Am I experiencing the effects of a parasocial relationship after watching Heated Rivalry?

Hey guys- I’m wondering if anyone can help me identify some unexpected feelings. Sorry in advance for the long post.

Like so many other people, I watched Heated Rivalry over the holidays. After the first two episodes I thought it was just smutty fun. By episode 4 I was pretty into it, and the characters/actors. By the end of the finale, I felt deeply emotionally invested in the show and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I rewatched episodes, and looked at the actors’ social media pages all the time.

Within a day of watching the finale, I felt like I had a serious crush on Connor Storrie- not his character, but the real person (who I have obviously never met). An infatuation might be a better word to describe it, because I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and somehow felt extremely sad that I didn’t know him. These feelings got stronger and stronger as I watched more about him outside of the show and felt extremely attracted to his fun, funny, cute,confident personality. It felt like he was someone I would connect with in real life, and want to date in real life, and I experienced genuine hurt/heartache that we didn’t know one another (which I feels so crazy because I don’t know him).

I have been in a genuine depression since watching the finale. As the actors had more and more success, signing to big agencies, getting on big talk shows, etc., I also started to experience what I think is jealousy. I’m also a working artist (not an actor, but in the performing arts) and I feel like just a month and a half ago, these guys were the same as me- hardworking, talented young guys who were chasing their dreams and getting by pursuing their art. Now, the whole world is talking about them and it seems like they will have every opportunity available. At the same time, there is also a part of me that is genuinely glad for them- I loved the show, their acting was so good that it got right into my heart and brain, and I am so pleased that a story about gay people being in love and happy is mainstream.

I looked this up online and the best thing that I can find is something called a parasocial relationship, where you develop genuine feelings for someone you don’t know. Does this sound like what I am experiencing? It has truly made me feel awful. I have experienced so many conflicting, and mostly bad emotions since watching it. It doesn’t help that my algorithms are positively swarming with Heated Rivalry content. I stopped watching the show within 3 days of feeling depressed, and stopped checking my social media as frequently to get away from it, but it still feels like it’s in my face all the time. I also feel like an insane person because I am genuinely depressed over someone I don’t know.

Has anyone else experienced this? Was there anything that you did to make it go away? I would love for it to stop haha. Thanks in advance for any advice. <3