A new study released by the University of Maryland found that unhappy people watch a significant amount more television than people who are happier. Those more satisfied with life spend more free time reading and/or socializing.

34 years of data was compiled recently from more than 45,000 participants and information implies that those watching TV might feel good short term, but it will lead to an overall unhappiness; kind of like alcohol.

"The pattern for daily TV use is particularly dramatic, with 'not happy' people estimating over 30 percent more TV hours per day than 'very happy' people," the study says. "Television viewing is a pleasurable enough activity with no lasting benefit and it pushes aside time spent in other activities - ones that might be less immediately pleasurable, but that would provide long-term benefits in one's condition. In other words, TV does cause people to be less happy." (James Hibberd, Reuters) But watching TV was the only activity that had "a direct correlation with unhappiness", the report added.

The report goes on to explain that TV is not judgmental or a difficult activity, so people with little to no social skills find it easy to engage with. Chronic unhappiness can be "socially and personally" debilitating and can interfere with one's social life. There's a certain amount of passivity that goes into turning on a remote and watching a screen. In other words, the report adds, "the casual order is reversed for people who watch television; unhappiness leads to television viewing." The study found that unhappily married couples also watch more boob tube and happily married couples engage in 30 percent more sexual activity, attend more religious service and read more newspapers on a daily basis.

But the news could prove positive for broadcasters as new economic woes could mean a boost in ratings. "Through good and bad economic times, our diary studies, have consistently found that work is the major activity correlate of higher TV viewing hours," John P. Robinson, co-author of book "How Americans Spend Their Time," said. "As people have progressively more time on their hands, viewing hours increase."

Researchers see these data samples show signs of addiction that provide a momentary lapse of pleasure, but eventually lead to depressive cycles. Also people who are more prone to addiction in general can become prone to social or personally disadvantages and TV can be an easy way to avoid these issues.