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?

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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?

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).

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Detailed Information in Japanese

List of Mental Health and Welfare Centers around Japan

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.