Mental Health
When you leave your home in Vietnam and start life in Japan,, there will be many changes, such as language, culture and customs, and the people around you. This can make you tire easily, both physically and mentally.
You might not be able to speak Japanese very well, you might miss your family and friends, and the work might be hard. When these situations continue, it can cause mental fatigue and make you ill.
Mental illness is something that can happen to anyone.
Just like with physical illness, if something feels wrong, seek advice as soon as possible.
This section explains what to do to maintain your physical and mental health, what kind of symptoms occur in mental illness, and where you should seek advice if you become mentally unwell.
5. 1. I am having trouble getting used to life in Japan. I cannot keep up with the people at my company, and I feel anxious every day. Why is that?
• When you leave the place you have been living until now, there will be changes, such as language, culture and customs, and the people around you, which can make you tire easily, both physically and mentally.This is called culture shock, and it is something that can happen to anyone.
• You might not be able to speak Japanese very well, you might miss your family and friends, and the work might be hard. When these situations continue, it can cause mental and physical fatigue and make you ill.
• When things are hard or you are feeling sad, share your feelings with someone from your country. Making friends with your work colleagues and Japanese people and encountering Japanese culture may help you to get used to life in Japan.
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5. 2. What kinds of symptoms will I experience if I am mentally or physically fatigued.
When you are mentally or physically fatigued, you may experience the following kinds of symptoms, which are called stress reactions.
Physical Headache, stomach ache, lack of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, inability to sleep
Mental: Feeling down, lack of motivation, irritation
Behavior: Eating too much, drinking too much alcohol, shopping too much, being late for work
Cognitive Thinking only about bad things, seeing people around you as your enemy, feeling like you are being harassed
If these symptoms continue, you may become ill. By noticing these stress reactions at an early stage and resting your body, getting good sleep, and consulting with someone, you will be less prone to becoming ill.
Learn more details
JITCO “Self-Diagnosis of Mind and Body” (English version)
5. 3. What should I do if I experience symptoms from stress?
It may be possible to reduce severe symptoms with medicine.For example, if you cannot sleep and are constantly tired or find yourself becoming dazed in the middle of work, by taking medicine that will help you sleep, your physical condition and powers of concentration will recover.
First, consult a psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine department (➡ See 5.8).
5. 4. I have ongoing symptoms such as feeling low and unmotivated, unable to get up in the morning, unable to sleep, and having no appetite. What should I do?
• You are no longer able to control your feelings or behavior, so you may have depression. Consult a psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine department (➡ See 5.8).
• If it is depression, physical symptoms such as headache, feeling like you want to vomit, chest pains, and numbness in the hands and feet may emerge. You need to take medicine and rest.
5. 5. I feel like I want to kill myself. What should I do?
• The feeling of wanting to commit suicide appears more easily when you are in a depressive state (depressive illness). First, speak to someone you can trust and go together with that person to consult a psychosomatic medicine or psychiatry department (➡ See 5.8).
• If the feelings of wanting to kill yourself are very strong, you may need to be hospitalized. If you do not have anyone nearby who you can talk to, seek advice in English from one of the hotlines in the [List of Consulting Services].
5. 6. I suddenly feel afraid of the people around me and that they are saying bad things about me. I can actually hear voices. What should I do?
• The feeling that someone is saying bad things about you may be a symptom called “paranoia,” and hearing voices or strange sounds when there is nobody there may be a symptom called “auditory hallucinations.” These are symptoms that appear at times of mental or physical fatigue .
• If these symptoms occur repeatedly, this may be a sign of mental illness. Consult a psychosomatic medicine or psychiatry department (➡ See 5.8) .
5. 7. I am worried about a colleague who is acting and talking differently from before. I recommended that this person see a psychiatrist, but they refused. What should I do?
• First, consult with someone at your company’s advice helpline or someone near you that you can rely on. Show the following [Detailed Information in Japanese] to someone who understands Japanese and search for the nearest consultation service. If you do not know what to do, seek advice in Vietnamese from one of the hotlines in the [List of Consulting Services].
• If they are behaving in a way that could lead to suicide or they are agitated, breaking things, or hurting other people, call the police.
• Consult a psychosomatic medicine or psychiatry department (➡ See 5.8).
Detailed Information in Japanese
Additional information
What is your mental state like right now?
Try answering the following 15 questions. How many questions did you answer “Yes” to?
| Yes | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you ever have trouble sleeping or staying asleep, or do you still feel tired even after a long sleep? | |
| 2 | Have you ever felt low or depressed, or felt so hopeless and that you have given up on everything? | |
| 3 | Do you feel tired or listless for no reason? | |
| 4 | Do you feel like you do not want to eat anything, or, once you start eating, you have been unable to stop, or are you drinking too much alcohol? | |
| 5 | Do you experience headaches, nausea, or dizziness? | |
| 6 |
Do you find it difficult to concentrate or to immerse yourself in what is in front of you or find yourself thinking about something else?
Do you feel panicky or irritated?
|
|
| 7 | Do you feel panicky or irritated? | |
| 8 | Do you feel like you are standing by yourself in the workplace and that everyone around you has moved away from you, or that you have no friends and are all alone, or that nobody will help you? | |
| 9 | Do you feel nervous or anxious, or in a constant state of worry, and that you are causing yourself problems? | |
| 10 | Does your heart race or do you find it difficult to breathe? | |
| 11 | Do you feel like you want to die, or do you think about suicide? | |
| 12 | Do you ever berate yourself, thinking things like “I’m a terrible person” or “I have disappointed my family”? | |
| 13 | Do you feel afraid of the people around when you did not before, or do you feel like something is going to happen to you? | |
| 14 | Are you easily startled by even a small noise, or do you hear voices coming from somewhere? | |
| 15 | Do you feel more energetic or talkative than before or are you buying more things than you did before? | |
Number of “Yes” answers ….. /15
Additional information
If you answered “Yes” even once … This is the beginning of mental and physical fatigue. Try some of the following methods. If you do, you are likely to feel better, sleep better, and become more mentally and physically energized.
• Do some light stretches in spare moments at work.
• Do exercise to an extent that feels pleasant.
• Ask someone who came with you from Vietnam
or someone else who you feel comfortable with to listen
to you talk about how you are feeling now.
• Another good idea is to chat with your family
and friends back in Vietnam online.
• Listen to your favorite music or read a favorite book.
• Go out somewhere there is lots of nature.
• Feel the change in nature in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
• Finish eating your evening meal at least two hours before going to bed.
• Stop looking at your smartphone at least 1 hour before going to bed.
• Relax in a hot bath about 1 hour before going to bed.
• Try to get up as early as possible in the morning.
• Try to get up as early as possible in the morning. As soon as you get up, open the curtains and the window.If the room is dark, turn on the light. Try to go outside and take in some sunshine.
• When you drink alcohol, it can affect your sleep, making you tire more easily. Try not to become dependent on alcohol or smoking.
• Source: Modified from Mental Health: Hints for Realizations (MHLW pamphlet in Japanese)• If the number of “Yes” answers does not fall even after trying these things, see a mental health specialist.
➡ See 5.8.
• If you answered “Yes” three or more times …
• You appear to be very mentally exhausted.
• See a mental health specialist, that is, a psychosomatic medicine or psychiatry department at a clinic or hospital.
• If they give you medicine, you will get better.
5. 8. I want to consult a mental health specialist. Where can I find one?
• First, ask your company’s advice helpline if there is a reputable psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine department near your company. Then, ask them to help you make an appointment. You can also consult an advice helpline in Vietnam.
• If there is no psychiatry/psychosomatic medicine department near you, or if there is one but you cannot get an appointment, go to your regular clinic or hospital and ask their advice. They will refer you to a specialist.
• Also, each prefecture has a Mental Health and Welfare Center, which has an advice helpline staffed by mental health specialists (free service). Show the following [Detailed Information in Japanese] to someone who understands Japanese.
• If there is nobody who understands Japanese around you who can help, seek advice in English from one of the hotlines in the [List of Consulting Services].
Detailed Information in Japanese
Helpline for night/holiday emergency psychiatric medical institutions
This is a list of helplines that can provide information about emergency psychiatric medical institutions that are open at night and on weekends/public holidays.
5. 9. How much will it cost to see a mental health specialist?
• The cost is the same as when you see a doctor when you feel physically unwell (➡ See 1-1).
• If you see a mental health specialist and you are told that you will have to attend regularly for a certain period, there is a system that will reduce the fee for each visit.This system is called “Self-reliance Support Medical Care (Psychiatric Outpatient Care)”.
• Go to your local municipal office and ask them how to apply for this fee reduction.
5. 10. A friend has offered me drugs (stimulants, marijuana, etc.). I want to try it just once, but is it dangerous?
• Using drugs such as stimulants and marijuana has negative impacts both mentally and physically .The people around you will also worry about you. There are many people who have started using them because they were a little curious, only to develop a disease called addiction and become unable to stop.If someone offers drugs to you and you show even the slightest hesitation, they will try to offer them to you again. If you are offered drugs, it is important to give a flat refusal.If it is hard to refuse, escape from that situation.Escaping is also a form of courage.
• If you take drugs such as stimulants or marijuana, you will receive severe punishment under Japanese law. It is also very common for people to be fired from their company as punishment. Flatly refusing drugs and quitting them if you have been using them would be difficult to do by yourself. If you have been offered them and are hesitating, or if you have already used them, seek advice immediately.
Detailed Information in Japanese
5. 11. I love drinking alcohol. Even if I have had a little bit to drink before driving or working, nobody can tell and I think I will be fine, but is that not good?
• Drinking alcohol before or during work is very dangerous, so please stop doing that. You will become more prone to causing harm to either yourself or the people around you, such as making mistakes when operating machinery.Alcohol can also make you feel over-confident, and you might say things that you would not ordinarily say, or make people around you feel uncomfortable, which could cause problems for you later.
• In Japan, it is prohibited by law for anyone to drink any form of alcohol before they turn 20 years of age.It is also not permitted to drive any kind of vehicle after drinking even a small amount.It is even illegal to ride a bicycle.
• It is also prohibited by law to lend a car to someone who has been drinking, to serve alcohol to someone who you know will be driving, and to enter a car being driven by someone who has been drinking.If you drive after drinking alcohol, you could lose your driver’s license or be fired by your company.
• Drinking alcohol in excess has negative impacts both physically and mentally. Be sensible around alcohol.
Detailed Information in Japanese
