Mental health and unemployment - is it a worrying trend?

independent_

I appreciate this is the daily mail and we all have our own thoughts on that, but this was featured on the TV earlier and I was looking for all your thoughts: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13124717/Generation-sicknote-Young-people-increasingly-blaming-mental-health-work-critics-question-just-snowflakery.html

The wording of the article has actually made me quite angry. Do these people have a clue what it’s like for young people these days? Are they young people? Have they ever experienced mental health issues that make the most basic of tasks really fucking difficult? My bet is on no.

What are your thoughts? I feel it’s a reflection on the state of the mental health services, and I have my own experience with that.

Amy22

independent_ wrote: »

I appreciate this is the daily mail and we all have our own thoughts on that, but this was featured on the TV earlier and I was looking for all your thoughts: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13124717/Generation-sicknote-Young-people-increasingly-blaming-mental-health-work-critics-question-just-snowflakery.html

The wording of the article has actually made me quite angry. Do these people have a clue what it’s like for young people these days? Are they young people? Have they ever experienced mental health issues that make the most basic of tasks really fucking difficult? My bet is on no.

What are your thoughts? I feel it’s a reflection on the state of the mental health services, and I have my own experience with that.

I just read that article actually and it definitely feels like they are calling out gen z for struggling with mental health. I just wished they would actually understand what is going on for young people right now than just be quick to blame them for struggling and not being employed. Luckily I am in an apprenticeship but for some people I know it is harder for them to and also because most jobs dont have the accessibility or right needs in place to support their own employees!. Also, I wanted to mention that the majority of neurodiverse people are less likely to find employment because the companies wont have accessibility or even pay for things like access to work or even making reasonable adjustment, which can be the difference of someone liking their job to hating it. I feel in my industry specifically the creative TV and film industry there is a lack of neurodiverse employee's such as myself even though this has started to change. But I still feel like we are miles away from where we should be as an economy for young people. Also thanks for sharing this, as you have mentioned a very important point and it's why we shoulden't judge people for mental health because people should be aware of how difficult it can even just waking up, getting out of bed and going to work sometimes.

FordRanger

independent_ wrote: »

I appreciate this is the daily mail and we all have our own thoughts on that, but this was featured on the TV earlier and I was looking for all your thoughts: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13124717/Generation-sicknote-Young-people-increasingly-blaming-mental-health-work-critics-question-just-snowflakery.html

The wording of the article has actually made me quite angry. Do these people have a clue what it’s like for young people these days? Are they young people? Have they ever experienced mental health issues that make the most basic of tasks really fucking difficult? My bet is on no.

What are your thoughts? I feel it’s a reflection on the state of the mental health services, and I have my own experience with that.

Absolutely disgusting behaviour from whoever has made that and let it be posted. Shocking.

independent_

Interesting, thanks both @Amy22 @FordRanger! I definitely feel there's a lack of accessibility as someone with a disability it's almost impossible to get someone to take me anyway, and then (at least in my area) the lack of part time office work is staggering. I would struggle with full time, i struggle enough to get changed and do anything at all some days. Going from here to full time would be a stretch and I'd end up having a breakdown without a doubt.

I guess it's opinion, as it's the daily mail... the facts may be true but I think we need to take a very long hard look at the actual route cause of this. That's claiming that every little thing is becoming a mental health condition, but that's in no way the case for everyone, if some of these people who wrote things like that lived a single day in my shoes they would never say such things again. I'm sure others feel the same. It minimises real issues saying that it's almost become trendy to have mental health. When in fact it's pretty much turned my life upside down and I'm sure many others feel the same.

Amy22

I just saw this on my emails today @independent_ and I totally agree. It feels like the article was written by people who don't have a clue on what it's like for someone with mental health day to day.

ameliaJayne

@independent_ I totally hear/sympathise with your frustration with this, I think that the article takes a very narrow minded viewpoint that places blame on the younger generations. It does not consider the possibility that the reason why more people are having to take time off from work is actually because mental health issues are increasing and so more people are suffering.

The media can post some quite upsetting and irritating things. Try to remember that it is not fact and only one persons opinion. Daily Mail in particular can post some rather infuriating things.

sinead276

As someone who studies child and adolescent mental health, part of me isn't surprised that young people are struggling.

and i feel like instead of older generations claiming young people are being 'snowflakes' again, it should be highlighting the growing mental health problem in this country and that actually more should be being done to try and tackle that so that more people feel they can get into work. to me it also shows the amount of pressures that young people are under in general and how its not nearly taken as seriously as it should be by those in power etc.

Maisy

I only skimmed the article but it does raise some interesting points. I think it would've been better if they looked into the reasons behind the rise in mental health difficulties in young people. For example, the article mentioned that those who didn't do a-levels or go to university, many struggled with mental health. But they never looked into the reasons behind that- perhaps they have undiagnosed learning difficulties that make learning difficult, or perhaps undiagnosed neurodivergence?

I also noticed the article references the increase in diagnosis of ADHD compared to years ago. But it doesn't say why this might be and chances are part of the reason may be because of the internet. We are now able to access a lot more information (particularly about other people's experiences) than say 20 years ago, which means we are now more likely to recognise signs of ADHD and seek diagnosis. However, something that the article was harsh with was calling the generation 'snowflakes'. I think it's important to keep in mind that while it's good we have access to more information via the internet (and can seek professional help because of that), that we still have to know the difference between normal anxiety and sadness and conditions such as depression and anxiety. But that doesn't justify calling a generation 'snowflakes'.

I actually really feel for young people growing up today because, particularly with social media, I'm not surprised there is an increase in mental health problems

FordRanger

I was checking that article earlier, ngl it got to me a bit especially the comments on it just full of people who don't know people's circumstances etc. I'm currently out of work too, I am at college and trying though tbf but still not good. There's many reasons why people might not be working, there might be some people who genuinely are lazy and stuff but you don't know people's circumstances or the full picture.

Amy22

I find that the article itself was quite biased and leaned more to a generic response to young people and their mental health. I feel like @Maisy mentioned if they produced more research into the reasons why young people have got mental health and are currently unemployed then the article would be more balanced out and authenticate rather than just basing on that we young people are just either 'lazy' or 'try to find excuses' which isn't the case. If only they could walk in our shoes for once would be great!. It's why I am very thingy with newspapers and certain media companies because of how they tend to be very bias.