"It kind of feels like each video I read five stories and then the next day I get ten more in my inbox" I guess each story you read recruits two friends, and then those stories recruit two friends...
Story 1: It is the luck of the draw that the woman in this story had a support system to recognize that she was spiraling. Imagine if she would have been along. Imagine spiraling alone. The rep didn't even seem to contact her at anytime after the sale to check in on her.
Oh yeah if she ended up needed to go to the psych ward that company should have to pay for a nice fancy private one or if she committed a crime she should be found not guilty and the company should have to pay any victims involved for their suffering and even her for the suffering of losing her mind and having to live with doing something awful while off her meds
The rep likely believed the claims that she was making about the oils. If the protagonist doesn't get judged for believing the claims then neither should the rep.
I fell asleep watching this and had a nightmare that I was at a MLM convention and they were making me sit in a hot tub with mlm huns pitching they're mlm's to me and wouldn't give me my clothes to leave so I left naked 😂
@@eruditeidiot I had actually started thinking it sounded just like it before Hannah mentioned any of the other MLMs! I hope to be sending in the story soon, though!
Me too! It definitely sounds like the WFG. They almost got me thinking I was interviewing for an actual salaried job. They wanted me to get a insurance selling license and recruit 10 friends and family for my own training. At that stage I knew it was an MLM and told them to go to hell. Now I have a real job! 😁
I was thinking the same thing, they made rounds in a hamlet I was living and they almost got a friend sucked into it before I described "the stupidest interview I ever had"
Hi! Your story was the most moving for me because of my own relationship with food in the past (it’s not such a big issue anymore, but it’s not solved.) I hope you’re doing well!
I have Bi-polar Disorder. When you have it, you absolutely need to be on medication. Once I found the right balance of medication with my doctor, my symptoms are completely managed, and for the first time in my life for the last four years since my diagnosis I've felt (and acted) "normal." People with this disease HAVE to be on medication... how irresponsible to tell someone that they don't.
I am also bipolar, and I cannot go even a day without my medication. My manic episodes are downright destructive and life altering. The 1st manic episode that I can remember,. I binge drank and went out and cheated on my husband with several different men. I was totally apathetic and justified my actions by telling myself that my husband didn't love me anymore... which wasn't true. It's scary what your Brain can convince you of when you are mentally ill and not being treated for it.
I was diagnosed with manic depression at age 19. I'm 55 now, so it's been a while. I can't even tell you the number of times people have told me I shouldn't be taking meds for my bipolar. Even in this day and age they act like it's not a real thing. It's better now than it was when I was diagnosed, but just a little bit back, someone suggested coconut oil as a cure for what ails me.
Yep, samesies. So, so grateful for my meds. I was diagnosed late in life, which sucked for younger me, who could have avoided so much devastation & heartache if I'd had meds then; but, on the flip side, I have the experience to be nothing but grateful for the diagnosis & meds that help me be relatively stable.
Yes! My sister has bipolar unfortunately we can not convince her to take medication on a regular basis. She also struggles with addiction and I feel she uses Street drugs to “ self ‘medicate “ she claims meth makes her feel amazing. People with bipolar should not take amphetamines they almost always trigger mania. My sister has been pink slipped by the police around 8 times and has voluntarily entered a dual diagnosis treatment center around 7 times. Unfortunately for the last 8 years my sister is in a pattern of going into treatment and staying long enough to get out of the manic episode and somewhat stable. That takes sometimes 10-14 days. She places herself in dangerous situations due to homelessness and her mania has been so bad that she doesn’t know who I am. Thank god someone has been with her and contacted me or my mom. We have driven hrs away to pick her up because she took off with a strange man and her explanation is well he’s really nice. When in reality these losers know she gets SSI and they manipulate her for money. I can’t imagine if someone introduced oils to her I could see her falling for it hook, line and sinker. Theses hon’s are placing mentally unstable people in potential danger. The woman that drove to the desert could have become someone’s victim and sadly discarded in the desert.
I need that Party Light thing to be a side plot for a 90s-style sitcom like Malcolm in the Middle or Fresh Off the Boat. It would be absolutely golden.
nothing like that but in young sheldon his mother start selling mary key so she used her bible group to start selling her makeup and it was quite funny
It’s insanely disgustingly common in the USA! I can not believe it isn’t illegal. I’ve heard at least a dozen stories about doctors and dieticians and nutritionists signing people up to medifast and optavia. Thankfully I haven’t heard any from Australia yet BUT I’m worried that’s just because people here aren’t talking about it and it’s happening in just as much but people don’t know.
Story 5: I wonder if this financial thing is actually a scam of sorts. They didn't have anything, product, info, services to offer. All they want you to do is build the pyramid. I don't know how that is not a pyramid scheme in plain sight, not hidden by any MLM excuses.
Any doctor that prescribes a MLM product to diagnose & “cure” a medical issue should be reported to their local medical review board. They should also lose their licenses.
I'm in story 1, and in tears, I have cyclothymia (humor disorder) and today is a bad day, a terrible day, meds for the rest of my life, and a hun can pop up and say "look my oils will heal you", I'm disgusted...
I’m so, so sorry you are having a hard day. It’s going to pass, I promise. Try to employ self care as much as you possibly can, and please know I’ll be thinking about you and sending you ALL the healing vibes. ❤
Yes. It's not always common that people with bipolar 1 know when they are in full blown mania. & if they do they don't want help becasue of the euphoria & all that comes with it.
I'm almost certain the MLM in the last story is WFG. The diagram on the place mat is called the "napkin pitch," and the startup fee is $100, which they claim is for a background check. That company is the reason I am even in the anti MLM community.
I once ran out of my antidepressant and my brain vibrated in my cranium so hard I could hear it, "ching-ching! Ching-ching!" Talk to your doctors and don't forget to refill your meds!
I also love that the transportation guy was actually trying to cost his own company money in a way by trying to tell the PartyLife lady how to ship more efficiently. Like, presumably they got a fee for each shipment, right? So if PartyLife was better at shipping the shipping company wouldn't make as much. And she STILL wouldn't listen to reason! Boggles the mind lmao
That kind of advice isn't uncommon. If you look out for your costumers, they are likely going to be more loyal and with a big costumer, that may very well be worth the initial loss of revenue. And besides, you'll sleep at night
@@christafranken9170 He would be losing a lot of potential money if she followed his advice. Trucking isn’t cheap, most drivers won’t come out of the house for less than $500, + $200 to the carrier, + $200 to god knows how high for the broker. Bidding cheaper when you find a good customer is great to build a relationship, but not to this extent. This guy had a good heart- Very rare in the logistics industry. He could have easily let her continue without even letting her know and make a ton of money. Shocking that she didn’t listen to his advice honestly lol.
@@duneeaaasha The person writing the story specified that the reason for the visit was “customer relationship building,” and that they went to the warehouse with their own boss. Companies have accountants and actuaries who run cost-benefit analysis and mathematically determine how valuable their relationships are. Even if the advice cost them X amount in shipping fees, it was probably deemed “worth it” for them to give them the advice and build a more loyal relationship… which makes me think it’s probably a smaller, regional transportation/logistics company (ie. not fedex/ups) that depends more on loyal customers than exorbitant fees. The fact that the customer was too dumb to take the advice is just icing on the cake haha
At the large medical center I used to work at, that Physicians Assistant who recommended Optivia would have been formally written up for the first offense and fired if she did it again. Working your side hustle during paid work time was prohibited.
Bipolar disorder is terrifying, especially when you haven't been diagnosed yet and your unmedicated. At age 26 I had my first big, destructive and noticeable manic episode. It was triggered after my husband had told me that he didn't love me anymore (that wasn't true, we were just going through a rough patch.) Unknowingly, something snapped inside in my brain and every decision I made for the next 6 months was made without caring about the consequences. I was apathetic, I felt nothing. I ended up binge drinking, cheating on my husband (I had only been with him until that point) and got a DUI. I justified my actions by telling myself that I was only behaving that way because my husband didn't love me anymore. Eventually my family convinced me to go to the doctor. They did a bunch of tests, went through all my records, took all of my recent behavior into consideration and diagnosed me with bipolar 1 disorder. I have been on medication ever since (that was 5 years ago). It took years to get my lithium dose right. I can't even go 1 day without taking my meds. It's scary and sad that these MLM reps prey on those who have mental illnesses.
A lot of people don’t truly understand what bipolar is. But there’s a lot more too it than what they think. Especially if they have bipolar 1 which I’ve seen some people have psychotic features and they become a prisoner of their own mind basically and will do who knows what.
Thank you for sharing that! I have a BFF whom I love dearly but when she's off her meds, she's horrible to be around. I hope that doesn't sound too harsh but it's just what it is, obviously that's her and doesn't represent others with the condition. Thankfully she found the right titration to live normally.
Story 2 really highlights market saturation, and reps really don’t stop to ask the glaring question, “Why is this person recruiting me to do her exact job and essentially compete with her?”
Exactly! I used to live in a smaller city and a local Tupperware seller recruited another local person. I had a table next to the newbie at a teeny tiny craft fair and she was complaining about not being able to get into the larger shows because her upline was already in them. She had the full catalogue of items available at her table, and with extras for the more popular items. MLMs can be so gross.
I feel for the lady who was r'd by her friend. I also was questioned by the police about why I didn't make a report right away, and was told SOL basically because I didn't get a kit done. I also was questioned in an interrogation room and wasn't taken seriously. They didn't try at all to find the guy.
It's amazing how bad things still are! So much awareness around SA and safety and all of the things, and victims are still treated like crybabies with nothing better to do. When in reality, false reports are pretty rare. Our system is beyond broken. Sometimes I wonder if it's fixable.... I'm so sorry you had that experience, too.
@@Shoot4AlarmFire people are more wary about false allegations than about rape itself! We say "please take SA seriously" and they hear "we're gonna acuse you of SA if you get on our nerves" what the fuck men?
I am a physician assistant, that third story is absolutely horrifying. I cannot imagine ever doing that to a patient and I also think it might be illegal? It’s definitely a conflict of interest. Very wrong. So sad that any healthcare provider would abuse their role in that way.
Primerica!!! That is the same pitch I got about 25 years ago. I remember it distinctly because I drove an hour and a half to find it was all about recruiting 10 people a week but NOTHING was said about how the financial plan worked!! I was pissed!!
I was on track to become a physician assistant (PA) before the pandemic hit. I've since decided to leave healthcare all together. To hear the story about the PA shilling an MLM to a PATIENT makes my blood boil. PAs are already having a hard time fitting into healthcare, compared to docs and nurses, and to have their credibility brought into question is such a disservice to the profession as a whole. I know there are doctors that are just as bad, but generally, the public isn't concerned about their ability to do their job. They sincerely need to lose their license to practice medicine since the health and safety of their patients is not their priority.
I’m so so glad writer #1 managed to get back on mental health meds. I was heavily into “natural living” for a while….but in the end, all I was doing was guilting myself for something I couldn’t control. It was super hard to let go of the idea that I could fix myself, but now it’s so freeing to know that it’s NOT MY FAULT for failing to use the “right” oils/herb/diet. I just needed meds, and that’s okay. Now I make art of my medication lol
Hannah, when you said to take an inhale and exhale, I realized you would be an amazing yoga teacher. Your voice is so calming. No wonder your channel is growing so fast. So happy for you and happy you are bringing these predatory companies to light.
I am in my mid-50s. When I joined Paparazzi about 6 years ago, (I have been out of it for 4 yrs) I honestly had no clue about commission. None. I had no idea why my upline, my friend, was encouraging me to buy into the monthly $60 Fashion Fix sets. It took an anti-mlm video or two to truly understand the whole business model. I'd never been exposed to MLMs in general; sure I'd heard of the major ones, like Avon, Mary Kay...etc, but I had no idea how the business model worked. I think there are many people out there who have no idea; how else do these companies continue to exist? That is why your channel and other anti-MLM channels are so important.
That last story sounds like a financial scam and even an actual cult 🤷🏾♀️ I mean, the methods are similar in recruitment. But this one seems particularly shady and underground. I hope her friend is truly okay though.
Yes! If they don't have a product, it's just a pyramid scheme. I mean the ones with products are also, but it's 100% illegal without a product to sell.
That's exactly what my mind went for. This isn't just a scam, even less an MLM, this sounds literally like a cult. The way their friend T acted around the "boss lady" felt like someone being manipulated way further than just by product selling and toxic positivity. I really hope she's okay, but that's a long time disappearing for an MLM.
story five reminds me of the mlm “word financial group”. it was pitched to me as learning how to invest properly and there was another component about insurance i think. i watched a two part video of someone infiltrating two of their buildings in my city and they were pitched close to what they person in the video was. that person on youtube also walked in to a room full of asian/immigrant minorities with a whiteboard and folding chairs. i believe people make their money by selling insurance and financial advice. they sold it to me as financial/insurance advisory. it really wouldn’t surprise me if the mlm in story five was WFG. in the powerpoint in the pitch to me also had the pyramids described in it.
It's confounding to me that we all have the entirety of human knowledge sitting in our pockets, and the ability to look up reputable sources at the click of a button if you truly wanted to learn something, and yet people put blind faith in someone else's insistance ON PURPOSE.
Can you do a deep dive on world financial group? The last story sounds similar, I dont remember ever being pitched with that diagram, but I do remember being shown an “insurance umbrella” pitch and diagram. It’s pretty culty, and everyone I interacted with repeated the exact same things
Story #1: I am appalled by that oily hun! My husband has bi-polar and if anyone convinced him to go off his meds & use their snake oil I would lose my shit on that person. Balancing meds for bi-polar can take a long time and once that balance is achieved you do not mess with it. My husband’s manic episodes are scary & emotionally draining for him (and me). I would have pressed charges, filed a lawsuit, something against that hun for her lies. Thank the Lord this woman has a good support system and no permanent damage came for her manic episode. Often that is not the case. The fallout from a manic episode can be devastating. I’m glad she stopped buying oils & I hope that rep hears about this story & stops causing harm to people.
That bipolar story was so scary. I have it, too, but the less manic type. I am able to manage mine without medication, but it helps that I am not prone to the more manic side of things. Those big episodes really are truly dangerous. I was so relieved that she nor anyone else was hurt during that time.
I was able to manage without medication but as I’ve gotten older I can’t . If she would have went off her meds and harmed herself or someone else , this hun could have should have made responsible
@@kadeelacayo4806 I am so glad it didn't come to that, not the least of which is because the hun in question wouldn't have been held responsible. It's so sad! People in our community are really preyed upon by health and wellness companies, and it kills me! I am so frustrated by the whole thing.
Bipolar 1 tends ro be more extreme. Bipolar 2 is probably what you have which is less severe. (But doesn't mean. It can't be any less devastating on someone)
@kadeelacayo4806 I 100% agree. If someone who isn't a medical professional tries to convince someone to get off their prescribed medications for their own gain, should be able to be assured for damages.
It's sad that in Story 3, I could just tell it was a Native American woman, before she identified herself as such. Soon as I heard the "cops laughed me out" and "minority" i just knew.
That last story reminds me of an experience I had in the late 90s. I answered the ad for some job, which made it sound like sales in the classified ad. I was told to go for an interview one evening later that week. When I got to the interview, it was in an office park, and a basement office. Nothing too strange there. Until I got into the office. The first room was a giant waiting room. There was one woman at a desk, checking people in, and the walls were lined with chairs, and there were at least three dozen people waiting. I noticed that everyone looked very young. There were only two or three of us over 30. And the only decor was travel posters on the wall. That made me curious. Was this some sort of travel agency thing? As I waited, I noticed all the younger people coming out of the interviewer's office all smiles, and carrying some sort of orientation pack. The older people there walked out with nothing and looked annoyed. I was starting to feel that things were suss, but at the same time, I was even more curious. Finally, it was my turn for the interview. I tried to ask questions, and the guy interviewing me kept deflecting. And yes, the walls of his room were lined with travel posters. He asked about the gap in my resume, and I explained why I hadn't been working during that time. (Taking care of a dying parent.) He got really, REALLY condescending at that point and suggested that maybe I should find some other aged woman to take care of. That is when the interview was over. I never found out what the deal was. Given all the posters of far away places, I'm thinking that maybe it was recruiting for a magazine crew. They tend to lure people into that with promises of winning trips. Or maybe it was door to door sales, like CutCo. But I can't imagine a company like that turning anyone interested away. I never did find out what the deal with that "job" was. But it was definitely shady.
Wait, who else did he feel you needed to be taking care of?! You're taking care of a dying relative, in what world is that some sort of slight against humanity? 😂
What a creep! I'm sorry he treated you like that. And sheesh, not knowing what it even was must suck too. But seeing the older people leaving annoyed makes me smile. They knew better... And now, we do too.
Story 1 breaks my heart. I empathize so much with that first phase of coming to terms with a diagnosis. I’m not even a “no Tylenol” type of person but I too was vulnerable to alternatives after being prescribed daily meds for the first time. You’re so desperate for control and literally out of your own mind during that fragile time. I’m so glad they got the help they needed and grateful they shared their story.
That is such a good point about "if I'm my own boss then I can do whatever I want in this MLM" right? I actually remember saying something similar to my upline when I was done with my MLM.
I never heard of origami owl so I just looked at their website. It was pretty standard aside from 1. They also sell makeup which is weird but I guess a lot of MLMs do that. 2. They have a young entrepreneur program that recruits 11-18 year olds! How is that legal? Big yikes
I wonder if prescribing oils over medication are in the same vein as prescribing without a medical license. I’m so sick and tired of people prescribing oils and severely affecting peoples mental and physical health. If it doesn’t fall under that law then it really should. It would be fantastic to see a hun get sued for dangerous prescribing simply to line their pockets. Then maybe it’ll happen less.
15:59 _"Sometimes I don't think that people in mlms really understand or recognize how deeply their words and actions can affect other people all in the name of making a sale."_ Girl you fucking nailed it
As a physician I am HORRIFIED by the medical professionals and MLMs. If this happens to someone you should absolutely report them to their medical board. I have seen people loose their license to practice for this.
Dear Hannah, give yourself some credit, too. Because you are very engaging, I love your attitude, all the work you do to investigate and research things, all the questions you ask, your enormous compassion and empathy, your energy and way to read these stories, your voice, your expression, your reactions... you are also very cute, and your cats are a huge bonus 😀
On Story 1 the SECOND I heard the rep said that I got pissed because it’s already so common to struggle with medication compliance with bipolar. I want to fight that lady. 😭
I "only" have Bipolar 2 and the first story almost made me cry. Living with that condition is very tiring and for someone to convince you to stop taking your meds is just cruel.
I was approached by a hun in my DMs a few years ago. Back then I didn't know about MLM huns, but I was sure that she wanted to sell something, so I was cautious. She send me a video that I could watch about the products and since I had nothing other to do I watched the video. It was some powder made out of fruits and vegetable, so kind of supplements to get all vitamins without having to eat fruits. When she asked me what I think I just answered: "But... I like fruits. And vegetables." She went on that this is way more convenient this way. Me: "But... fruits. Also fibres." It came all natural without even thinking that she wanted to sell something. I was so taken aback that someone wanted to replace my yummy apples and oranges and strawberries with a powder... XD XD XD She never contacted me again. I probably totally shocked her because I felt insulted by her offer.
YES! I LOVE my fruit! Why would I want their one nasty gummy a day when I can have a fresh peach? Or banana? Besides, I don't think that powder or gummy would taste near as good with my yogurt or ice cream, lol!
A replacement for veggies I'd gladly take lol, but for fruit?! Fruit is amazing! I'm very picky with what veggies I like, although as I've gotten older, I have grown to like a lot more of them than I did as a kid. Someone trying to sell me a fruit replacement would fail immediately though because why would I want to stop eating bananas and strawberries?
Oh gosh, I remember PartyLite! They would teach you how to "hug" your candles to extend their life, but it was so much fun to mess with warm wax that we'd always burn ourselves as kids 😂
I wonder if story #5 has anything to do with Northwestern Mutual? They used to have a strong presence on college campuses, under the guise of “internships” targeted to business & marketing majors. It was very unclear, but the main points were contacting friends & family about money management, as well as asking (demanding) each one of your family/friends for a list of 10 new people that they can contact.
The financial advice one with the actual pyramid drawing strikes me as probably a Ponzi scheme rather than a pyramid (as there seems to be zero product, courses, etc)
A DoTerra hun is what lit the fire under my ass about pseudo-scientific BS targeted towards vulnerable groups 8 years ago, and it continues to be much of the fuel for me. I had some pretty intense post-partum anxiety happening and this woman had the NERVE to invite me to a DoTerra oil party and claimed that since these oils "cured" her husband's bi-polar, she definitely thought I should buy and try (emphasis on BUY) them for my PPA. Ohhhh the memory of the anger still makes me so pissed!!
Story 2, with the shipping fails - I gasped out loud, but I shouldn't really have been surprised! I work at a software company and we help big businesses catch up on technology. Every so often, one of our projects involves helping a company stop sending around Excel spreadsheets so dang much! I was on a project in 2020 to help a nationwide company stop emailing around huge spreadsheets each week, between their hundreds of locations, to coordinate movements of their products. I won't even say what industry, but you've heard of them for sure.
Similarly, I worked for a small manufacturing company that sent out invoices to their customers, but if there was more than one invoice, they mailed them separately. I asked why and the young blonde at the front who was training me gave me the same kind of answer; "I don't know if they'll go to the same place." Uh, yeah, they will, honey. They have the same address. After I took over, I folded the invoices together and mailed them in one envelope, saving the company a small amount of postage each week...not a ton, but small companies need to watch the pennies or they turn into dollars.
Hi Hannah. I myself have worked in shipping for a very small family owned business. And we knew how to batch ship. It blows my mind that such a massive company like party light had their head of shipping not knowing how to use shipping software.
For Story 5: Based on a review by finance-guy, it sounds like Primerica might do the napkin trick... He directly mentions how they use napkins and mention that a financial plan is like a house, which is referenced here. I don't want to post links and possibly get flagged as spam, but it's specifically in his "Primerica Business Opportunity Review." Quote: "The napkin presentations gave us an idea of the services offered, and how they sold. Their goal is simplify the services offered by Primerica, and to highlight the benefits of a specific service. One presentation explains that a financial plan is like a house. The strong foundation is life insurance, then after that is in place you can focus on debt reduction and wealth creation."
I have family members that have bipolar and know that first story very well. My younger sister stops taking her meds because she said they make her feel weird. It’s really hard to see someone you love going through that but thankfully she was able to realize what was wrong and had a good support system. Bipolar is a hard one for everyone involved. I don’t blame her one bit for thinking oils could help her. Mlms are absolutely disgusting for preying on people with chronic illness and mental illness.
As someone who is also Bipolar 1 and looking forward to medication for the rest of my life, this first story really hit home. I hope she has found some peace. Thank you for sharing.
I live in New Zealand and I don't think that MLMs have such a strong hold, here, but Do Terra is definitely here. My daughter was diagnosed with anorexia in 2014 and battled with it for six years. I met a woman through a really good friend at a social occasion (it really was a social occasion.) I'm a solo parent and I also have a son with Autism. I was talking to my friend about my daughter's issues and that I was really struggling with her SH which she did every time she got anxious. This woman must have been listening in because I got a message through Facebook a couple of days later suggesting I tried these specific oils to "cure" my daughter. By this time my I had almost lost my daughter to this disease three times in 5 years. Fortunately I was born skeptical and was never going to fall for it but I do know of a lot of desperate parents in the same situation as I was who would have fallen hook, line and sinker. I know so many parents who have lost their children to this disease.
Another bipolar bear here. Good on writer for feeling able to be open with diagnosis. It is tough on the meds, they are significant. And side effects include weight gain. I thought story was going to head for the Optivia case in thumbnail. Oils to quit your meds completely is even worse. It is common for those with bipolar to seek to quit meds, when meds enable us to be stable it gets easy to talk ourselves into feeling we don't need anything. Not needing to sleep as much, energy for doing stuff, feeling over positive, all signs in bipolar of oncoming mania. The Doterra reps lies could have triggered a mania that was fatal. That is the ultimate horror risk. All the best for the person writing in, and a stable and full life
I hate how the companies have pretty much absolved themselves of responsibility for these wild medical claims. These huns can say almost anything with almost no accountability
i cant begin to describe how horrible it is off my medication (I am bipolar type 2). the idea of getting off of them scares me, and it scares the hell out of me that people think like that, being they can take something else and be completely off meds
I take meds for depression and panic and anxiety attacks. I have taken meds for 40 years. When my then husband decided I should stop my meds and seeing my phsychiatrist I refused. It took me years to realize that he preferred that I was more in his control before I got medical help. On meds, I was able to get a job and leave home and go placed without him.
Story 1 was heartbreaking to hear. Struggling with any mental health condition is hard for many, especially with medication that has to be life long. My heart goes out to her and her family. Thank you Hannah for being so kind and understanding to these stories. It hurts to know that people were taken advantage of, but knowing that others can learn from these stories is something positive out of all of it.
I have Bipolar as well, going off medication is dangerous as hell especially if you have a manic episode following it, it sets the idea in your head that without medication you feel so much more alive. Truly disgusting to prey on vulnerable, keep up the good work Hannah your videos are so important.
The idea that the physicians assistant so clearly and knowingly abused her power and committed malpractice not only as an educated PA that people trust, but also as someone dealing with a woman who had experienced such horrific trauma and mental health issues - only to be just given a slap on the wrist instead of losing her job is also so disgusting. She completely ignored the true problem and just did. Not. Do. Her. Job. I would have ditched the whole practice and gone to a completely different doctor. If they’re not firing PAs or doctors who behave this way and fail to make any attempt to do their job then they do not care about their patients enough for you to waste your time seeing them. Gross.
Oh gosh story 5 is driving me crazy!! I have heard horror stories that detail the exact same “walk into a sketchy office park, no signs, etc” but I cannot remember from which video!!! Aaaahhh this will drive me nuts
When I moved to Tucson from Illinois I got terribly dry and itchy skin. My new doctor told me to rub white vinegar on my skin while still wet from the shower and air dry. Ok, weird but no lotion or oil was helping. Sure enough the vinegar totally cured the problem and there was no lingering vinegar smell. It seemed unusual for the doctor to tell me to do that, but a bottle of vinegar is cheap.
Is it bad of me to think “wow, bipolar disorder is the WORST mental illness to try to use to shill your oil scam?” Manic episodes are SO obvious and make you act so erratic and unwell they’re impossible to hide even to acquaintances. It’s not like depression or anxiety which can kind of fly under the radar and “Oh, I’m fine.”
My mother also had a bipolar/borderline cluster B combo, and she just straight-up wouldn't take her medication for most of my life (and the last 25 years of hers). She took a medical cocktail after I was born so she wouldn't eat me like a stressed rabbit eats their newborns, but she stopped when I was old enough to go to first grade. Somehow, she hid it extremely well from people outside of her immediate family. Folks just thought she was just kind of a manic person, because she just would never leave the house when she *wasn't* manic. She'd stay on the property and focus on torturing me (and my father, until he divorced her when I was about 10 because of her abuse). Somehow, some people pull it off. She was able to even hide it from her physicians, because she would just reschedule appointments.
HANNAH... I need to say this.... I TRULY feel like that the most ppls AHA moment is when they send the list of how to hook to ppl into the mlm is : what they used on us and I vividly temeehr being pissed about it and still doing it to make my money back... Than said on il seel everything very cheap.. than my drug addict sister stole it all and I am now in 10 thousand $ in debt and still don't know what to do :( I was 19.. I'm now 32 and terrified 😭
@@razzle8140 yep, can't even blv u said that... I didn't even know that was an option u til my mom told me and I know it's gonna b hell but it's better than fearing this is going to keep adding up
Partylite is still around. A new employee at my work's sister sells it (I work in marketing so this is genuinely hilarious that the sister thinks she works in marketing too). It now goes by the name Glow.
Story 1. No, distributor/customers do NOT think about the consequences of their sales; if they do, they convince themselves they are helping, internal voices telling them otherwise notwithstanding
Hannah, I have been anti-MLM and have been consuming anti-MLM content for some time now. I have recently started binging your channel and I can honestly say that, although the topics are often intense and serious, your vibe and presence is so comforting. I listen to you like a podcast almost all day at work. Today has been a rough day for me but watching this new video as well as your older content today has been very grounding for me. I know I’m not the first to share similar sentiments, so thank you for not only spreading awareness for how heinous MLMs can be, but thank you for providing a safe, comforting space that people can come to. ❤
I have BP2 with a couple friends that have BP1 and when she mentioned the medications I just knew. Ive had people recommend me the same oil schtick but I had a sick feeling about going off my meds so i refused and this just solidifies that I was so lucky I listened to my gut. Im so happy she has a support system like that, I cant imagine what it could have caused had she been without it.
Ahh, Partylite. I had so much of that stuff in my house! My husband banned me from going to anymore candle parties! We did like Pampered Chef, because there was food! LOL
I usually save my Amazon cart up until I have quite a bit of stuff to order at once. I try to avoid ordering from Amazon, if I can, but some things are unavoidable. They have a terrible tendency to ship me things in separate boxes.
Mystery MLM = World Financial Group. I'm pretty sure. I got sucked into that one for a few months right out of university. The space rental, folks dressed in a suits, recruiting 10 ppls, and the drawing. They don't shy away from drawing the diagram because they sell financial services (insurance for the most part) and this is how they pitch the product to clients. I don't remember the analogy behind the drawing but it had to do with something along the lines of building a strong foundation for a secure future, and that foundation starts with buying and selling insurance.
The Party Lite shipping is because each shipment is charged shipping. More money for the company; because the company way overcharges for shipping costs anyway.
There is a provider in my area that is an Optavia coach as well. Medical providers know about as much as nutrition as the average non medical person. As a medical provider that has taken post grad classes and certs in nutrition I can honestly say just because someone has a medical title does not imply they are omniscient. I have heard from patients terrible nutrition advice, but because a “doctor” told them then they believe.
ngl, I'm not shocked at all that Optavia fuellings would contribute to food aversion--they look less edible than your average MRE, and I've seen what military folk have had to say about MREs.
I genuinely didn't think I had any interaction with an mlm before, but hearing the origami owl story unlocked a memory of my cousin who was in a jewlery mlm (I dont know if it was origami owl or not) but it seemed more legitimate because she had a magazine with the products and at one family reunion she was passing it around to all the adult women to see if they wanted to "order anything through her" and talked about how nice and easy it was to be able to just casually sell to people. I don't remember her trying to recruit anyone but I was also like 10 and didn't have much interest, just remember seeing the magazine and her trying to get a commission. Anyway it didn't last long and after that gathering it was never mentioned again.
On story one, I am glad she clarified that she now understands that medication takes time to work and for the body to adjust to them. I remember feeling like an alien at first, no feelings, no joy, no nothing. I am bipolar too
I am just 8 minutes into the video (I love your content, by the way) and the way that you said a person can be convinced into becoming a rep so that they can sell the products to others and help that pay for your own products... it just hit me. I am a lawyer and, as such, I know a bit about selling dr*gs. And that is how small dr*g users (dr*g use is legal in my country as long as you don't sell/give it to anyone) end up selling and being charged for dr*g trafficking. People are convinced to sell to others in order to pay for themselves. It's so weird that MLM use the same tactics as dr*g dealers 😦
"It kind of feels like each video I read five stories and then the next day I get ten more in my inbox"
I guess each story you read recruits two friends, and then those stories recruit two friends...
I also theorize that a cat was secretly behind the Party Light shipping issue. Just think of all the boxes!
😂😂😂 I'm imagining a kitty jumping around in the boxes in a warehouse.
I'm happy at the idea of an MLM wasting so much money on shipping- hopefully the increasing costs will help to bankrupt the company faster!
Lol this made me laugh out loud. I just gave my cat a big new box the other day which she was quite happy to see and jump into 😂❤
Lol! I just spat my drink!!!😂❤
Story 1: It is the luck of the draw that the woman in this story had a support system to recognize that she was spiraling. Imagine if she would have been along. Imagine spiraling alone. The rep didn't even seem to contact her at anytime after the sale to check in on her.
Exactly. I personally think that the company should be held criminally responsible if anything bad happens because of the crap their reps spew.
Yikes, you're right
Oh yeah if she ended up needed to go to the psych ward that company should have to pay for a nice fancy private one or if she committed a crime she should be found not guilty and the company should have to pay any victims involved for their suffering and even her for the suffering of losing her mind and having to live with doing something awful while off her meds
why would a salesperson check in on you? target doesn't call you and ask if you like their products
The rep likely believed the claims that she was making about the oils. If the protagonist doesn't get judged for believing the claims then neither should the rep.
I fell asleep watching this and had a nightmare that I was at a MLM convention and they were making me sit in a hot tub with mlm huns pitching they're mlm's to me and wouldn't give me my clothes to leave so I left naked 😂
😂
Don't give them ideas 😆
Good for you! Get out of there, whatever it takes! Why does that sound like something they'd actually do tho?
Too real 😫
This has to have happened to someone somewhere. We've gotten to the point where if you can literally dream it, a hun has probably done it...
Story 5 really sounds like World Financial Group (WFG), even down to the demographics and $100 signup fee. I've got my own story on that one!
Send your story to Hannah! I’m so curious!
Story 5 poster here. Does it really? I'll dig deeper into that one. Thank you! And yes, send your story to Hannah too!
@@eruditeidiot I had actually started thinking it sounded just like it before Hannah mentioned any of the other MLMs!
I hope to be sending in the story soon, though!
Me too! It definitely sounds like the WFG. They almost got me thinking I was interviewing for an actual salaried job. They wanted me to get a insurance selling license and recruit 10 friends and family for my own training. At that stage I knew it was an MLM and told them to go to hell. Now I have a real job! 😁
I was thinking the same thing, they made rounds in a hamlet I was living and they almost got a friend sucked into it before I described "the stupidest interview I ever had"
I am story 3. Thank you for sharing my story. It is weirdly relieving to have it out there now!
Hi! Your story was the most moving for me because of my own relationship with food in the past (it’s not such a big issue anymore, but it’s not solved.) I hope you’re doing well!
Thank you for your courage. Hearing your story made me feel less alone. I know how hard that must have been to get your story out there. Thank you. 😭🫶
I have Bi-polar Disorder. When you have it, you absolutely need to be on medication. Once I found the right balance of medication with my doctor, my symptoms are completely managed, and for the first time in my life for the last four years since my diagnosis I've felt (and acted) "normal." People with this disease HAVE to be on medication... how irresponsible to tell someone that they don't.
I am also bipolar, and I cannot go even a day without my medication. My manic episodes are downright destructive and life altering. The 1st manic episode that I can remember,. I binge drank and went out and cheated on my husband with several different men. I was totally apathetic and justified my actions by telling myself that my husband didn't love me anymore... which wasn't true. It's scary what your Brain can convince you of when you are mentally ill and not being treated for it.
@@Baby.Annihilation I’m with you… similar for me.
I was diagnosed with manic depression at age 19. I'm 55 now, so it's been a while. I can't even tell you the number of times people have told me I shouldn't be taking meds for my bipolar. Even in this day and age they act like it's not a real thing. It's better now than it was when I was diagnosed, but just a little bit back, someone suggested coconut oil as a cure for what ails me.
Yep, samesies. So, so grateful for my meds. I was diagnosed late in life, which sucked for younger me, who could have avoided so much devastation & heartache if I'd had meds then; but, on the flip side, I have the experience to be nothing but grateful for the diagnosis & meds that help me be relatively stable.
Yes! My sister has bipolar unfortunately we can not convince her to take medication on a regular basis. She also struggles with addiction and I feel she uses Street drugs to “ self ‘medicate “ she claims meth makes her feel amazing. People with bipolar should not take amphetamines they almost always trigger mania. My sister has been pink slipped by the police around 8 times and has voluntarily entered a dual diagnosis treatment center around 7 times. Unfortunately for the last 8 years my sister is in a pattern of going into treatment and staying long enough to get out of the manic episode and somewhat stable. That takes sometimes 10-14 days. She places herself in dangerous situations due to homelessness and her mania has been so bad that she doesn’t know who I am. Thank god someone has been with her and contacted me or my mom. We have driven hrs away to pick her up because she took off with a strange man and her explanation is well he’s really nice. When in reality these losers know she gets SSI and they manipulate her for money. I can’t imagine if someone introduced oils to her I could see her falling for it hook, line and sinker. Theses hon’s are placing mentally unstable people in potential danger. The woman that drove to the desert could have become someone’s victim and sadly discarded in the desert.
I need that Party Light thing to be a side plot for a 90s-style sitcom like Malcolm in the Middle or Fresh Off the Boat. It would be absolutely golden.
It reminds me a little of the essential oil thing on Bob's burgers
Almost this *exact thing* happens in Schitt’s Creek. Hilarious 😂
It would make a hilarious subplot for a South Park episode
nothing like that but in young sheldon his mother start selling mary key so she used her bible group to start selling her makeup and it was quite funny
Story 3. I ran a pediatrics office for 12 years. I would have summarily fired a PA who pitched an MLM to a patient.
Can we just agree to fire anybody who throws mlm in a Dr's office setting while being the medical professional lmmfao
I was shocked she didnt get fired
When I saw the thumbnail, I thought it was my story. I'm enraged to know that someone else also got pitched optavia while seeking medical care.
It’s insanely disgustingly common in the USA! I can not believe it isn’t illegal. I’ve heard at least a dozen stories about doctors and dieticians and nutritionists signing people up to medifast and optavia. Thankfully I haven’t heard any from Australia yet BUT I’m worried that’s just because people here aren’t talking about it and it’s happening in just as much but people don’t know.
Story 5: I wonder if this financial thing is actually a scam of sorts. They didn't have anything, product, info, services to offer. All they want you to do is build the pyramid. I don't know how that is not a pyramid scheme in plain sight, not hidden by any MLM excuses.
Was honestly thinking the same thing
Same!
It sounded like an elaborate chain letter
Was also wondering that, too. It might not be an MLM at all, just a plain, ole pyramid scheme without the facade, lol.
Seems almost cult like
Any doctor that prescribes a MLM product to diagnose & “cure” a medical issue should be reported to their local medical review board. They should also lose their licenses.
I agree
I've been blocked by a hun for sharing your content! 😂
I'm in story 1, and in tears, I have cyclothymia (humor disorder) and today is a bad day, a terrible day, meds for the rest of my life, and a hun can pop up and say "look my oils will heal you", I'm disgusted...
I’m so, so sorry you are having a hard day. It’s going to pass, I promise. Try to employ self care as much as you possibly can, and please know I’ll be thinking about you and sending you ALL the healing vibes. ❤
Aw Barbara I’m so sorry. I hope your day gets better. Ya that story was awful and I feel criminal
@@kristita_888 Thank you, it means a lot to me, thank you ❤
@@Mama_Bear524 Thank you, it is getting better, thank you ❤
I hope today is a brighter day for you 💙 You're strong Barbara; you've got what it takes to get through this. 💙
Story 1 is pure mania and it's so sad that someone talked them into the oils. I'm so glad that she realized that she was manic
Yes. It's not always common that people with bipolar 1 know when they are in full blown mania. & if they do they don't want help becasue of the euphoria & all that comes with it.
I'm almost certain the MLM in the last story is WFG. The diagram on the place mat is called the "napkin pitch," and the startup fee is $100, which they claim is for a background check.
That company is the reason I am even in the anti MLM community.
Yes!!!
I once ran out of my antidepressant and my brain vibrated in my cranium so hard I could hear it, "ching-ching! Ching-ching!" Talk to your doctors and don't forget to refill your meds!
Surely !
Oh yes, the brain electric shocks. We don’t love those😂 Remember to take your meds kids x
I also love that the transportation guy was actually trying to cost his own company money in a way by trying to tell the PartyLife lady how to ship more efficiently. Like, presumably they got a fee for each shipment, right? So if PartyLife was better at shipping the shipping company wouldn't make as much. And she STILL wouldn't listen to reason! Boggles the mind lmao
That kind of advice isn't uncommon. If you look out for your costumers, they are likely going to be more loyal and with a big costumer, that may very well be worth the initial loss of revenue. And besides, you'll sleep at night
@@christafranken9170 He would be losing a lot of potential money if she followed his advice. Trucking isn’t cheap, most drivers won’t come out of the house for less than $500, + $200 to the carrier, + $200 to god knows how high for the broker. Bidding cheaper when you find a good customer is great to build a relationship, but not to this extent. This guy had a good heart- Very rare in the logistics industry. He could have easily let her continue without even letting her know and make a ton of money.
Shocking that she didn’t listen to his advice honestly lol.
@@duneeaaasha The person writing the story specified that the reason for the visit was “customer relationship building,” and that they went to the warehouse with their own boss. Companies have accountants and actuaries who run cost-benefit analysis and mathematically determine how valuable their relationships are. Even if the advice cost them X amount in shipping fees, it was probably deemed “worth it” for them to give them the advice and build a more loyal relationship… which makes me think it’s probably a smaller, regional transportation/logistics company (ie. not fedex/ups) that depends more on loyal customers than exorbitant fees.
The fact that the customer was too dumb to take the advice is just icing on the cake haha
At the large medical center I used to work at, that Physicians Assistant who recommended Optivia would have been formally written up for the first offense and fired if she did it again. Working your side hustle during paid work time was prohibited.
Bipolar disorder is terrifying, especially when you haven't been diagnosed yet and your unmedicated. At age 26 I had my first big, destructive and noticeable manic episode. It was triggered after my husband had told me that he didn't love me anymore (that wasn't true, we were just going through a rough patch.)
Unknowingly, something snapped inside in my brain and every decision I made for the next 6 months was made without caring about the consequences. I was apathetic, I felt nothing. I ended up binge drinking, cheating on my husband (I had only been with him until that point) and got a DUI. I justified my actions by telling myself that I was only behaving that way because my husband didn't love me anymore.
Eventually my family convinced me to go to the doctor. They did a bunch of tests, went through all my records, took all of my recent behavior into consideration and diagnosed me with bipolar 1 disorder. I have been on medication ever since (that was 5 years ago). It took years to get my lithium dose right. I can't even go 1 day without taking my meds. It's scary and sad that these MLM reps prey on those who have mental illnesses.
A lot of people don’t truly understand what bipolar is. But there’s a lot more too it than what they think. Especially if they have bipolar 1 which I’ve seen some people have psychotic features and they become a prisoner of their own mind basically and will do who knows what.
Thank you for sharing that! I have a BFF whom I love dearly but when she's off her meds, she's horrible to be around. I hope that doesn't sound too harsh but it's just what it is, obviously that's her and doesn't represent others with the condition. Thankfully she found the right titration to live normally.
Story 2 really highlights market saturation, and reps really don’t stop to ask the glaring question, “Why is this person recruiting me to do her exact job and essentially compete with her?”
Exactly! I used to live in a smaller city and a local Tupperware seller recruited another local person. I had a table next to the newbie at a teeny tiny craft fair and she was complaining about not being able to get into the larger shows because her upline was already in them. She had the full catalogue of items available at her table, and with extras for the more popular items. MLMs can be so gross.
I feel for the lady who was r'd by her friend. I also was questioned by the police about why I didn't make a report right away, and was told SOL basically because I didn't get a kit done. I also was questioned in an interrogation room and wasn't taken seriously. They didn't try at all to find the guy.
It's amazing how bad things still are! So much awareness around SA and safety and all of the things, and victims are still treated like crybabies with nothing better to do. When in reality, false reports are pretty rare. Our system is beyond broken. Sometimes I wonder if it's fixable.... I'm so sorry you had that experience, too.
@@Shoot4AlarmFire and even If they were Happening often, they would still need to be investigated!!!
@@Shoot4AlarmFire people are more wary about false allegations than about rape itself! We say "please take SA seriously" and they hear "we're gonna acuse you of SA if you get on our nerves" what the fuck men?
@@chronischgeheilt Totally agree - that's no excuse, ever
@@debymello4756 Ugh, as if THEY are even the ones with reason to fear!
I am a physician assistant, that third story is absolutely horrifying. I cannot imagine ever doing that to a patient and I also think it might be illegal? It’s definitely a conflict of interest. Very wrong. So sad that any healthcare provider would abuse their role in that way.
I swear my productivity at work is directly correlated to these videos being uploaded. Congrats Hannah, you're basically my coworker now
story 3 is horrific, and people still wonder why poc have such a major fear of police..
I had to hold myself back from "giving in just one time" with Origami Owl when they had a Mr. Potato Head Charm necklace.
Primerica!!! That is the same pitch I got about 25 years ago. I remember it distinctly because I drove an hour and a half to find it was all about recruiting 10 people a week but NOTHING was said about how the financial plan worked!! I was pissed!!
I was on track to become a physician assistant (PA) before the pandemic hit. I've since decided to leave healthcare all together. To hear the story about the PA shilling an MLM to a PATIENT makes my blood boil. PAs are already having a hard time fitting into healthcare, compared to docs and nurses, and to have their credibility brought into question is such a disservice to the profession as a whole. I know there are doctors that are just as bad, but generally, the public isn't concerned about their ability to do their job. They sincerely need to lose their license to practice medicine since the health and safety of their patients is not their priority.
Yup
I’m so so glad writer #1 managed to get back on mental health meds.
I was heavily into “natural living” for a while….but in the end, all I was doing was guilting myself for something I couldn’t control. It was super hard to let go of the idea that I could fix myself, but now it’s so freeing to know that it’s NOT MY FAULT for failing to use the “right” oils/herb/diet. I just needed meds, and that’s okay.
Now I make art of my medication lol
Thank you for sharing 💘 it is not our fault for needing medication crafted for our symptoms
Hannah, when you said to take an inhale and exhale, I realized you would be an amazing yoga teacher. Your voice is so calming. No wonder your channel is growing so fast. So happy for you and happy you are bringing these predatory companies to light.
I feel like the mystery MLM is World Financial Group based on the Asian demographic target thing
I am in my mid-50s. When I joined Paparazzi about 6 years ago, (I have been out of it for 4 yrs) I honestly had no clue about commission. None. I had no idea why my upline, my friend, was encouraging me to buy into the monthly $60 Fashion Fix sets. It took an anti-mlm video or two to truly understand the whole business model. I'd never been exposed to MLMs in general; sure I'd heard of the major ones, like Avon, Mary Kay...etc, but I had no idea how the business model worked. I think there are many people out there who have no idea; how else do these companies continue to exist? That is why your channel and other anti-MLM channels are so important.
That last story sounds like a financial scam and even an actual cult 🤷🏾♀️ I mean, the methods are similar in recruitment. But this one seems particularly shady and underground. I hope her friend is truly okay though.
Yeah the friend disappearing made me jump to cult too...
Yes! If they don't have a product, it's just a pyramid scheme.
I mean the ones with products are also, but it's 100% illegal without a product to sell.
That's exactly what my mind went for. This isn't just a scam, even less an MLM, this sounds literally like a cult. The way their friend T acted around the "boss lady" felt like someone being manipulated way further than just by product selling and toxic positivity. I really hope she's okay, but that's a long time disappearing for an MLM.
story 2 reminds me of that ep in schitt's creek
story five reminds me of the mlm “word financial group”. it was pitched to me as learning how to invest properly and there was another component about insurance i think. i watched a two part video of someone infiltrating two of their buildings in my city and they were pitched close to what they person in the video was. that person on youtube also walked in to a room full of asian/immigrant minorities with a whiteboard and folding chairs. i believe people make their money by selling insurance and financial advice. they sold it to me as financial/insurance advisory. it really wouldn’t surprise me if the mlm in story five was WFG. in the powerpoint in the pitch to me also had the pyramids described in it.
It's confounding to me that we all have the entirety of human knowledge sitting in our pockets, and the ability to look up reputable sources at the click of a button if you truly wanted to learn something, and yet people put blind faith in someone else's insistance ON PURPOSE.
Can you do a deep dive on world financial group? The last story sounds similar, I dont remember ever being pitched with that diagram, but I do remember being shown an “insurance umbrella” pitch and diagram. It’s pretty culty, and everyone I interacted with repeated the exact same things
My very first thought was world financial group. I've sat in some of those presentations and it sounds very similar.
Story #1: I am appalled by that oily hun! My husband has bi-polar and if anyone convinced him to go off his meds & use their snake oil I would lose my shit on that person. Balancing meds for bi-polar can take a long time and once that balance is achieved you do not mess with it. My husband’s manic episodes are scary & emotionally draining for him (and me). I would have pressed charges, filed a lawsuit, something against that hun for her lies. Thank the Lord this woman has a good support system and no permanent damage came for her manic episode. Often that is not the case. The fallout from a manic episode can be devastating. I’m glad she stopped buying oils & I hope that rep hears about this story & stops causing harm to people.
That bipolar story was so scary. I have it, too, but the less manic type. I am able to manage mine without medication, but it helps that I am not prone to the more manic side of things. Those big episodes really are truly dangerous. I was so relieved that she nor anyone else was hurt during that time.
I was able to manage without medication but as I’ve gotten older I can’t . If she would have went off her meds and harmed herself or someone else , this hun could have should have made responsible
@@kadeelacayo4806 I am so glad it didn't come to that, not the least of which is because the hun in question wouldn't have been held responsible. It's so sad! People in our community are really preyed upon by health and wellness companies, and it kills me! I am so frustrated by the whole thing.
Bipolar 1 tends ro be more extreme. Bipolar 2 is probably what you have which is less severe. (But doesn't mean. It can't be any less devastating on someone)
@kadeelacayo4806 I 100% agree. If someone who isn't a medical professional tries to convince someone to get off their prescribed medications for their own gain, should be able to be assured for damages.
That last one just sounded like a straight up pyramid scheme to me.
It's sad that in Story 3, I could just tell it was a Native American woman, before she identified herself as such. Soon as I heard the "cops laughed me out" and "minority" i just knew.
I am story 3. I hate common it is
I thought she was black, sad this happens to us minorities, we can’t get basic respect
A cop laughed at me when I tried to report DV. He never did file a report.
I am so sorry you had to go through that too. We all deserved better
That last story reminds me of an experience I had in the late 90s. I answered the ad for some job, which made it sound like sales in the classified ad. I was told to go for an interview one evening later that week.
When I got to the interview, it was in an office park, and a basement office. Nothing too strange there. Until I got into the office. The first room was a giant waiting room. There was one woman at a desk, checking people in, and the walls were lined with chairs, and there were at least three dozen people waiting. I noticed that everyone looked very young. There were only two or three of us over 30. And the only decor was travel posters on the wall. That made me curious. Was this some sort of travel agency thing?
As I waited, I noticed all the younger people coming out of the interviewer's office all smiles, and carrying some sort of orientation pack. The older people there walked out with nothing and looked annoyed. I was starting to feel that things were suss, but at the same time, I was even more curious.
Finally, it was my turn for the interview. I tried to ask questions, and the guy interviewing me kept deflecting. And yes, the walls of his room were lined with travel posters. He asked about the gap in my resume, and I explained why I hadn't been working during that time. (Taking care of a dying parent.) He got really, REALLY condescending at that point and suggested that maybe I should find some other aged woman to take care of. That is when the interview was over.
I never found out what the deal was. Given all the posters of far away places, I'm thinking that maybe it was recruiting for a magazine crew. They tend to lure people into that with promises of winning trips. Or maybe it was door to door sales, like CutCo. But I can't imagine a company like that turning anyone interested away.
I never did find out what the deal with that "job" was. But it was definitely shady.
That’s super shady and what an ass he was.
Wait, who else did he feel you needed to be taking care of?! You're taking care of a dying relative, in what world is that some sort of slight against humanity? 😂
What a creep! I'm sorry he treated you like that. And sheesh, not knowing what it even was must suck too. But seeing the older people leaving annoyed makes me smile. They knew better... And now, we do too.
Story 1 breaks my heart. I empathize so much with that first phase of coming to terms with a diagnosis. I’m not even a “no Tylenol” type of person but I too was vulnerable to alternatives after being prescribed daily meds for the first time. You’re so desperate for control and literally out of your own mind during that fragile time. I’m so glad they got the help they needed and grateful they shared their story.
That is such a good point about "if I'm my own boss then I can do whatever I want in this MLM" right? I actually remember saying something similar to my upline when I was done with my MLM.
I never heard of origami owl so I just looked at their website. It was pretty standard aside from 1. They also sell makeup which is weird but I guess a lot of MLMs do that. 2. They have a young entrepreneur program that recruits 11-18 year olds! How is that legal? Big yikes
I wonder if prescribing oils over medication are in the same vein as prescribing without a medical license. I’m so sick and tired of people prescribing oils and severely affecting peoples mental and physical health. If it doesn’t fall under that law then it really should. It would be fantastic to see a hun get sued for dangerous prescribing simply to line their pockets. Then maybe it’ll happen less.
Ya I agree. This has to be illegal. I want a class action lawsuit against each of these companies
Hannah is truly so well spoken and sweet. I enjoy her content more than some of the other creators, because of her kindness & spunky attitude.
Happened to me too. Everyone says that mint can help with nausea and grd, but peppermint essential oil actually contributed to my grd.
15:59 _"Sometimes I don't think that people in mlms really understand or recognize how deeply their words and actions can affect other people all in the name of making a sale."_
Girl you fucking nailed it
As a physician I am HORRIFIED by the medical professionals and MLMs. If this happens to someone you should absolutely report them to their medical board. I have seen people loose their license to practice for this.
Dear Hannah,
give yourself some credit, too. Because you are very engaging, I love your attitude, all the work you do to investigate and research things, all the questions you ask, your enormous compassion and empathy, your energy and way to read these stories, your voice, your expression, your reactions... you are also very cute, and your cats are a huge bonus 😀
How I know I am almost at lunch: MLM videos! Thanks girl 🙌🙌
On Story 1 the SECOND I heard the rep said that I got pissed because it’s already so common to struggle with medication compliance with bipolar. I want to fight that lady. 😭
Yay! I now feel like it is an obligation to leave a comment for the algorithm God.
Knowingly getting someone off necessary medication by giving false product claims should be fully illegal.
I "only" have Bipolar 2 and the first story almost made me cry. Living with that condition is very tiring and for someone to convince you to stop taking your meds is just cruel.
I was approached by a hun in my DMs a few years ago. Back then I didn't know about MLM huns, but I was sure that she wanted to sell something, so I was cautious.
She send me a video that I could watch about the products and since I had nothing other to do I watched the video. It was some powder made out of fruits and vegetable, so kind of supplements to get all vitamins without having to eat fruits.
When she asked me what I think I just answered: "But... I like fruits. And vegetables."
She went on that this is way more convenient this way. Me: "But... fruits. Also fibres."
It came all natural without even thinking that she wanted to sell something. I was so taken aback that someone wanted to replace my yummy apples and oranges and strawberries with a powder... XD XD XD She never contacted me again. I probably totally shocked her because I felt insulted by her offer.
YES! I LOVE my fruit! Why would I want their one nasty gummy a day when I can have a fresh peach? Or banana? Besides, I don't think that powder or gummy would taste near as good with my yogurt or ice cream, lol!
A replacement for veggies I'd gladly take lol, but for fruit?! Fruit is amazing! I'm very picky with what veggies I like, although as I've gotten older, I have grown to like a lot more of them than I did as a kid. Someone trying to sell me a fruit replacement would fail immediately though because why would I want to stop eating bananas and strawberries?
Oh gosh, I remember PartyLite! They would teach you how to "hug" your candles to extend their life, but it was so much fun to mess with warm wax that we'd always burn ourselves as kids 😂
i still hug my candles. i'm 44 🤣
@@birdy_song ok because it's SO much fun! 😍
I wonder if story #5 has anything to do with Northwestern Mutual? They used to have a strong presence on college campuses, under the guise of “internships” targeted to business & marketing majors. It was very unclear, but the main points were contacting friends & family about money management, as well as asking (demanding) each one of your family/friends for a list of 10 new people that they can contact.
The financial advice one with the actual pyramid drawing strikes me as probably a Ponzi scheme rather than a pyramid (as there seems to be zero product, courses, etc)
A DoTerra hun is what lit the fire under my ass about pseudo-scientific BS targeted towards vulnerable groups 8 years ago, and it continues to be much of the fuel for me. I had some pretty intense post-partum anxiety happening and this woman had the NERVE to invite me to a DoTerra oil party and claimed that since these oils "cured" her husband's bi-polar, she definitely thought I should buy and try (emphasis on BUY) them for my PPA. Ohhhh the memory of the anger still makes me so pissed!!
Story 2, with the shipping fails - I gasped out loud, but I shouldn't really have been surprised! I work at a software company and we help big businesses catch up on technology. Every so often, one of our projects involves helping a company stop sending around Excel spreadsheets so dang much!
I was on a project in 2020 to help a nationwide company stop emailing around huge spreadsheets each week, between their hundreds of locations, to coordinate movements of their products. I won't even say what industry, but you've heard of them for sure.
Similarly, I worked for a small manufacturing company that sent out invoices to their customers, but if there was more than one invoice, they mailed them separately. I asked why and the young blonde at the front who was training me gave me the same kind of answer; "I don't know if they'll go to the same place." Uh, yeah, they will, honey. They have the same address. After I took over, I folded the invoices together and mailed them in one envelope, saving the company a small amount of postage each week...not a ton, but small companies need to watch the pennies or they turn into dollars.
Two words on big business with outdated tech: Southwest Airlines
Hi Hannah. I myself have worked in shipping for a very small family owned business. And we knew how to batch ship. It blows my mind that such a massive company like party light had their head of shipping not knowing how to use shipping software.
For Story 5: Based on a review by finance-guy, it sounds like Primerica might do the napkin trick... He directly mentions how they use napkins and mention that a financial plan is like a house, which is referenced here. I don't want to post links and possibly get flagged as spam, but it's specifically in his "Primerica Business Opportunity Review."
Quote: "The napkin presentations gave us an idea of the services offered, and how they sold. Their goal is simplify the services offered by Primerica, and to highlight the benefits of a specific service. One presentation explains that a financial plan is like a house. The strong foundation is life insurance, then after that is in place you can focus on debt reduction and wealth creation."
I have family members that have bipolar and know that first story very well. My younger sister stops taking her meds because she said they make her feel weird. It’s really hard to see someone you love going through that but thankfully she was able to realize what was wrong and had a good support system. Bipolar is a hard one for everyone involved. I don’t blame her one bit for thinking oils could help her. Mlms are absolutely disgusting for preying on people with chronic illness and mental illness.
As someone who is also Bipolar 1 and looking forward to medication for the rest of my life, this first story really hit home. I hope she has found some peace. Thank you for sharing.
I live in New Zealand and I don't think that MLMs have such a strong hold, here, but Do Terra is definitely here. My daughter was diagnosed with anorexia in 2014 and battled with it for six years. I met a woman through a really good friend at a social occasion (it really was a social occasion.) I'm a solo parent and I also have a son with Autism. I was talking to my friend about my daughter's issues and that I was really struggling with her SH which she did every time she got anxious. This woman must have been listening in because I got a message through Facebook a couple of days later suggesting I tried these specific oils to "cure" my daughter. By this time my I had almost lost my daughter to this disease three times in 5 years. Fortunately I was born skeptical and was never going to fall for it but I do know of a lot of desperate parents in the same situation as I was who would have fallen hook, line and sinker. I know so many parents who have lost their children to this disease.
Another bipolar bear here. Good on writer for feeling able to be open with diagnosis. It is tough on the meds, they are significant. And side effects include weight gain. I thought story was going to head for the Optivia case in thumbnail. Oils to quit your meds completely is even worse. It is common for those with bipolar to seek to quit meds, when meds enable us to be stable it gets easy to talk ourselves into feeling we don't need anything.
Not needing to sleep as much, energy for doing stuff, feeling over positive, all signs in bipolar of oncoming mania. The Doterra reps lies could have triggered a mania that was fatal. That is the ultimate horror risk. All the best for the person writing in, and a stable and full life
I take lamictal, which doesn't have a weight gain side effect -- ask your doctor about it maybe.
I hate how the companies have pretty much absolved themselves of responsibility for these wild medical claims. These huns can say almost anything with almost no accountability
i cant begin to describe how horrible it is off my medication (I am bipolar type 2). the idea of getting off of them scares me, and it scares the hell out of me that people think like that, being they can take something else and be completely off meds
I take meds for depression and panic and anxiety attacks. I have taken meds for 40 years. When my then husband decided I should stop my meds and seeing my phsychiatrist I refused. It took me years to realize that he preferred that I was more in his control before I got medical help. On meds, I was able to get a job and leave home and go placed without him.
Story 1 was heartbreaking to hear. Struggling with any mental health condition is hard for many, especially with medication that has to be life long. My heart goes out to her and her family.
Thank you Hannah for being so kind and understanding to these stories. It hurts to know that people were taken advantage of, but knowing that others can learn from these stories is something positive out of all of it.
I have Bipolar as well, going off medication is dangerous as hell especially if you have a manic episode following it, it sets the idea in your head that without medication you feel so much more alive. Truly disgusting to prey on vulnerable, keep up the good work Hannah your videos are so important.
The idea that the physicians assistant so clearly and knowingly abused her power and committed malpractice not only as an educated PA that people trust, but also as someone dealing with a woman who had experienced such horrific trauma and mental health issues - only to be just given a slap on the wrist instead of losing her job is also so disgusting. She completely ignored the true problem and just did. Not. Do. Her. Job. I would have ditched the whole practice and gone to a completely different doctor. If they’re not firing PAs or doctors who behave this way and fail to make any attempt to do their job then they do not care about their patients enough for you to waste your time seeing them. Gross.
Oh gosh story 5 is driving me crazy!! I have heard horror stories that detail the exact same “walk into a sketchy office park, no signs, etc” but I cannot remember from which video!!! Aaaahhh this will drive me nuts
Meds aren't for everyone but oils definitely aren't it.
When I moved to Tucson from Illinois I got terribly dry and itchy skin. My new doctor told me to rub white vinegar on my skin while still wet from the shower and air dry. Ok, weird but no lotion or oil was helping. Sure enough the vinegar totally cured the problem and there was no lingering vinegar smell. It seemed unusual for the doctor to tell me to do that, but a bottle of vinegar is cheap.
Is it bad of me to think “wow, bipolar disorder is the WORST mental illness to try to use to shill your oil scam?”
Manic episodes are SO obvious and make you act so erratic and unwell they’re impossible to hide even to acquaintances. It’s not like depression or anxiety which can kind of fly under the radar and “Oh, I’m fine.”
My mother also had a bipolar/borderline cluster B combo, and she just straight-up wouldn't take her medication for most of my life (and the last 25 years of hers). She took a medical cocktail after I was born so she wouldn't eat me like a stressed rabbit eats their newborns, but she stopped when I was old enough to go to first grade.
Somehow, she hid it extremely well from people outside of her immediate family. Folks just thought she was just kind of a manic person, because she just would never leave the house when she *wasn't* manic. She'd stay on the property and focus on torturing me (and my father, until he divorced her when I was about 10 because of her abuse).
Somehow, some people pull it off. She was able to even hide it from her physicians, because she would just reschedule appointments.
HANNAH... I need to say this.... I TRULY feel like that the most ppls AHA moment is when they send the list of how to hook to ppl into the mlm is : what they used on us and I vividly temeehr being pissed about it and still doing it to make my money back... Than said on il seel everything very cheap.. than my drug addict sister stole it all and I am now in 10 thousand $ in debt and still don't know what to do :( I was 19.. I'm now 32 and terrified 😭
Declare bankruptcy
@@razzle8140 yep, can't even blv u said that... I didn't even know that was an option u til my mom told me and I know it's gonna b hell but it's better than fearing this is going to keep adding up
My former family doctor pitched Rodan + Fields to me at an appointment. I didn't buy it and she's no longer my doctor.
Partylite is still around. A new employee at my work's sister sells it (I work in marketing so this is genuinely hilarious that the sister thinks she works in marketing too). It now goes by the name Glow.
story 2 feels like i’m being told neighborhood gossip by a bestie and i’m living for the tea!! this small town mlm story is 2000’s reality tv GOLD.
Story 1. No, distributor/customers do NOT think about the consequences of their sales; if they do, they convince themselves they are helping, internal voices telling them otherwise notwithstanding
Hannah,
I have been anti-MLM and have been consuming anti-MLM content for some time now.
I have recently started binging your channel and I can honestly say that, although the topics are often intense and serious, your vibe and presence is so comforting.
I listen to you like a podcast almost all day at work.
Today has been a rough day for me but watching this new video as well as your older content today has been very grounding for me.
I know I’m not the first to share similar sentiments, so thank you for not only spreading awareness for how heinous MLMs can be, but thank you for providing a safe, comforting space that people can come to. ❤
Ugh - the first gal. If you’re reading this, I’m SO glad you’re here to share your story and that you’re doing well! I’m saying a prayer for you. 🙏🏻
I have BP2 with a couple friends that have BP1 and when she mentioned the medications I just knew. Ive had people recommend me the same oil schtick but I had a sick feeling about going off my meds so i refused and this just solidifies that I was so lucky I listened to my gut. Im so happy she has a support system like that, I cant imagine what it could have caused had she been without it.
Ahh, Partylite. I had so much of that stuff in my house! My husband banned me from going to anymore candle parties! We did like Pampered Chef, because there was food! LOL
Story 5 sounds a LOT like Primerica. I almost got sucked into them.
I usually save my Amazon cart up until I have quite a bit of stuff to order at once. I try to avoid ordering from Amazon, if I can, but some things are unavoidable. They have a terrible tendency to ship me things in separate boxes.
Mystery MLM = World Financial Group. I'm pretty sure.
I got sucked into that one for a few months right out of university. The space rental, folks dressed in a suits, recruiting 10 ppls, and the drawing. They don't shy away from drawing the diagram because they sell financial services (insurance for the most part) and this is how they pitch the product to clients. I don't remember the analogy behind the drawing but it had to do with something along the lines of building a strong foundation for a secure future, and that foundation starts with buying and selling insurance.
The Party Lite shipping is because each shipment is charged shipping. More money for the company; because the company way overcharges for shipping costs anyway.
There is a provider in my area that is an Optavia coach as well. Medical providers know about as much as nutrition as the average non medical person. As a medical provider that has taken post grad classes and certs in nutrition I can honestly say just because someone has a medical title does not imply they are omniscient. I have heard from patients terrible nutrition advice, but because a “doctor” told them then they believe.
"It's been 15 years and I still miss my friend."
That shit broke me. Holy shit. That's so fucking sad.
The candlemania Story would make such a good movie, please somebody make it into one :)
It was like that Schitts Creek episode where Moira finds out everyone was already in the MLM she pitched.
ngl, I'm not shocked at all that Optavia fuellings would contribute to food aversion--they look less edible than your average MRE, and I've seen what military folk have had to say about MREs.
I genuinely didn't think I had any interaction with an mlm before, but hearing the origami owl story unlocked a memory of my cousin who was in a jewlery mlm (I dont know if it was origami owl or not) but it seemed more legitimate because she had a magazine with the products and at one family reunion she was passing it around to all the adult women to see if they wanted to "order anything through her" and talked about how nice and easy it was to be able to just casually sell to people. I don't remember her trying to recruit anyone but I was also like 10 and didn't have much interest, just remember seeing the magazine and her trying to get a commission. Anyway it didn't last long and after that gathering it was never mentioned again.
I was pitched optavia at the doctors office too!!! When I was talking about my postpartum weight. Crazy
On story one, I am glad she clarified that she now understands that medication takes time to work and for the body to adjust to them. I remember feeling like an alien at first, no feelings, no joy, no nothing. I am bipolar too
I am just 8 minutes into the video (I love your content, by the way) and the way that you said a person can be convinced into becoming a rep so that they can sell the products to others and help that pay for your own products... it just hit me. I am a lawyer and, as such, I know a bit about selling dr*gs. And that is how small dr*g users (dr*g use is legal in my country as long as you don't sell/give it to anyone) end up selling and being charged for dr*g trafficking. People are convinced to sell to others in order to pay for themselves. It's so weird that MLM use the same tactics as dr*g dealers 😦
You are absolutely glowing Hannah! ♥️🫶🏼♥️🫶🏼 thank you for always putting out new videos ♥️♥️