How to Avoid Being a Victim of a Parasocial Relationship
The first thing to know about these relationships is that they are often one-sided. You may find them to be helpful in escaping reality, providing inspiration, community, learning, and attachment. You may also find that these relationships lead to heartbreak. Regardless of their benefits, these relationships are not for everyone. Read on to learn how to avoid being a victim in this type of relationship. Listed below are some signs that you might be dating someone who is parasocial.
Parasocial relationships are one-sided
While most relationships are two-sided, parasocial relationships are one-sided. A parasocial partner may not know you, but he or she might think about you. Psychologists have studied this type of relationship extensively throughout the years. Though not new, parasocial relationships have become more common as technology has advanced. In some cases, these relationships may even be sexual. Regardless of whether a parasocial relationship is sexual or not, it is still very real and often unhealthy.
Although parasocial relationships are one-sided, there are ways to maintain them. For example, parasocial relationships can be maintained via weekly viewings of the Kardashians or posting on social networking sites. People who participate in these types of relationships may feel more comfortable with these types of interactions, which is why they are so popular in online communities. They may also see the rewards as high and the risks as low. But, for now, it’s a good idea to be cautious when engaging in these types of relationships.
They help you escape reality
If you find yourself unable to deal with reality, you can use the power of your parasocial relationships to escape. The power of these relationships can include minor things such as a holiday or a common sport. Instead of getting stuck in the mud and reliving the same old experiences, you should focus on the lessons learned from these relationships. Every life incident has its own lessons. Label these lessons as your own unique wisdom.
For example, you may spend hours on social networks, commenting on fan pages, and fantasizing about your idol. You may even try to meet your idol! You might also fantasize about meeting your idol. Parasocial relationships can distract you from reality and make it difficult to move forward in real life. They are also very hard to break and can even lead to crime. So, it is essential to know yourself and the person you’re with to be able to handle your life in a normal way.
They provide community, self-exploration, attachment, learning, inspiration
For decades, the only way to interact with an idol or celebrity in the media was to have a parasocial relationship. But the evolution of social media has made it possible for fans to engage with their idols on a much greater scale. Today, these parasocial relationships are commonly formed between YouTubers and Instagram influencers. YouTube stars can engage in chat and video messages with their audience, unlike TV movie actors 20 years ago. This intimacy can help YouTube stars deal with obsessive fans.
The cognitive processes that allow us to connect to our favorite fictional characters resemble those that happen with our friends in real life. And when PSRs dissolve, the feelings we experience are like those we experience after a real-life relationship breaks up. Therefore, it is not surprising that audiences are more likely to form a parasocial relationship with characters they recognize as being like real-life individuals.
They can lead to heartbreak
Parasocial relationships involve an individual spending time and energy in the company of another person. When these relationships end, however, heartbreak is likely to ensue. Parasocial relationships, however, can help individuals get out of a difficult real-life situation. Parasocial relationships were first described by Donald Horon and Richard Wohl in 1956, while they were studying the relationship between performers and television audiences. However, the term has since gained wide popularity, with psychologists now recognizing its potential to help individuals cope with complicated relationships.
Initially, parasocial relationships were created through the medium of television and movies. Fans would watch certain actors and actresses over again and feel like they knew them. Today, however, parasocial relationships are based on online personalities and social media influencers. As more people turn to the web for entertainment, parasocial relationships are becoming more common. However, they can also lead to heartbreak and are not healthy for either party.
