You Never Met Them, But Losing Them Still Hurts: The Realness of the Parasocial Goodbye
Clicking unfollow on someone you've never actually met shouldn't sting — but somehow it does. The grief that comes with stepping back from a creator or celebrity you've followed for years is messier and more legitimate than anyone gives it credit for. Here's why those one-sided bonds feel so real, and what it means when they fall apart.