A typical person’s movie night consists of a romance, a comedy or horror movie, not a documentary. What do you think of when someone tells you that they want to watch a new documentary? Well, my mind instantly goes back to high school history class, yuck! Who wants to watch a documentary anyway? I’m here to tell you that you NEED to rethink your perspective on these types of films. I am also here to tell you, you NEED to watch the Demi Lovato documentary. I don’t blame you if you’re sitting back thinking, I really don’t like her and nah, why waste my time? But this film is something I truly believe that every girl should see if they are currently struggling with their mental health.
Speaking from my perspective, I struggle everyday with anxiety and every year with seasonal depression. Watching this film, it hit me hard, Demi is such an inspiring woman.
Her Battle with Addiction
Demi finally opened up to her fans about her dark past. When Demi had her big break with Disney in her film Camp Rock, she admitted to using cocaine. She spoke out in the documentary saying, “I was either craving drugs or on drugs.” When watching this part of the film it came as a huge shock. Growing up watching her on shows like Sonny with a Chance and the movie Princess Protection Program, I was obsessed with her. She was my desktop background for months, she started doing cocaine at the age of 17, being only a couple of years older and having known people to abuse substances, it is a scary though to find out someone you idolized at such a young age was addicted. The film goes into detail about the hardships she faced as she was using and discusses her road to sobriety.
Her Battle with Depression and Mania
Around the same time Demi was addicted to cocaine, she was suffering from episodes of mania and depression. She came to realize she had mania when she punched her back up dancer Shorty in the face. This is the moment Demi wishes she could forget. The team that worked for her also noticed her sleeping patterns and episodes circling this event. They said Demi wasn’t the same person they knew and had come to love. Demi was sent to a treatment facility where she came to understand that she could lose everyone she loved, all at age 18. It is hard to come out in the open and say that I suffer from depression too; I can relate to Demi on going through episodes where all I want to do is sleep, or detach myself from society and the world. Watching this documentary showed me that even people you think don’t suffer, do. It also showed me that anyone can get through it with a little time and a little help. It was inspiring to see Demi bounce back into the strong women she is now from when she was 18. It really shows that you can too.
Coping with an Eating Disorder Everyday
Watching the part of the film dealing with Demi’s eating disorder was hard. It showed how difficult it is to be a young woman today. I felt like so many girls could relate to Demi here, just like I do. I have struggled and continue to struggle with how I eat. Demi touched upon a time in her life when all she did was worry about how skinny she was. She believed she had to be skinny to be liked. It was so hard to see her talk about this and show the before pictures of what her body used to look like during that stage. It is, however, so inspiring to see her recovery and the photos. She has come a long way from how she was before, but she still struggles with her eating disorder today.
Her Views on Sex and Sexuality
“I’m on a dating app with both men and women,” was the statement Demi started with when the documentary switched to her dating life. She claimed to be open to anything, for she believes it is not the gender that matters, it’s about the connection. I couldn’t agree more to her views on sexuality, love is love. Gender should not dictate who you marry or date in your life. Demi also talks about her views on sex. She says that it’s fun, and she is entitled to her own body and what she does with it. Again, I am on Demi’s side. Sex in our society today is viewed down upon towards women. I think women have every right to have sex with whomever they want, whenever they want. Society needs to get rid of double standards.
Becoming Strong and Independent
In the documentary Demi touched upon her romance with Wilmer Valderama. She says that she loves him and will always love him, but needed to be on her own. One of the reasons why the couple broke up was that Demi had never truly been on her own. Demi decided it was time, that she didn’t need to always have someone, that she needed to be on her own to discover herself. Demi now lives in her own house and is becoming independent. This part of the film is so important to me. I think that no matter how much you love someone, you must love yourself first. Demi is such an inspiration to break apart from the love of her life to take the time for herself. Doing so proves how strong of a person you can be, and Demi is a remarkable role model to show that even with her drug abuse, mania and depression and the eating disorder, you can escape and grow. That you can learn to take care of yourself and love yourself after tons of heartbreak and tragedies.
Here is the link to watch the documentary ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA