If you are experiencing symptoms of TV withdrawal, don’t worry, you are not alone. Many people are plagued by a frequent and long hiatus taken by their favorite TV program during the holidays. If anyone has a friend suffering from this affliction, show some compassion by giving him a hug, or maybe make him some soup. We all need as much help as possible to get through this rough time.

It always seems that just as are you are getting into a routine, and just as you are getting addicted to a TV show, it goes on hiatus. Whether it is a short, one-week break for the holiday, a mid-season break or a whole year gap for the new episode, a hiatus can be excruciating. Take, for example, “Lost.” Possibly one of the most talked about shows in the history of television, “Lost” became known for its frequent on-air breaks. Just as fans began to unravel the many mysteries of the island, “Lost” went on a one-to-two-month hiatus. And what about “Doctor Who?” Another popular cult classic, “Doctor Who” went off the air in December 1989 and did not return until March 2005. That’s 15 years! Talk about withdrawal! Today, fans of “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” have had to endure perhaps the longest season returns to date. It is no piece of cake. Fans are dying to see what will happen next on their favorite shows, and are forced to bite their nails and wait.

There are reasons, however, for the long and short breaks alike. The average length of a prime-time season is approximately 22 episodes, and there are 52 weeks in a year. If there were no hiatuses, the season of your favorite show would begin in September and would already be finished by the end of January. Fans would have to wait almost nine months for the next season to air. Plus, it takes around a week to shoot just one episode. The breaks serve to get production caught up to date with where the viewers are. Additionally, broadcast networks usually choose to air the newer episodes of its hit shows when the advertisers are paying particular attention to the viewership patterns. This is known as the “sweeps” period in November, February and May, when viewers are expected to be on vacation or catching up with family, rather than watching TV. However, what about those viewers who are sitting home during the breaks? Don’t they matter?

The hiatus can cause a breach in the viewer-program relationship. For one, some hiatuses are so long that the viewer forgets about the show and loses interest. Secondly, the break will often throw off scheduling for certain programs. A returning show will suddenly air on a different night at a different time, causing viewers to miss tuning into what was once their favorite show. Ultimately, the viewer must be his or her own judge. If the show is worthwhile, then perhaps so is the wait.