When a celebrity dies, it can feel like losing a loved one. Why do we get so invested in parasocial relationships? | Bianca Denny

These one-sided connections with famous people are a normal part of modern life. But sometimes they can lead to emotional distress

The modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their work

“It came as such a shock. I just can’t believe he’s gone.”

Psychologists are accustomed to seeing bereaved individuals. But working with Jodie* presented a unique challenge – she’d never met the person she was grieving. Jodie was reeling after the recent death of a well known singer. Despite not knowing the singer personally, Jodie’s grief and loss seemed as palpable as other patients speaking about the deaths of family members or loved ones. Jodie reported that weeks after the singer’s death, she was struggling to attend work and was sleeping poorly, describing herself as consumed with thoughts of the singer.

Jodie was experiencing grief related to a parasocial relationship. This is a social phenomenon in which a person experiences a one-sided psychological connection with a public figure or famous person. While an intimate and intense sense of friendship or connection is felt, the object of attention is oblivious to their admirer’s existence.