I've fallen in love...with an NPC

[brasteir]

What do you mean? If they're truly and indeed serious about being full-blown in love - which hopefully they're not seeing as they're married - it's unhealthy, as in psychologically unhealthy. Example, in the past this leads to depression and suicidal tendencies as you are not able to fully be with the person you love because they do not exist. This can also lead to common issues regarding obsession traits where the person becomes addicted to the game and must contain constant contact with the character, or some form of them. As one can imagine such behaviour results in estranged relationships. I'm hoping it's a crush or something, not a full-blown emotional love affair - I can never tell with people these days.


' Would you say its strange or unhealthy too to cry in stories, to feel something for those people?'
No, I'm not saying that. Don't put words in my mouth or assume what I mean. The only thing I touched on was 'true love'* not other emotions such as sadness, anger - etc. Most stories do not have you falling head over in love with a fictional character that a) doesn't exist b) can't be interacted with outside of a video game or the media they're portrayed in c) can't actually return the feelings with how the story is currently portrayed. Having emotional attachment is one thing, having a 'husbando' or 'wifu' in the game is the same, but there's a distinct line. Hence why I'm honestly confused if this is a 'sh*tpost' because the way OP has written it makes it sound like the emotional attachment is on par or close to their actual partner in real.

There was a time where certain sexual orientations also counted as sickness.
Also, dude - do not equate the suffering of LBGT into the same level as 'I may be in love with a fictional character' being LGBT is not equal to 'I love my body pillow' or 'I'm in true love with a figment of someone's imagination.'

Anyway; if you're just crushing OP as everyone does these days when it comes to a fictional character and not actually in the true love, in a romantic sense - which should be something you should talk to your SO about by the way - that's all good. I think Emet is lovely and has a great personality and an amazing back story. Cute as well.

*True love, meaning an attachment that goes beyond a crush and is romantic, it's what you would have with your SO or in a more platonic sense, family and very close friends. Thought I've give an explanation since the word 'Love' is often overused these days to the point it has lost its meaning and impact. To the point that it will invoke huge emotional distress if something happened to that person, mourning, depression, etc.

I can't believe concern trolling like this gets liked, be honest. It weirds you out. And being weirded out is the underlying sentiment behind a lot of bigotry. You don't care about this person's mental wellbeing so stop acting like you do.
I went back and re-read the OP and yeah they're a little out there. But this crap gets brought up everytime someone wants romantic sub plots and we'll never get something similar to what's in bioware games because people have these weird hang ups over fictional romance.

[Gwenorai]

snip

I never said I found it weird, I said it was unhealthy - and it has been proven to be unhealthy with the points I've put forward. Though, now that we're here. Yes, I find it weird and illogical to love something that doesn't truly exist, that can't give you affection back outside of the original programming without intervention, and finally not be able to respond or give you what you seek that is the key to a healthy relationship. If you think I'm trolling because I find a relationship that has zero positives other than a sense of one-sided satisfaction that can't be pursued without causing mental diress then that's on you. Stay in the clouds, bud and stop projecting.

P.S I also never said anything that would imply that I actually cared. I wrote that post as I do with all my posts, scientific and lacking most emotion. Only the last part has even a hint of it and that certainly doesn't go out of the way to show my 'concern.' I'm more interested in if this is a troll or not. Unless you're referring to the LBGT stuff, then yes, I do care. Because I'm a part of it.

--

Also, fictional romance. Hi, I romanced Morrigan DA:O, in DAII I romanced Merill. In Mass Effect I romanced Liara. In Fire Emblem, I'm planning to go after Claud. In Cyberpunk I'm planning to romance everyone I can. I also have a crush on Emet, and Hwoarang & Steve from Tekken. When I was a teenage girl I fangirled over Cloud Strife. So, guess that sinks your straw man argument. You can romance fictional characters in games, 'wifu' and 'husbandos' it's another thing to actually develop a relationship that's so intense that you are, as in yourself and not the character you created, in true love with them. So, again. Don't assume you know my motives.

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I thought so as well, the wording was something that was rather intense and thus had me thinking that it was a troll. Everyone has these sorts of crushes, it what happens when a lot of our entertainment is from fictional characters. However, there's a line where a simple crush and the likes become unhealthy and an obsession. Again, if this isn't romantic love - then go ahead. If it is, then I'd ask why on earth this would be on par with the relationship they have with their SO.

Anyway, I'm still of a mind to think it's a joke post or something. Some good quality bait.

tldr: I don't mind people romancing chars in games with their characters or crushing. I do find it unhealthy and weird when someone gets obsessed and develops romantic and 'true love' for a fictional character.

[brasteir]

pretentious snip

"Proven" uh huh using projection on your part. Just because you'd develop depression doesn't mean the OP would. So uh yeah "Hi!" get lost.

[Gwenorai]

"Proven" uh huh using projection on your part. Just because you'd develop depression doesn't mean the OP would. So uh yeah "Hi!" get lost.

Lol bye~ 10/chars

[Jaywalker]

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Lol you might be right, I've admittedly lost my touch with ID'ing troll posts over the years. Seen too many legit weird people. Figure if it is a troll post might as well laugh at that too, like getting caught in an April Fool's prank.

If it's sincere, hopefully OP manages to keep things light and fun with the fictional nature in perspective. Fantasy's fine, just need to remember it's a fantasy.

[Gwenorai]

Lol you might be right, I've admittedly lost my touch with ID'ing troll posts over the years. Seen too many legit weird people. Figure if it is a troll post might as well laugh at that too, like getting caught in an April Fool's prank.

If it's sincere, hopefully OP manages to keep things light and fun with the fictional nature in perspective. Fantasy's fine, just need to remember it's a fantasy.

Exactly, I can't tell anymore! Times we live in, right? This forum, man - opens up the eyes xD

Yeah I mean I get like there are some people out there who'd go and burn down a building because their favorite character was killed off but like some people are getting way too dramatic to try and appear like an authority on "healthy behavior". It's really lame.

Hun, I studied Human Biology at Manchester University. We have a two-year course unit module in psychology. What 'authority' do you have?

[brasteir]

Exactly, I can't tell anymore! Times we live in, right? This forum, man - opens up the eyes xD


Hun, I studied Human Biology at Manchester University. We have a two-year course unit module in psychology. What 'authority' do you have?

Oh so then you know when you say "proven" you actually you know, provide proof, maybe from the papers you've helped publish?

See you when you get back from google lol

[Gwenorai]

Oh so then you know when you say "proven" you actually you know, provide proof, maybe from the papers you've helped publish?

See you when you get back from google lol

Oh, I'm sorry you mean I have to write them? Pity, just have some articles that already exist. You can trounce my argument if you happen to have also written a paper however, I think that's fair.
Just for you; I'll go there. Link for source.
For further reading Here; it's a paid PDF - if you have a university you may be able to access it.
Revalent material:- Baumeister R., Wotman S., Stillwell A. Unrequited love: On heartbreak, anger, guilt, scriptlessness, and humiliation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1993;64:377–394

As I know reading huge walls of text are a bit 'iffy' here.
7.Baumeister, Wotman, and Stillwell (1993) reported that 93% of males and females have been previously rejected by an object of passionate love and that 95% rejected someone who had such feelings for them. Romantic rejection has several negative mental health consequences: it sometimes results in homicide and suicide (e.g., Meloy and Fisher 2005; Wilson and Daly 1992) and regularly leads to clinically diagnosable depression (Mearns 1991).

Obviously, in most situations, the romance isn't real and is a scripted scenario between yourself and the NPC. Beyond that, it's fantasy. A fictional character can't return the love beyond its scripting unless you intervene and continue to take on the character yourself, at that point you're romancing your own imagination. In the end the NPC can't return the love or 'feels' the same way about you outside of the setting. You're not the WoL. Thus the love is unrequited - which is on par with 'rejection', as it means that the person rejecting you is not reacquainting that affection. Not being able to get that affection you may crave from the person you love is seen everywhere, today. All you have to do is look up, situations where there's an emotionally absent spouse or parents who do not give their children emotion. Finally, obsessions are obviously dangerous in regards to fiction; see below example. Case 1: Leonid Hmelev and the case of Taylor Gamboa Arronis. I'm not saying that OP is doing this, or will end up like this - but it has happened and is a cause of concern if a person falls truly in love with someone who doesn't exist. Like those guys who are in love with anime characters, or my little pony chars.

Have a read. I'm done here.
Obligatory mic drop.

[brasteir]

Just for you; I'll go there. Link for source.
For further reading Here; it's a paid PDF - if you have a university you may be able to access it.
Revalent material:- Baumeister R., Wotman S., Stillwell A. Unrequited love: On heartbreak, anger, guilt, scriptlessness, and humiliation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1993;64:377–394

Have a read. I'm done here.
Obligatory mic drop.

Umm these things are only tangentially related. Unrequited love is not the same as loving a fictional character, it could be an OUTCOME of loving a fictional character but that's not a given and not proven in any of your sources. Mic drop indeed.
Actually if you could find studies about men who own and live with real dolls, I think that would be way more comparable to loving a fictional character. Thanks hon!

[Mikhaill]

I never said I found it weird, I said it was unhealthy - and it has been proven to be unhealthy with the points I've put forward. Though, now that we're here. Yes, I find it weird and illogical to love something that doesn't truly exist, that can't give you affection back outside of the original programming without intervention, and finally not be able to respond or give you what you seek that is the key to a healthy relationship. If you think I'm trolling because I find a relationship that has zero positives other than a sense of one-sided satisfaction that can't be pursued without causing mental diress then that's on you. Stay in the clouds, bud and stop projecting.

P.S I also never said anything that would imply that I actually cared. I wrote that post as I do with all my posts, scientific and lacking most emotion. Only the last part has even a hint of it and that certainly doesn't go out of the way to show my 'concern.' I'm more interested in if this is a troll or not. Unless you're referring to the LBGT stuff, then yes, I do care. Because I'm a part of it.

I just think you're taking this a bit way too seriously in all honestly, no offense.
Not sure if OP is serious but whatever happens to the love triangle is beyond
the husband, her/him and the anime cat man lol.