Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition – December 5, 1998 A boy who had been physically abused as a child by his alcoholic father endured it with patience. He joined a swimming school and worked hard, aspiring to become a competitive swimmer. However, after entering high school, he began receiving late-night invitations from friends to hang out at arcades. Unable to say no, he also began drinking and smoking. He discovered a world more exciting than school or swimming, and began to lo

Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition, December 12, 1998 We live in an age where even the president of a superpower can find himself in jeopardy over an “inappropriate relationship.” If all one gets from a spouse is a “You fool!” and a cold shoulder, perhaps that should be met with gratitude. There are times when people who have engaged in extramarital affairs come to the clinic, suffering from insomnia or depression due to the inner conflict of being caught in a bind. One wants to s

Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition, December 19, 1998 What we now commonly know as "burnout syndrome" originally emerged among nurses in the United States. Medical staff who treat patients with incurable diseases like neuromuscular disorders or cancer face considerable stress, especially when their efforts don’t lead to recovery. Reports indicate that the professions with the highest suicide rates include police officers, lawyers, and doctors. Jobs that involve judgment, punishmen

Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition, January 9, 1999 When one starts to sigh unconsciously upon seeing young people dressed in their formal attire for the Coming-of-Age ceremony, perhaps it marks one’s entry into “middle and old age.” Some people become depressed, seeing aging—an inevitability for all living beings—as something ugly. On the other hand, there are those who, even past seventy, still desire Viagra. Aging, too, can be a source of stress. One man, emaciated and visiting

The Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition, January 23, 1999 Depression, once referred to as endogenous psychosis, has increased sixfold over the past thirty years, partly due to the stresses of modern society. In recent years, the very definition of “endogenous” is being reexamined. In English, depression is called “depression”—a word that also means economic downturn. Add “The Great” to it, and it refers to the Great Depression of 1929, a truly bleak era. The economy and human emoti

Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition, January 30, 1999 A young wife, suffering from insomnia due to her mother-in-law's ill will, comes to the clinic complaining of sleepless nights. Each time she visits, she vents a stream of bitter complaints, and then heads home with a refreshed expression. Meanwhile, a mother-in-law, burdened by cohabitation with a harsh daughter-in-law, also seeks medical help. "I even built them a house," she says, "and yet I can’t sleep at night." Mental heal