To wonder why companies that cause mental illness aren't punished like companies that cause other illness?

[PatoPotato]

I overheard that some people around the world can choose to undergo euthanasia because of mental illness.

This made me consider that much of marketing in business today plays on insecurities of the public. Social media and vloggers manipulate the feelings of people and make them feel insecure in order to get them to buy things. How is this a thing? If mental illness can be a reason to undergo euthanasia, certainly we shouldn't allow companies to inflict mental manipulation on the public? I believe suicide amongst the young has gone up badly since social media has become a thing. Why are we letting these companies put us in an eternal popularity contest of likes so we become addicted to the attention and keep going back to the site in hopes we click on an advert? This sounds like something that we are getting very, very wrong.

AIBU to wonder why companies that cause mental illness aren't punished like companies that cause other illness?

How do we know that MH issues aren’t on the rise because of the parenting culture in the UK? Maybe there is a link between all the depressed and anxious people and not forming an attachment to their caregiver?

This is just a credible an argument as social media being the problem surely...

@ethelfleda

OP won’t answer this as I asked too

PookieDo

I thought what I was saying is obvious. There is no doubt that there are other causes of MH issues but that doesn't mean we should ignore all causes. For example, you may get lung cancer because of your genetics or smoking but does that mean we give asbestos a free pass? No we don't.

Pato can we sue our parents then? And how would we prove it?

ethelfleda

Lots of people sue their parents for issues all the time. If you can't prove it then you wouldn't win no matter what the issue was unfortunately.

Thing is, you’ve got epigenetics in play here. Some people are born with genes that predispose them to suffering from a MH issue, and various things from their environment can ‘switch the gene on’ so to speak.
What can cause mental breakdown in one person may not affect the other.
Whereas we could all get arms broken or skin burnt (for example) at work.

I get what you’re saying but I don’t think it is something that would be possible.

I know it's not what you meant now I've read the thread, but I thought you were going to talk about workplaces who cause employees to suffer with stress/depression etc... because of poor management, working conditions or workload, of which there are many which seem to go completely unchecked.

A few of my ex colleagues have been put on anti depressants recently because of how stressful their workplace has become. It shouldn't be allowed to happen.

Lots of people sue their parents for issues all the time
I believe they have in the states, not sure about the UK.
I bet it will be big business with the next generation, they'll have evidence from social media to prove their privacy was invaded cause them distress.
There is a lovely boy aged 8 at the school has some issues but you'd never know, his DM puts up his life, poo soiling issues, every DM knows the childs private business, yes some would pass the information to their DC.

Your parents have no control over asbestos exposure if they aren’t aware

But your parents are responsible for controlling exposure to the negative side effects of SM, marketing and part of being a parent is protecting and raising them

It does give a free pass to bad or lazy parents to blame issues for children on social media which they know about and can control

And agree with other posters that despite very good parenting and avoidance of SM many people are pre disposed to conditions

Just like no one used to talk about teenage pregnancy and abortion people are now talking about domestic violence and Mental health so something that was previously hidden and shameful is not anymore

Hmm I don't know I feel like something must change in society if we are going to address mental health appropriately.

Stop blaming other people/businesses for things which you or the parents are to blame.

Control your kids round things like social media, instill in them internet safety

Stop with the where there is blame their is a claim culture

Keep fighting mental health stigma. See something like "I am a little OCD" because they like a clean house. Challenge it.

keep saying just because someone is depressed doesn't mean they are sad all the time, they can smile. Anxiety is so much more than a churning in the stomach. PSTD isn't something just soldiers get.

There are so many more, that is how you start to change society.

I think part of the problem we are facing is that more and more people are talking about mental health problems, this has coincided with the rise of social media, we are starting to understand it more. Maybe the two are interlinked but it might not be in the bad way you suppose

PookieDo

You are right that the parents have a big responsibility. It is difficult though. I have children and I wonder what I will do when they get to that age. I want to protect them and tell them that they aren't allowed to have SM but then I remember how I isolated I was growing up and being bullied for having a strict mother who never let me do much of anything. I don't want my kids to be bullied by other kids for not having SM but I think SM could be very harmful. This is where I think society should step in and impose fines on companies that let online bullies attack vulnerable people.

Not sure about social media but I think work places need to be held much more accountable for mental health. Too many firms are causing untold stresses on peoples mental health with their working practices. Bosses are bullying and aggressive and there is a lack of accountability in the firms especially with people high up and it usually takes media interest to causes any change.

if the working practices of a factory caused someone to take weeks off with injuries the health and safety people would be all over them. Why not the same in professional firms with mental illnesses?

You don’t have to ban it
If you model good behaviour and instill strong values and self worth into your DC moderate and teach them about the reality of SM then hopefully they will use it healthily

Being terrified of it won’t help you

It is not a given that all children will get sucked in negatively