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Zayn Malik Leaving One Direction: Super Fans, Social Media And Online Hysteria

Behaviour expert Judi James explores worrying trends like #cut4zayn and why it can be so much more than a 'teenage crush'

There is nothing new about super fans. The Beatles created waves of mass hysteria back in the sixties with crowds of girls screaming and passing out at concerts and the trend for ‘group think’ behaviours among fans has occurred ever since.

Zayn Malik's sudden departure from One DIrection has caused online hysteria [Rex]
Zayn Malik's sudden departure from One DIrection has caused online hysteria [Rex]


With Zayn Malik’s exit from One Direction we have what is almost a perfect storm in terms of worrying behaviour, thanks to the added aspect of social media, which will allow any hysteria to spread wider and more quickly. With millions of fans able to share their emotions and experiences at the same time, there’s a real danger that this mass hysteria has become global.

Being a super fan can be competitive. When you have a crush you do tend to feel like the one who is most in love with your celebrity, which can make fans vulnerable to being egged on by other fans’ behaviours. Screaming and fainting or collecting memorabilia has always been an option but cutting is a much more recent and worrying trend as we saw yesterday when the hashtag #cut4zayn was trending on Twitter just minutes after the 22-year-old’s departure was announced.

One Direction have millions of fans all around the world [Rex]
One Direction have millions of fans all around the world [Rex]


Social media is a wonderful thing but it can normalise the abnormal or unusual through sheer weight of numbers. This is great when a new craze like the Ice Bucket Challenge makes everyone laugh and raises money for a good cause, but not so great when trends like cutting get encouraged.

It’s easy to underestimate the genuine intensity of emotions that occur when you are a super fan. The relationship might not be real but the emotions definitely are. We often laugh about it retrospectively as a ‘phase’ we went through and imagine it to be a teenage thing that you grow out of, but in many ways it can be the most intense form of love we ever experience and can actually affect anyone of any age.

The long-distance and idealised nature of what is often called a crush means there is nothing negative to dilute it. You get to define your own ideal and it does feel real and often very painful. Hooking up with other super fans means you get to share your emotions, meaning you feel less isolated and this forming of groups can become addictive in itself. A super fan becomes part of a worldwide club and even thought they might never meet other club members they all ‘get’ one another in a way that real people in your life might not.

'The relationship between a fan and the star might not be real but the emotions definitely are' [Rex]
'The relationship between a fan and the star might not be real but the emotions definitely are' [Rex]


Stars like Zayn will always have their super fans but his current story has added another dimension to the outpouring of love and lust. All his apparent unhappiness and vulnerability will have created feelings of a desire to protect, but his quitting could have added loss and a lack of empowerment into the mix. Hopefully Zayn will be happier leading what he says will be a more ‘normal’ life but super fans probably want him to be happy again up there on stage with the other four guys.

If you have been affected by this article please call Childline on 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk to find details of the nearest branch. Childline is available round the clock, every single day of the year, for anyone who is struggling to cope.



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