Dealing with Pathological Anxiety in Japan

My honest opinion is that very few things in one’s life can be as fulfilling as living abroad. The opportunity to break away from my comfort zone, brave new horizons, and immerse myself in new cultures has probably been the greatest joy I’ve found during my time on this Earth. Japan in particular holds a deeply special place in my heart, given my long-standing love for its culture and people, both of which have been part of my life since my childhood in Brazil.

Of course, that raises the question: “Well, how come you’re talking about having anxiety in Japan then?” The truth is, living abroad has brought me woes and wonders in equal measure.

In Japan specifically, I found myself dealing with a worsening mental state while simultaneously experiencing a completely new environment, all with very little immediate support, given that my friends and family were, quite literally, on the other side of the world. I had to locate help on my own and deal with a medical system that was completely foreign to me, in a language I couldn’t freely communicate in.

Through this article, I aim to share some of my experiences dealing with severe anxiety and navigating Japan’s medical system, in the hopes that they can, in turn, be of help to someone else.

• How the anxiety began
• Finding help (for the wrong thing)
• Mental health in Japan
• Finding help—again
• Bringing medicine into Japan
• Helping yourself
• Final advice
• Resources

How the anxiety began

Japan was not my first experience living abroad. Before coming here, I lived in neighbouring Taiwan for around three years. Deciding I wanted to try living somewhere else, I settled on Japan, as it seemed to have a vibrant international developer community (through TokyoDev, of course).

Once the decision was made, it was time to prepare. All in all, it took me a year and a half to feel comfortable enough to make the move. However, everything did not go as smoothly as I’d hoped. There were quite a few bumps on the road, which almost made me give…