Written by Jean Y. Foo

　　CASE SCENERIO

　　One fine afternoon, 4 teenagers were chatting away at a cafeteria. They were having a very interesting conversation. Read on to find out if you and your peers have ever had such a similar talk. And if you do, you will know if any of you is suffering from Celebrity Worship Syndrome!

　　Amy:“Hey Mark! Check out the picture of my beloved Jay Chou on my file cover!”

　　Mark:“Ewwwe, his hair is in a mess!”

　　Amy: “That’s the latest style!”

　　Lisa: “Hey Ben, Coco Lee is coming to perform in town in July! Will you attend the concert?”

　　Ben: “Sounds great. I really like Coco Lee, but aren’t we having our examination in July? The tickets will be expensive too. I guess I won’t go then.”

　　Amy: “Your idol is coming to sing and you are not interested? I would kill to see Jay Chou live!”

　　Mark:“You’re too obsessed with Jay!”

　　Ben: “I listen to Coco Lee’s song for entertainment. It doesn’t really matter if I don’t see her in person. Besides, I can just buy her latest album at any CD shop.”

　　Amy: “I’m so in love with Jay! He’s my role model for life!”

　　Lisa: “Amy, you are suffering from Celebrity Worship Syndrome! Stop dreaming about Jay Chou. He’s just an ordinary guy!”

　　FAST FACTS ABOUT C.W.S

　　Celebrity Worship Syndrome (C.W.S) is a behavior that has recently been regarded by psychologists as a mental disorder. People who are affected by C.W.S are obsessed by their idols and always want to find out everything about their idol’s lives. There are 3 stages in C.W.S.

　　The Mild Stage

　　Celebrity worship is for pure entertainment, just like in Ben’s case.

　　The Moderate Stage

　　People in this stage of C.W.S feel that they have a special bond with their idol.

　　The Borderline Pathological

　　Amy, as presented in the case scenerio, suffers from the worst stage of C.W.S. People in this stage are overly interested in their idols’ lives and movements.

　　WHAT CAUSES C.W.S?

　　It is natural for humans to seek attention and look up to others as role models. Many turn to celebrities, who are often portrayed as beautiful, clever and rich. Therefore, it is not strange to find people emulating certain qualities and habits of their favorite superstar.

　　C.W.S sufferers also have a tendency to escape from realities and enjoy fantasizing about the luxurious and glamorous lifestyles of Hollywood stars.

　　IS C.W.S DANGEROUS?

　　It has been found that people who have C.W.S are usually depressed, have recurring thoughts of their idols and may have social dysfunction. This is not healthy, especially when the celebrity obsession prevents one from hanging out with friends or taking part in meaningful activities. This kind of obsession also diminishes one’s individuality and retards the appreciation of one’s personality and of other people. So for those who are finding themselves in Amy’s situation, start leading a new life by appreciating those around instead of the worshipping the boy on the magazine cover!