Parasocial Relationships=When celebrities & influencers feel like real relationships.
Have you ever felt like you are friends with a character on a show, celeb or influencer? Turns out, you’re not alone. That’s a “thing!”
Parasocial Relationships are a kind of psychological relationship experienced by an audience in the media, particularly on TV and online platforms
It makes sense. Influencers and celebrities share so much these days. They can inspire us, encourage us and make us laugh. It can feel very personal–like you’re talking to a close friend. We get invested in their life, their story, and can get invested and hooked on what they’re up to.
The thing to keep in mind, is that it’s a one-sided relationship. You get to know them very intimately, but they don’t know anything about you. You hear about their dating life, get the scoop on their latest news, dreams, fears and deepest struggles. But, you don’t share anything about your life, your news, your dreams, your fears.
The problem is that in real life (IRL), that’s not how relationships work. Real relationships require effort devloping trust, mutually share, repair after disagreements. You have to invest in each other. It can feel like a lot of WORK!! Especially if you can get your social needs met with your celebrity “friend” who never asks anything of you. You never have to risk sharing or rejection.
Listen, we all have celebs we admire, respect or just enjoy — but it’s important to make sure your parasocial relationships don’t impact your real relationships or your self-esteem.
If you catch yourself (or your family) doing any of these things, you may be experiencing your own parasocial relationship:
- Experiencing emotional turmoil over a celebrity’s actions or situation
- Looking to your favorite show or celeb when you need comfort or to feel better
- Feeling an obligation or duty to “comment” on posts
- Eagerly checking to see if your celeb comments on your comment :)
- Feeling disappointed or bummed if you don’t get a response on your comments
- Feeling like you’d rather scroll than go out with friends or your partner
- Distancing yourself from your real relationships
The more isolated we feel, the more we may rely on these one-sided connections to fill a void.
The good news is that the more we invest and develop our real relationships, the more fulfilled and happy our lives can become.
At Inspire, we can help by:- Setting healthy boundaries through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).- Helping you recognize emotional triggers and limit screen time.- Building real-life, fulfilling connections.
Let’s work together to turn online admiration into real-life growth and fulfillment.
If you’d like to learn more, contact us at [email protected] or (847)-919-9096 x1.
