英字新聞

(Mainichi Japan) August 7, 2011
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: A lesson in occupational health
香山リカのココロの万華鏡：産業保健の講座受講　／東京

There is a field of medicine called occupational health, which involves protecting the health of people working in companies and organizations.
　医学の中に、企業や組織などで働く人たちの健康を守る産業保健という分野がある。

Recently I made up my mind to take part in a one-week intensive summer course at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health.
一念発起して、産業医大で行われている１週間の夏季集中講座に参加した。

The program included statistics, ergonomics and training involving electrocardiograms and other issues that I'm not too good with, so I felt relieved when the topic of mental health came up.
　統計学や人間工学、心電図など苦手な分野の講習が続く中、唯一ほっとできるのはメンタルヘルス系の科目だ。

Saying I'm relieved with talk about depression may sound strange, but being a psychiatrist, I guess that's where I fit in.
「うつ病の話にほっとする」などというのはおかしな表現だが、やっぱりこれが自分の居場所ということなのだろう。

In a lecture by Jun Nakamura of the university's Department of Psychiatry, one particular phrase that struck me was: "Psychiatric health in modern Japan is an economic issue."
　産業医大精神科の中村純教授の講義で印象に残ったのは、「現代日本の精神保健は、経済問題」というフレーズだった。

In other words, the "emotional problems" that are in the spotlight in present-day Japan are intertwined with economic issues and changes in social structure at some point along the line.
　つまり、いまの日本でクローズアップされている「心の問題」は、いずれもどこかに経済の問題や社会構造の変化が関係している、ということだ。

It's true that there is a lot of stress in companies today, with harsh personnel evaluations, a doctrine of competitiveness, and corporate restructuring that could happen any moment.
　たしかに、会社に目をやると厳しい人事評価や競争主義、いつ宣告されるかわからないリストラ、などストレスがいっぱい。

At the same time, job hunting is also becoming tougher for students and some have no option but to become part-time job hoppers or NEETs -- those not in education, employment or training.
さらに学生の就職活動は過酷になるばかりで、その結果、仕事につけずにフリーターやニートにならざるをえない若者もいれば、

Others go from one temp job to another and end up losing both their work and their families.
派遣労働を転々として、最終的に仕事も家も失ってしまう人さえいる。

But since other people are busy looking out for number one, no one lends a helping hand.
そうなっても、誰もが自分のことで精いっぱいなので、助けの手もさしのべられない。

In other words, people in society today can't feel at ease whether they are in an organization or not.
　つまり、いまの社会では人は組織にいてもいなくても、安心して暮らすことができない、ということだ。

Stress levels rise in an atmosphere of uneasiness and tension, and there is no doubt people who suffer from depression and other conditions as a result.
不安や緊張の中でストレスが高まり、うつ病などになる人も当然、増えるだろう。

However, no matter how much psychiatrists call for revision of the nation's economic structure, society will never change overnight.
　とはいえ、精神科医がいくら「経済構造を見なおせ」などと声を上げても、すぐに社会が変わるわけではない。

Accordingly, there is no option but to handle the situation with preventive measures within the community and companies, and with treatment in consultation rooms.
そうであれば、まずは地域や企業では予防を、診察室では治療を、という地道な作戦しかない。

Professor Nakamura says that when someone in an organization takes leave due to depression or some other reason, he wants the person and those around that person to find significance in the event upon their return to work.
中村教授は、組織でうつ病などで休職した人が出た場合は、その復職にあたって本人もまわりも病気の経験に意義を見いだせるようにしてほしい、と語った。

In one cited example, when a worker succumbed to depression, the person's department looked back on its approach to work, and decreased overtime and provided more opportunities for communication.
たとえば、うつ病になる人が出たことで、その部署がこれまでの働き方を振り返り、残業を減らしたりコミュニケーションの機会を増やしたりした。

The person who had fallen ill also made an effort to increase family time.
本人も、家族とすごす時間を増やすように生活を工夫した。

If such an approach can be adopted, then it should be possible for the person to say, "It was good that I had depression."
もしそうできたら、まさに「うつ病になってよかった」ということになるはずだ。

I had secretly thought that if occupational health was really interesting, then I might change jobs, but what I learned from taking part in the course was that it was good I became a psychiatrist.
　「産業保健があまりに面白かったらこっちに転職しようかな」とひそかに思っていた私だが、この講座で学んだことは「精神科医になってよかった」ということ。

I will now aim to become a doctor whose patients can think, "I got ill but there were some good things about that."
これからは患者さんに、「病気になったけれど、よかったこともあった」と思ってもらえるような医者を目指すことにしよう。

毎日新聞　2011年8月2日　地方版