Parasocial Editorial
This GIF was a spot illustration done for an article on the positives and negatives of people with Parasocial relationships. A Parasocial relationship is defined as a one-sided emotional connection between a person and a public figure, often a celebrity or influencer. It is a coping mechanism to combat loneliness, but it can become self-destructive when a person contributes all their happiness to the other person's existence. The person being admired isn't even aware of the other's existence.
I didn't want to portray Parasocial relationships as something completely negative, as some psychologists have spoken about the positive contributions to mental health, especially during the pandemic. However, it can easily turn into something obsessive. Social media has been a major contributor to the rise of Parasocial relationships, so it fueled the idea behind this image. With social media, it's even easier to feel a connection with someone without ever having met them in person. I wanted to leave it up to the viewer's interpretation whether the woman in the spot illustration has a healthy or unhealthy connection.
