Celebrity Obsession and Mental Health

Evidence indicates that poor mental health is correlated with celebrity worship. We are talking worship here, not just my devotion to Project Runway or your appreciation of Dancing with the Stars. Researchers have examined the relationship between celebrity worship and mental health in adults in the United Kingdom.  Maltby et al. (2001) found evidence to suggest that the intense-personal celebrity worship dimension was related to higher levels of depression and anxiety.  Similarly, Maltby et al. (2004), found that the intense-personal celebrity worship dimension was not only

related to higher levels of depression and anxiety but also higher levels of stress, negative emotions and reports of illness.  Both these studies showed no evidence for a significant relationship between either the entertainment-social aspect of celebrity worship and mental health.

To read a psychological mystery about obsession, check out Object of Obsession