Obsessed with Carmy, Michael Scofield and Edward Cullen? You could be suffering a little-known psychological problem called fictophilia according to psychologists
Anyone who’s read a compelling novel or lost themselves in a Netflix series knows the pain of saying goodbye to a beloved character.
For some the affection is harmless, but for others the connection can become all-consuming – a psychological problem experts call fictophilia.
Fictophilia refers to the very real emotional bonds people form with their favorite fictional characters, whom they admire for their good looks, morals, and talents.
But mental health experts warn that the phenomenon can have destructive consequences for real-life relationships.
Real partners live up to the idealized portrayals of those in novels, TV and movies, they say.
Fictophiles feel like they really know their favorite characters and delve into the heart and mind of the fictional person. They cry over the character’s losses, celebrate their victories, and often desire them sexually
Dr. Mark Travers, chief psychologist at telehealth company Awake Therapy, drew attention to the problem in a state of a recent article.
“(Fictophiles) often experience strong emotional reactions to events in the fictional world involving their characters,” he said.
‘Being deeply affected by character developments, relationships or storylines.’
Fictionphiles are said to feel like they really know their favorite characters and delve into the heart and mind of the fictional person.
They cry over the character’s losses, celebrate their victories, and often desire them sexually.
And some fictophiles even go so far as to purchase merchandise including clothing and accessories, toys and even tattoos.
Fictophilia is not a diagnosable mental illness. But the unrequited bonds people form with fictional characters can lead to feelings of discomfort and loneliness.
Robert Pattinson, who played Twilight’s Edward Cullen, has created an obsession for his good looks and numerous talents as a mysterious vampire. A student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas married a cardboard cutout character and teen heartthrob
According to Dr. Travers, it can also lead to the belief that their one-sided relationship with a character is as beneficial or even more beneficial than that with a real person.
Fictophilia is a relatively new term that has seen a meteoric rise in online forums in recent years, thanks in part to the high-profile 2018 marriage between a Japanese man named Akihiko Kondo and virtual pop singer Hatsune Miku.
Kondo even “married” his sweetheart — in a surreal ceremony that pitted a tuxedo-clad Kondo against a plush, look-alike doll.
Kondo, one of thousands of Japanese men who have entered into similar relationships with fictional characters, knows his bride is not real, but told the New York Times: ‘When we are together, she makes me laugh. In that sense she is real.’
Mr. Kondo, who said he has found love and comfort with his partner, shows several signs of fictophilia.
Viewers and readers interact with characters who exhibit qualities they value, including integrity, morality, appearance and talents
Dr. Travers said, “They (the people who have it) can distinguish between fiction and objective reality, but the real emotions they develop for these characters can cause sadness and discomfort because of the apparent lack of any possible reciprocity.”
A 2021 report from Finnish researchers published in the journal Frontiers in psychology analyzed discussions of 71 people experiencing fictophilia.
The scientists said: ‘The realization that the fictional relationship is not ‘real’ is evident in the abundance of often painful descriptions of the character’s inaccessibility.’
This deep involvement with the objects of their obsession separates people with a healthy affection for characters from those with fictophilia, experts say.
Another sign is that the person daydreams and fantasizes about the fictional crush.
There are even anecdotal reports of people leaving their partners because they don’t compare to the idealized portrayals.
Also typical of fictophiles is a desire to control personal relationships.
A fictional partner exhibits predictable behavior, unlike a real partner.
The Finnish researchers wrote that people with extreme insecurities are more vulnerable to the problem.
Many of the fictophiles in their analysis made comments like, “It’s safer to fall in love with someone who would never like you back,” “fictional characters can’t disappoint you,” and “there’s no such thing as fear of rejection.”
Researchers also believe that a person’s likelihood of falling for a fictional character may be related to his or her attachment style, or to a pattern of behavior in and around relationships with others.
People with a high anxious attachment style form insecure bonds with their favorite characters, stemming from a fear of abandonment, especially if the characters are particularly supportive or nurturing.
Dr. Travers said, “While these experiences are valid, maintaining a balance between deep fictional attachments and real-world relationships remains essential.”