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Parasocial Relationships Have Us Acting Like Toxic Exes Towards People We’ve Never Met

Parasocial relationships can feel comforting, but they can also turn fandom into fixation, entitlement, and online pile-ons.

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I’ll admit: I doomscroll on social media far too much for my own well-being. The amount of time I’ve spent catching up on influencer drama rather than reading the piles of novels begging for attention on my bedroom floor is actually embarrassing. Sure, I can blame my curiosity about human behavior and my desire for escapism, but at the end of the day, this habit is not benefiting anyone. In fact, it really only makes me more anxious, self-critical, and detached from my own life.

The truth is, we all see ourselves in these people, whether they’re reality TV stars, YouTubers, or someone who just so happened to go viral on TikTok. As a result, and often without realizing it, we tend to form parasocial relationships with individuals we’ve never met.

Sounds a bit wild when we frame it like that, right?

What Is a Parasocial Relationship Anyway?

According to Psychology Today, “Parasocial relationships refer to one-sided relationships in which a person develops a strong sense of connection, intimacy, or familiarity with someone they don’t know, most often celebrities or media personalities. These relationships........

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