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Is Your Teen Obsessed with Celebrities?

Is Your Teen Obsessed with Celebrities?

Adolescence is a time in a young person’s life that is filled challenging lessons, immense physical growth, surging hormones, and a newfound need for autonomy. Teenagers are constantly pushing boundaries, testing limits, and are incredibly influenced by celebrities as they are the ambassadors of American culture. Teens rely primarily on social media to follow celebrities. There are a variety of social media platforms some of which include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat that enable teenagers to remain up to date on their celebrity idols and become emotionally invested in their personal as well as professional lives. A report published by Common Sense Media found that seventy-five percent of American teenagers have social media profiles. It is important to bear in mind that although it is common for teens to be obsessed with celebrities, teenagers are highly vulnerable beings. It is natural for teens to look up to people they perceive as successful, but for some teenagers, celebrity obsessions can get out of hand and extend beyond standard teenage behavior. 

Celebrity Worship Syndrome

Celebrity worship syndrome has been described as an obsessive-addiction disorder that is defined as an “obsessive fascination with a famous person… [and] has been associated with several mental health problems, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety, dissociation, and body image concerns.” Psychology Today explains that there are three independent dimensions of celebrity worship, which include the following: 

  • Entertainment-social dimension relates to attitudes where teenagers are attracted to a celebrity because of their perceived ability to entertain and to become a social focus of conversation with likeminded others.
  • Intense-personal dimension relates to teens that have intensive and compulsive feelings about a celebrity.
  • Borderline-pathological dimension relates to teenagers who display uncontrollable behaviors and fantasies relating to a celebrity.

Celebrities are people that are imperfect, make mistakes and have every part of their lives publicized regardless of whether they are portrayed in a positive or negative light. When a young person idolizes a celebrity, they typically act out their obsession through emulation. Hence, whatever celebrities do, whether positive or harmful, teens tend to do the same. It is not uncommon for teenagers to get involved in drugs, sexual activities, or adapt other harmful habits simply because their favorite celebrity did the same. It is impractical to assume you can help your teen avoid celebrity influence entirely. However, you can help steer your teen towards revering the right people. You can also learn to recognize when your teen may be getting carried away and help to pull them out of their obsession and ground them.

For Information and Support

Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know needs mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769. You can also contact us via email at info@pacificrtc.com.

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