Originally Posted by
DaisyBelle7 
I refrained from saying I watch The Bachelor, but now I feel like I should come clean with that one, too.
I’ve watched almost every season since it first aired in 2000. ... and yes, what a train wreck. I watch all the others you mentioned and how about Bachelor in Paradise? It’s like they take the most train wreck-y people and give them their own show.
Suze, I used to watch both of those shows. I can’t remember why I don’t anymore. I should look for them OnDemand.
In all seriousness though, those shows can be very triggering. I also find myself being a bit envious that I can’t drink like those people drink. It is very glamorized. I remind myself how good it feels to wake up sober, but it’s still a struggle. I don’t want to go back to my drinking self, I want to be able to drink like other non-addicts can. It’ll never happen.
On Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise and Bachelorette, they basically make alcohol available to heighten the personalities and increase the drama factor.
I'm sure the same is true with some of the other reality shows as well. I mean they only tape for a small period of time, and we only see a very small portion of people's lives on reality tv. And a lot of it is generated reality, not reality for real.
I probably should hold off on watching some of these shows while I'm under so much stress etc, but I feel like I have to find a new day of watching things and find my new normal again. And it's sort of like dieting, the more restrictive you are, the more you want what you can't have, so I hesitate to turn the shows off.
We/I can't just live in our sober safety net of staying at home and watching paint dry. Need to figure out how to be out in the world and be okay with who I/we am/are in spite of the triggers. But maybe I'm playing with fire by watching these shows. I don't know.