Celebrity Worship Syndrome Abounds

Sept. 23 -- Feeling a little let down now that Ben and Jen's wedding is on hold? Don't worry — you're not alone.

In fact, a lot of people who would have never made it past security at the reception are fretting over the couple's future — not to mention all those presents that have to be returned.

"We as a society are becoming overly preoccupied with celebrities and the fantasy images it evokes," says James Houran, a psychologist with the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

After surveying more than 600 people, Houran's team of researchers from universities in the United States and Britain recently identified a psychiatric condition they have dubbed "celebrity worship syndrome." It's an unhealthy interest in the lives of the rich and fabulous. According to the researchers, about a third of us have it to some degree.

To measure people's interest in celebrities, the group devised the celebrity worship scale. The three levels move from:

Entertainment social: This is casual stargazing. The level of celebrity worship here is really quite mild: "My friends and I like to discuss how Ben could have moved from Gwyneth to J.Lo."

Intense personal: The person seems to feel a connection with the star: "I consider Halle Berry to be my soul mate."

Borderline pathological: Here, admiration has gone stalker-esque: "When he reads my love letters, Brad Pitt will leave Jennifer Aniston and live happily ever after with me."

"Celebrity worship has probably existed as long as there have been famous people," says Horan. "But it has probably only become as intense as it is given the technological advances that allow us to create societies, market them to a worldwide audience, and share information about them."

Pure Escapism

Today's culture, with its proliferation of celebrity news magazines such as Us, People and In Touch, and television shows like Entertainment Tonight and the all-celeb, all-the-time E! network, undoubtedly abet celebrity worship. But can you blame Americans for going a little overboard in their interest in Britney/Madonna kiss or the May-December romance of Ashton and Demi?