Falling for Fiction: The newest social media addiction

Millions document their daily lives in excruciating detail in today’s social media-saturated world, dominated by Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

This constant exposure has given rise to something far more concerning than mere entertainment: parasocial relationships.

The Oxford Dictionary defines parasocial relationships as one-sided connections where individuals invest significant emotional energy in media figures who remain completely unaware of this investment.

We must recognize the deeply troubling nature of these relationships. When people develop intimate feelings for those who don’t know they exist, we’ve crossed into territory that should alarm us all.

These aren’t harmless fan relationships, they represent a fundamental disconnect from genuine human connection. This disconnect pushes drooling fans to leap over boundaries just to orbit their poison of choice – and trust me, the lengths they’ll go to are genuinely chilling. The person caught in this parasocial web eventually feels suffocated, gasping for air unless they get their regular fix of their celebrity “drug.”

The terrifying ordeal that the streamer Valkyrae experienced demands our attention as a society. This isn’t just celebrity news—it’s a stark warning about dangerously wrong parasocial relationships.

A man stalked the popular streamer and her colleagues, strategically changing clothes to approach them twice in one day. When Valkyrae rightfully refused to give her phone number in exchange for a song, he revealed his true nature through violent threats. He remains at large despite video evidence and LAPD involvement, which underscores the very real dangers content creators face daily. We must recognize these aren’t just isolated incidents but symptoms of a broader problem requiring serious attention.

Let’s face a troubling truth: Our technology addiction quietly erodes our collective well-being. I’ve felt this personally—growing up sheltered, I now fumble through social interactions that seem effortless to others. But it’s not just adults at risk. Our tiniest humans are suffering too.

Dr. Yang of The Children’s Hospital of Orange County researched a startling trend: babies exposed to screens don’t speak until 17 months—a significant delay from the previous 10-month milestone. The science speaks volumes: our brains literally require real human connection to thrive. So I ask you: As we swap genuine smiles for emojis, what essential parts of ourselves are we losing?

Imagine thinking a celebrity actually cares about you just because they sent a message. University of Texas research shows this is exactly how parasocial relationships damage us—creating a false sense of connection that feels real but exists only in one direction. When these ‘celebrity addictions’ take hold, people sometimes go to shocking lengths, even following their idols onto planes, all chasing a relationship that simply isn’t there.

Here’s a chilling thought: that crush from class? They can unknowingly become the main character in someone’s psychological thriller.

One moment, it’s innocent name-learning; the next, it’s deep-diving through Instagram at 2 AM. Those two fleeting smiles? They’ve morphed into pivotal chapters in a love story the admired person never signed up for.

When reality finally shatters the illusion—which it always does—the stalker’s heartbreak feels devastatingly real. Yet what they’re actually grieving isn’t a failed relationship but the demise of a fantasy person they invented without the real person’s permission or input.

Parasocial relationships endanger you, others, and your social life—potentially spiraling from harmless beginnings into mind-warping obsessions. These relationships are surprisingly common, ranging from innocuous to desperate addiction-like behavior. But then again, aren’t we all hooked on the Internet celebrity drug?