PUSH PULL DYSMORPHIA

I wanted to make this film because I have a deep connection to the message. I have suffered from body dysmorphia for upwards of a decade. From being chubby in high school and feeling ashamed of my body, to even now, I am much healthier, yet I gain weight and see myself just how I used to be. It has taken a toll on my mental stability and makes me ashamed to even go to the gym. I want people, especially young males, to know that they aren't alone and that body dysmorphia is a real problem. Around 2020, there was a big influx in gym culture from people being stuck inside and losing their weight goals. They wanted to change that, so they started going to the gym. This, in turn, has led to a big boom of ‘fitness’ influencers profiting millions of views, with many spreading misinformation to gain attention and get people to buy into their products/ services. This had led to young males injuring themselves or not seeing results, and feeling dismayed with their bodies. I want this film to be an outreach to people, old and new to the gym, to open the discussion of the harms that body dysmorphia can have on people, not just mentally, but physically as well.