Do you follow all your favorite celebrities on Twitter? Reading the tweets of celebrities can be a great way for fans to know firsthand what their favorites stars are up to. But some fans may take it too far. For those people, following celebrities on Twitter and feeling personally connected with them can be unhealthy and, in extreme cases, dangerous.

According to an article entitled “Celebrity Worship Syndrome: the New Religion for Many People” (http://personalitymooddisorders.suite101.com/article.cfm/celebrity-worship-syndrome-the-new-religion-for-many-people), Celebrity Worship Syndrome describes an “obsessive-addictive disorder displayed by individuals who follow the day  to day life of people in the public eye”. These individuals are obsessed with the in-detail lives of celebrities. The article explains how, in some cases, celebrity obsession can lead to severe cases of stalking or even murder, as with John Lennon in 1980. It goes on to explain that “sometimes it’s merely delusional, or heavy wishful thinking that leads to an obsession with a celebrity”. Sometimes, “the stalker believes he or she is actually in a relationship with the celebrity”.

This celebrity obsession can develop at a young age. Children may look to celebrities as role models, which can lead to a belief that academic achievement isn’t necessary for success. Though it’s a fixation that can be dangerous, it’s also understandable. The glamorous lives of celebrities have a certain allure that is hard to resist. What those fans fail to account for is the natural talent and years of hard work that may have made this success possible.

Another article, entitled “5 Reasons to UnFollow the Celebrities on Twitter” (http://socialmedia.globalthoughtz.com/index.php/5-reasons-to-unfollow-the-celebrities/), states that following celebrities on Twitter may not be the best idea. The article first describes how making Twitter lists is preferable, because you can just visit the list whenever you’re curious about a favorite celebrity. This also helps to keep your Twitter timeline clean. In addition, celebrities rarely pay attention to any of the people that take the time to follow them, so don’t expect a response. Also, many of the celebrities on Twitter use “ghosts”, rather than tweeting themselves. If you’re an avid “tweet-er” who follows celebs, you may want to take this into consideration.

Clearly, not everyone has a problem with celebrity obsession. Following celebrities on Twitter is not indicative of an obsessive disorder. But checking up on the status of celebrities on a frequent basis can lead to an unhealthy feeling of being personally connected to that celebrity, despite the fact that you really don’t know the them at all. In addition, checking up on the lives of celebrities isn’t necessarily a productive use of time. Keeping the following limited, and only for entertainment purposes, is ideal. If that’s your style, then follow away!