Stalker Alert: 9 Signs You’re In An Imaginary Relationship

Allow us to introduce you to a very special member of the Her.ie team. This man has been around since the very beginning. Readers, this is our IBF: Ryan Gosling.

Just look at him. Isn’t he beautiful? (That's a rhetorical question, by the way. We know he's amazing).

Now, we know what you’re thinking: ‘Will someone PLEASE explain to me what the f**k an IBF is?!’ IBF stands for ‘imaginary boyfriend.’ This is a celeb who you wish was your real boyfriend in real life.

Sadly Eva has already gotten her claws into this one (God damnit!) so we live out our relationship with Ryan in our heads. Crazy? Yes. But it gets us through the tough times.

So we have to ask: who is your IBF? Here are the 9 signs that you’re currently involved in an imaginary romantic relationship.

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"So... how was your day?"

1. You hold full-on conversations with them: This is how you keep up to speed with your imaginary other half. You ask him how his day was, you imagine chatting about your future together, you tell him to calm down when he gets a little frisky and he’s always full of compliments for you. It’s perfect.

2. You tell people that you have a boyfriend: It doesn’t matter that he’s famous, romantically involved with someone else and lives all the way across the world – it still counts.

3. You get jealous when you see your IBF talking to other people: Actresses in films, other fans, pesky interviewers. You want to be the focus of his attention. Constantly. Who do these other people think they are?

4. Going on dates with other people feels like cheating: Yes, random date, we’re sure you’re a lovely person and we appreciate you buying us dinner but we’re in love with someone else and, judging from our imaginary conversations with that person, he feels the same way about us. Sorry.

"Ugh, my IBF is so much hotter..."

5. You can relate to the relationship issues your friends are having: Because you totally know what it’s like to have a fight with your fella for leaving his dirty boxers all over the place. Us and Ryan had that same argument last week. Dude just won’t keep his pants on.

6. You know everything about them: If you know what an actor’s middle name is, how many siblings he has and what his most embarrassing moment is, then we hate to break it to you but you’re definitely in an imaginary relationship.

We would have such a fab time at this party

7. You hear of a fun event and think about how much you and your IBF would love to go: Us and Ryan would totally have a blast at that charity gala. He’d look fab in a tux. We’d have to find a swish dress, but we’d look amazing. We’d drink and dance and have the craic. It would be WONDERFUL.

8. You wonder if they like your clothes: When you get dressed in the morning, you choose your clothes based on what your IBF would like the best. Red’s his favourite colour? Red dress it is!

9. You can’t leave the house because your IBF is on the telly: They’re showing one of his films so you have to cancel all your plans and have a romantic night in with your (completely imaginary) other half.