show is so disturbing to me, I can't believe it's on the air. My close friend have an 11 year old who secretly watched it and started self harming. It may not.be the show, but an child with issues may think that the behaviour is interesting and try it. I truly can't believe it's rated pg.
See all 3 parent reviews

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?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (10 ):

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

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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