Body Dysmorphia in the Fitness World
Body Dysmorphia is Trending
Body Dysmorphia is when you aren't approving of yourself - the way you look or how you look, your physique, and the shape of it affect you personally, but really mentally. It is when you have an idea within your mind that you want to look that way, however, in reality, you look much different; so from this, you will do anything to "cover" up those "issues" to become more "appealing" to the public. I believe Body dysmorphia is caused by social media pressure and the way we, or people, idolize a lot of things. Such as celebrities and influencers. Many of these popular people have a huge impact because social media is deceiving. In today's age, many people are resorting to drugs, plastic surgeons, and so forth just to achieve a certain look. In the perfect life, there is no such perfect look or physique or personality, but people want to look a certain way so they can be approved by others, so they can gain attention, fame, compliments, and so forth. It's a very debilitating condition that affects almost everyone who is somewhat insecure about themselves or ultimately their physique. Many will use plastic surgery just to look a certain way because either they got too much negative feedback about their appearance/physique, so they think by getting fixed that the public WILL NOW START accepting you.
The issue lies much deeper than that. It's the constant down shaming you do to yourself. The constant negative thinking, negative feedback, thinking you're not worth it or cannot fit in the public or feel accepted or cannot simply get enough compliments...The issue is yourself. Your wellbeing, your state of mind, and the unrealistic realities you have in mind. Remember, the way you're born is the way You should ALWAYS BE. You should not alter yourself to become accepted in life/public. Everyone DOES NOT exclude you - You only think of that. Sure, there are bullies and people who talk negatively about others, but that does not mean you should go get fixed just because another insecure person has made some comments about you...
Today's age and society are fulfilled with pressure, manipulation, and deceivement. It is hard to catch up and to stand out from the crowd. So people will do absolutely anything just to get one step above than before or one step above one another... This is chasing the dragon. There's no limit. Eventually, it'll be a continuous loop you're living in; a bubble essentially, and that will keep you progressing, and bettering yourself. You must learn about self-love, learn how to not let insecurities get in your way, and especially let it consume you. Let the negative comments/feedback empower you. Just know that people who bully others by the way they look or whatnot, they are scumbags. They have no idea how human emotions work, nor do they care about human passion. Human passion is about empowering others, loving others as they are, and showing respect. By shaming someone, they, themselves, have wellbeing and insecurities issues that they project and are not aware of it (potentially). These people are more mental than you think.
Seeking help from a therapist is the best bet when it comes to mental issues regarding your body dysmorphia. If you have to look a certain way or cover up something or take something to make the issue go away, you have to seek help. I mean, if it's an obsession and if it's controlling your life, go seek help. This is a debilitating condition that won't go away by itself. You must overcome it by fixing your state of mind first. By talking to a therapist, he/she will help you realize your issues and help resolve'em.
Merijn, StudentAesthetics, Natural Fitness Influencer Became a Dark Jedi
Here is one good example. Merijn. Merijn was a natural fitness competitor. He is a aesthetic dude, ripped guy and he advocated the natural lifestyle for years. He had a youtube channel named, "studentaesthetics" which had content regarding natural fitness and workouts. Merijn inspired hundreds of thousands of people. BUT now, lately, he went to the dark Side.
He went to the dark side meaning, he went to use enhancements. He, Merijn was natural then went on using Testosterone supplement. When using Testosterone, it is a drug, and when consumed, you become enhanced. This is a PED - Performance enhancement drug. This is banned in almost all sports federations. Therefore, it is an illegal substance to use other than medically prescribed.
Merijn was not medically diagnosed with low testosterone, so merijn self-claimed he had low testosterone due to his extreme dieting lifestyle. Indeed he is right, when you do stay shredded for a long time, your natural testosterone will begin to decline, however, Merijn did not have low enough testosterone in order to be diagnosed with low testosterone. He needed to improve his lifestyle in order to resolve his testosterone issues.
Merijn thought by using testosterone replacement it will be a quick fix for his issues. To help maintain his shredded physique and to improve his mental condition. However, it did not... This is where body dysmorphia lies. He thought he needed testosterone replacement because he thought he had hit his natural limit of bodybuilding -- hitting his plateau. However, by thinking that way, you're only setting the limit higher and higher and higher...He wanted more muscles while being super ripped. THIS IS UNREALISTIC. (So by using peds, he thought it'll be a walk on the park)
Many people will resort to drugs and so forth because of many things. Pressure from social media, stress, laziness, etc. Merijn thought this was a quick-fix to his issues, his mental and physical issues but it wasn't. It perhaps amplified his issues. His state of mind got worse and/or did not get any better. He still had these negative thoughts from within...
Full Story About Merijn
Another Fitness Influencer that has Body Dysmorphia is - Tristyn lee. Tristyn Lee is known for his short stature, ripped physique, and his credible strengths and feats. People believe his physique is unnatural, abnormal and that's why he's popular. However, his body dysmorphia is what got him famous. He stays dummy shredded year-round to receive compliments to feel satisfied. This is another story that went downhill. Tristyn Lee was a soccer player and overall a fitness/athletic person. Later down his life, he started to lift and focus on his physique. When people started to notice his physique from his pictures and videos, he got fuel from that. He began to heavily focus on his physique and to stay shredded. In reality, this is not healthy - this is unhealthy. He is projecting many things to the public and to his audience that this person can danger others due to his extreme lifestyle. (but obviously do not follow anyone's protocols). Many people will disagree with me, argue and etc, but in reality, staying under 5% body fat or at 5%, is not healthy and he is showcasing that you can become this skinny and live [heathily]...