Depression Simmers in Japan's Culture of Stoicism

[cstaylor]

Depression Simmers in Japan's Culture of Stoicism

Thirty thousand people commit suicide in Japan every year, but if we could diagnose them and treat them in time, that number would go down dramatically," said Tadashi Onda, a Tokyo psychiatrist, almost half of whose practice consists of depressed patients.

[Ketou]

Diagnose them. Yea right. Get in touch with reality.

A few years ago I had to identify the body of a friend who had offed herself. (A Japanese lass) Nobody realized what she was about to do.

The at risk catagory is extremely difficult to define.

[Crispy]

Thirty thousand a year...how does that compare to the US? Is their suicide rate like our murder rate? Anyway, "treating" suicidal people sounds a little cold, it should be more like "make them feel they have a place in the world".

[Ataru]

As someone with clinical depression, I can say that medication sometimes is the ONLY way to effectively treat a patient. However, that doesn't say a lot of the social factors that contribute to depression shouldn't be allevated as well.. but I don't see t hat happening any time soon in Japan.

[Crispy]

Well, don't the drugs just serve to get your brain chemicals back into alignment, so that you can even have a chance at fighting off whatever external factors were causing the depression in the first place? I mean, if kids feel like they are loved and are an essential part of something very important, they won't get clinically depressed in the first place, right? If you don't try to reverse the social conditions, then you'd need the drugs forever, by my understanding. Forgive my ignorance, I have never experienced this condition, although I know people who have. There seem to be an awful lot of them on the internet.

[befamfivh]

There are an awful lot of them everywhere... more might talk about it on the internet because there's some degree of anonymity.

[Crispy]

Well they aren't helping themselves very much, are they? I also heard that there are messageboards out there only for depressed/suicidal kids. On the upside, they are less likely to commit suicide, but on the down side it normalizes the depression, making them less likely to get out of it.

[cstaylor]

Hmmm... I think depressing thoughts from time to time, but it makes the happier times that much sweeter...

[GomiGirl]

I think that there is nowhere near enough support opportunities nor the desire for people to seek them despite the obvious need. However, I wouldn't like to see the pendulum swing too far the other way to create a society leaning on the therapy crutch.

[Ketou]

I think the sooner people begin to take responsibility for their own state of mind the better.
"I am the captain of my soul" has a lot more deeper meaning than people realize. Every emotion you feel is a creation of your own mind.
If you really want to treat your depression, look at yourself. Stop looking at outside factors to blame and to help you. You are the patient, disease and cure. Wake up!

[cstaylor]

What, and deprive the pharmaceutical companies of their just profits?

[GomiGirl]

Every emotion you feel is a creation of your own mind.
If you really want to treat your depression, look at yourself. Stop looking at outside factors to blame and to help you. You are the patient, disease and cure. Wake up!

Excellent point if you have the wherewithall to recognise this and the confidence to act. These are tools that many with depression do not have.. nor the self-awareness to understand the value in these lessons.

It is sad when people feel that their only option is to end it all.. unfortunately, most seem to be men. Why is that?

But it is not very popular to jump infront of the Chou line anymore - is that because of the hefty fines passed onto the family?

[cstaylor]

It is sad when people feel that their only option is to end it all.. unfortunately, most seem to be men. Why is that?

Self-destruction tends to be an adolescent trait (triggered by an incapacity for grasping the larger world and a lack of appreciation for the luxurious living that industrialized nations provide for their citizens), so I don't know if that gives you any insight into the suicidal Japanese male.

[Ketou]

[Crispy]

Yeah...success. I have become convinced though that failure is an important part of success. If you lead a blessed life and everything just goes your way, you aren't really prepared for any kind of big responsibility.

[mercutio]

Yeah...success. I have become convinced though that failure is an important part of success.

true!!

-Success is usually the product of having experience and good judgement

-Experience and good judgement are the products of having failed many times

people who succeed are often those who have failed the most but kept at it - "try and you may fail....dont try and you have already failed"

[GomiGirl]

Yeah...success. I have become convinced though that failure is an important part of success. If you lead a blessed life and everything just goes your way, you aren't really prepared for any kind of big responsibility.

The lessons learned in failure allow one to move ahead. There is not the fear of failure as you know that the reality doesn't kill you or is as bad as the anticipation of it.

But I did read a news article recently (forgot where - maybe JT) that compares the Entreprenerial 'spirits' of Japan and the US. The stats cited that 8/10 failed US entrepreneurs will give it another go, but less than 1/10 failed Japanese counterparts will try another venture.

But if the only thing that you suceed at is suicide, then that is a little troubling.

I am extremely grateful that I was born with two XX chromosomes. There is not the pressure to succeed but that is a double edged sword if you have the desire to succeed. Don't let me get into that!! But I think that the communciation skills usually developed by young female adolescents put them in good stead to cope with both success and failure... or even with just living well.