Turning on reality TV to switch off

THERE are plenty of ways to unwind after a long day. Some people exercise. Some take a bubble bath. Some have a nightly glass or two of wine. Some meditate. Me? I watch reality TV. I have never been fussy in terms of which reality program I feast my eyeballs on, although I think I will draw the line at watching Naked and Afraid, a show where people are stranded on a deserted island and also inexplicably nude.

However, my weapon of choice has always been the Australian version of The Bachelor. From the tantrums by contestants deeming themselves unlovable simply because one man does not want to immediately marry them and father their 10 children, to the people who actually win and (usually) go on to live happily ever after, I’m hooked on a season from the moment the first rose is handed out.

While I have always indulged in my love of “bachie”, as I affectionately call it, this year I think I can say that my “interest” has morphed into “obsession”. Recently, my dayto-day level of stress has increased due to some personal issues and I have found myself channelling all my anxiety into fixating over the show. I didn’t even realise how deeply I had fallen into the proverbial Bachelor rabbit hole, until I found myself on a fan forum earnestly reading someone’s account of pausing the show frame by frame to determine body language from various contestants. Last week I was perusing one of these said forums on my computer while trying to drown out the fact my V/Line train was delayed yet again. Almost as if I was mid-trance, I had to ask the man sitting next to me to repeat himself when I heard him murmur over my winning contestant conspiracy theory article.

“I said, how can you fill your mind with that trash,” said the man, pointing to the huge photo of the Bachelor on my computer screen.

I considered ignoring him. I considered giving him a withering stare. But what came out of my mouth was far more sincere. “Because it erases everything else from my brain,” I said.

While this didn’t exactly have the profound effect on the man that I was expecting, I stand by it.

I’m more than happy for this silly little show to be my ultimate distraction. In fact, I implore everyone to consider unwinding with The Bachelor or reality show of choice. Just don’t get mad at me if your favourite doesn’t win.