Say a preteen girl is going through an unhealthy obsession. I know many people go through a phase of extreme obsession with something at some point, whether it's with a celebrity, a school crush, a band, etc, but it almost always subsides eventually. Picture a little girl obsessed with Justin Bieber, to the point that she is neglecting other parts of her life, such schoolwork and spending time with friends, because all she does is listen to his music and read about him.
What's the best way to deal with something like this? If I discourage it, that might just make it cooler, "forbidden fruit", or at least drive the two of us apart. Is it better to encourage it, and just try to make the obsession run its course as quickly as possible? Is it true that "the only way out is through"?