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Definition

• Celebrity Worship syndrome can be defined as “an obsessive-addictive disorder in which a person becomes overtly involved with the details of a celebrity’s personal life.” (Wikipedia)

Psychologists from the U.K. have determined three levels of Celebrity Worship:

1. Entertainment-Social: people who enjoy a certain celebrity because of their talents, and enjoy talking about this celebrity with others. (the healthy level)

2. Intense-Personal : intense and compulsive, with obsessive tendencies, the person believes they share a special bond with their favourite celebrity.

3. Borderline-Pathological: uncontrollable fantasies and thoughts about a celebrity, believing that their celebrity would come to their rescue if they needed help, etc. (the unhealthy level)

(Source: Wikipedia)

• Do you have real relationships in your life?

• Does following your favourite celebrity disrupt your life? (Do you stop interaction with family and friends to follow your celebrity?)

• Do you think your favourite celebrity is personally connected to you?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to seek help about your obsession!

(Source: Associated Content)

3- a photo of Britney Spears’ obsessed fan, Chris Crocker

See Video: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

How to tell if you’re Obsessed:

Attitudes Toward Celebrities

1% - obsessive tendenciestoward celebrities

10% - intense interest incelebrities with neurotictendencies

14% - social interest in acelebrity

75% - no interest in celebrities

Taken from a study by Dr. John Maltby of 3000 people and their attitudes toward celebrities.

Source: BBC Health

Chart created in Microsoft Excel

Celebrity News• It is recognized that hero worship is a natural

human phenomenon• Celebrity magazines aid people in their

obsession • “when we are completely vulnerable, they

sell us the image even harder — from headlines that titillate us with "celebrity secrets," to the books, diets, cosmetics, foods, jewelry, and clothes that promise we'll be closer to the ones we adore.” (CBS News)

• They also air out all of the stars’ dirty laundry, making fans susceptible to mimicking their heroes problems; which can be very dangerous – ie. Drugs, alcohol problems

(Source: CBS News)4

Celebrity Magazine Circulation( 2007 )

Data Source: Audit Bureau of Circulations (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/is_/ai_n24921951)

Chart created in Microsoft Excel

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But Don’t Worry, It Could be a Healthy Interest

• Following a celebrity can be a healthy interest that may actually better our lives

• If your celebrity is a good role model, and you strive to imitate them, then you will be a good person in turn

• “Experts say hero worship can yield even more positive results when celebrities take to the streets with campaigns that encourage good health — and ultimately help convince us to personally make changes in our own lives.” (CBS News)

• When it comes down to it, as long as admiring a celebrity does not replace your own life, you don’t need to worry.

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References

Images:

• 1- http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/images/2008/02/sienna_miller_021208_12-thumb.jpg• 2- http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/i/Paris_Hilton_Can_Can_Dadeland2.jpg• 3- http://josearroyo.org/files/page1_blog_entry109_1.jpg• 4- http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://bp2.blogger.com/_Wrd1savqjoU/R81DJJ-_gvI/AAAAAAAAAMs/t9DNNGXEoe0/s400/

ap_tabliod_wars_070518_ms.jpg&imgrefurl=http://spiralbutterfly.blogspot.com/2008/03/top-five-celebrity-magazines.html&h=300&w=400&sz=45&hl=en&start=9&usg=__YdJjOkzsXYQrh74NtuA7_9i1DbM=&tbnid=DuyTp1X9Zi6vmM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcelebrity%2Bmagazines%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

• 5- http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/images/2007/07/spears_paparazzi-thumb.jpg• 6- http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/ap/c0e00b84-7649-4933-9852-f611a7927dc1.widec.jpg

Content:Bouchez, Collette. "A New Age of Celebrity Worship." CBS News. 03 Mar. 2006.CBS.2 Oct. 2008 <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/03/health/webmd/main1366162_page3.shtml>.

"Celebrity Worship Syndrome." Wikipedia. June 2007. Wikipedia. 2 Oct. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/celebrity_worship_syndrome>.

Davis, Jonita. "Celebrity Worship Syndrome: Do You Have it?" 25 July 2007. 2 Oct. 2008 <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/312088/celebrity_worship_syndrome_do_you_have.html?cat =49>.

Parks, Kaylynn, and Ky Sissin. "Star gazing: do paparazzi have too much freedom." 3 Mar. 2008. 2 Oct. 2008 <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0epf/is_/ai_n24921951>.

"Worshipping Celebrities 'Brings Success'" BBC News. 13 Aug. 2003.BBC.2 Oct. 2008 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3147343.stm>.