As Indian youth embrace more liberal attitudes towards dating and relationships, a disturbing new trend is emerging. Psychologists note a rise in delusionships among the country’s young urban singles.
Delusionships refer to imaginary relationships that exist solely in one’s mind, without reciprocation from the other person. These one-sided attachments are fostered by excessive idealization and fantasy projection onto unsuspecting individuals.
Experts surmise that media portrayals of romance, lack of dating experience, and unmet needs for intimacy are factors driving delusionships. The hype around Valentine’s Day also preys on impressionable minds craving affection.
When delusionships inevitably crumble without the real-world validation hoped for, it can have tragic consequences. Cases have been reported of jilted lovers turning violent when their deluded expectations are not met.
Stalking too has become common among those nurturing private obsessions. Cyber-stalking via social media now allows clingy matches to bombard their unwitting crushes with constant messages and gifts.
But delusionships are not just an urban phenomenon. Even in villages, young people misread friendly gestures as sexual interest and begin claiming the object of their desire as their own.
India’s patriarchal mores still frown upon casual flirting or befriending the opposite gender. Segregation of the sexes from childhood does not help youth handle attraction maturely when it arises.
Delusionships arise when infatuation is mistaken for intimacy. The person enveloped in fantasy loves the idea of the crush rather than actual reality. When advances eventually get rejected, bitterness follows.
Sometimes cultural barriers lead to unintended delusionships. Youth constrained by taboos falsely assume reciprocal interest from those who are just being polite. This wishful thinking veers into obsession breeding heartache.
Cinema and TV soaps propel delusional thinking by glorifying stalking as act of love. The myth of the persistent suitor wearing down resistance persists stubbornly. India needs a national conversation to recognize stalking as harassment, not romance.
With India becoming more globalized and competitive, the stresses of modern life are also manifesting in delusional relationships as a psychological escape.
Scholars note the need for educating youth to distinguish between real bonding and imagined connections. Emotional learning and management skills must be developed early and reinforced growing up.
Delusionships, if left unchecked, also pose a societal danger. When segments of youth forfeit reality for fantasy, it distorts their worldview and decision-making. Obsessive compulsions may turn anti-social.
As India continues modernizing amidst flux, the mental health effects require attention. Everything from sex education, gender relations, managing emotions to establishing realistic expectations needs re-examining.
India must strategize ways to allow youth the freedom for organic romance while curbing delusional attachments. Else, another generation may confuse fantasy for intimacy with disastrous outcomes.
The nation owes its young – especially those deprived of parental love – compassion and guidance as they traverse an increasingly complex social matrix. With mindful intervention, this lost generation can be steered towards healthy relationships instead of delusionships.
