The viral Gemini Trend offering solace in loss, but at what cost?

For Anandita Jha, who lost her father to a heart attack in October 2020, the Gemini trend, where people generate images of themselves hugging their younger selves, reconnecting with their loved ones who are no longer here, or even living out dream moments with their idols, became more than just another viral experiment—it became a deeply personal bridge to her father. She still remembers the day she lost him, a wound that continues to haunt her. “That moment still haunts me. I get emotional even telling that he is no longer here,” she shares. 

Scrolling through Instagram one day, Anandita came across a post by someone who had used the Gemini trend to be with their father. That stirred something in her. “Seeing her pictures made me realise I could try to reconnect with my own papa (dad). Even though I know AI can be risky, this trend felt impossible to resist. I tried it, and now I want to keep creating these pictures, so I can feel like he’s still with me.”

The first time she saw the edited image--her present self hugging her father--she broke down. “At first, I cried. Then I felt so happy. I have very few pictures with my dad, most from when I was a child. When I got that new picture of us hugging, it felt so real, like he was actually with me. I can’t describe how happy it made me.” 

 

The experience was also bittersweet for the 27-year-old. “At first, it reopened the pain, I cried and felt the loss again. But after that, it brought comfort. The picture made me feel less lonely and gave me a calm, warm feeling, like a small piece of him came back. It didn’t fix everything, but it eased some of the grief and guilt and let me smile,” she expressed.  

Her caption on the Instagram post reads: “If I have to use AI to see me and papa (dad) together, I am happy enough to use it for the rest of my life for every single moment.” 

The viral trend is helping those like Anandita to express and preserve intimate connections that were once difficult to convey. It now offers digital hugs – moments that may not replace reality, but carry the profound weight of memory, healing, and hope. However, experts also suggest that while such practices reflect a normal need to hold on to the past, they may also have mental health benefits and implications. It not only offers relief, a way to deal with grief and a way to, it may also blur the line between memory and reality – risking deeper attachment for those with unresolved grief or vulnerabilities. 

How AI helps in mental and emotional well-being 

Long before AI tools and Instagram trends, people had similar longings. Remember the old photo editor shops? Families would go there to create combined portraits for weddings, or to stitch together pictures of lost ones–parents, grandparents, or other relatives no longer with them. Those printed photographs gave families something to hold on to, even if they weren’t real.  

AI has now made this process easier, and has empowered people to make these edits themselves. It is akin to a time machine for many, where they use it to meet or talk to a loved one they lost, or to go back and hug their younger self for a reassuring moment. We all know such longings can never truly come alive. But now, AI has stepped in as a kind of wish-granter, crafting alternate realities that come close to what our hearts desire. 

The Gemini Trend has quickly become a global phenomenon, blending AI with nostalgia. For many, it’s turning imagination into healing memories. 

For instance, Vanshika Mandal, a creator who lost her mother when she was only eight, posted a reel which reads: “No one could but Gemini did it. I lost my mother when I was 8, and I don’t have a single picture with her.” Her image with her mother, generated by AI, gave her something she had never experienced before—a photograph of the two together. 

 

Grandparents, too, have been part of this emotional reconnection. Rushali V. Nemane from Pune posted photos in reel format, hugging her late grandparents, captioning: “Didn’t mean to join the Gemini trend but Gemini stitched grief into art—my great grandmother and grandfather whom I lost in 2021. My forever favourite, my guide, my strength, my irreplaceable universe. I miss you every second.” 

 

Explaining why such experiences resonate so deeply, Dr Nimesh Desai, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist and former Director of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), noted that the human desire to hold on to the past is deeply ingrained. “Before the science of psychology or behavioural science, we have always known there is this need to hold on to the past. That is human, at least as far as we know,” he said. Psychologically, this is often linked to incomplete grief or non-resolution of loss. 

He clarified that even individuals who have successfully processed grief may still feel this longing from time to time. “That need, per se, need not be considered pathological or abnormal. Like all other human attributes, minimal fluctuations in this need are normative,” he explained.   

However, Dr Desai also described the concept of “mummification” in grief—the tendency to preserve memories of a lost loved one as if they still exist—and how if it goes unchecked, can be a cause for concern.  

“Mummification can appear in day-to-day life, like keeping a placemat at the dining table for a deceased family member, or preserving a room exactly as it was. These behaviours are common, and to some extent, normal. But if they persist for too long, they can indicate pathological grief,” he explained. 

With AI, Dr Desai noted, this mummification takes a new form. “Previously, memories were preserved through photographs or physical mementos."

Now, AI allows people to create digital experiences that feel real. Scientifically, it’s still a manifestation of non-reversal grief, but the experience is more intense and close to real life. This can make it harder for some to let go,” according to the doctor. 

He emphasised that most people navigate this experience without harm. “Normal grief or anniversary reactions are part of life. The concern arises for those with psychological vulnerabilities, like recurrent depression or dependent personality traits—they may find it more difficult to emerge from these experiences,” he said. 

It isn’t only about lost loved ones. Many people are using the Gemini Trend to hug their younger selves. One Instagram user, Ayushi, posted a carousel on Instagram of herself hugging her childhood version. Her captions read: “When past meets present, healing begins” and “If only we could go back and say- you will be okay.” 

 

 

For some, these images are a reminder of how far they have come. They capture a sense of self-love and reassurance, allowing people to tell their past selves: you made it, you’re safe, you’re enough. 

Similarly, Ansaba K. from Malappuram posted: “The much-needed hug. She’s the one who dreamt, hoped, and carried you here!! This hug is for the little me, the dreamer. Showing her that we’re building the life she wished for, one day, one moment, one victory at a time with @__nahid.___  along side, FOREVER”” 

 

 

But are we detaching ourselves from reality?

Dr Desai opens with a caution: technology can make fantasy worlds feel as real as life itself, which carries potential risks. “For instance, when walking through a garden, you might remember past moments shared with someone, perhaps 20 years ago. The question is—do you continue living in that memory and fantasy, or do you start coming to terms with reality? The goal is to maintain a connection with the present while honouring memories,” he said.  

Dr Desai then situates this concern in a generational context, noting that middle-aged or older individuals often revisit their youth through clothing or behaviour. “What’s changed now is the medium—technology provides a virtual space to relive these experiences, making them feel more real and immediate,” he added.  

Despite the risks, Dr Desai emphasises the therapeutic potential of AI. “Classic grief work or regrief therapy remains valid. The medium has changed—it can now occur in virtual spaces—but the fundamental human and therapeutic principles remain the same,” he explained. 

“The key is helping individuals strike a balance between the real world and the virtual space. We must ensure that while memories and digital recreations can provide comfort, they don’t replace engagement with the present,” he advised. 

 

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.

 

 

Health