英字新聞

October 13, 2013(Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Psychiatry patients as the antennas of their time
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:時代のアンテナ　／東京

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally announced raising the consumption tax rate from 5 percent to 8 percent in April next year at a press conference on Oct. 1.
　１０月１日に安倍晋三首相が記者会見で、消費税率を今の５％から８％に引き上げることを正式に発表した。

The following day I was responsible for outpatients. As I had expected, this topic was brought up several times in the consultation room. "I couldn't sleep last night," said one patient. "I'm flustered with anxiety," said another.
　翌日の２日は外来担当日。予想通り、診察室でこの話題を取り上げて「昨夜は眠れなかった」「不安でドキドキします」と語る人が何人かいた。

I suspect some people may be dubious, "Becoming immediately anxious and losing sleep when the tax rise is not until April next year is surely an overreaction."
　「引き上げは来年４月とまだ先なのに『昨日の今日』で早くも不眠や不安を訴えるなんて大げさな」と、いぶかしむ人もいそうだ。

But through the ages psychiatry patients have been regarded as antennas of their time, being very sensitive to social problems.
だが、昔から「精神科の患者さんは時代のアンテナ」などとも言われており、社会問題にとても敏感に反応しやすい。

There are those that become depressed or frightened just by seeing incidents or conflicts overseas that in reality have no direct effect on their lives, some people even develop illnesses. These people empathize with those suffering in distant countries, regardless if it has any effect on themselves, and feel the hardship and fear as if experiencing it firsthand.
中には、実際に自分の生活に直接関係のない海外の事件や紛争などを見るだけで恐怖や落ち込みを感じ、症状が悪化する人もいる。その人たちは自分にも影響が及ぶかどうかというよりも、遠い国で苦しんでいる人の気持ちを想像し、あたかも自分が経験したかのようにつらさや怖さを感じているのだ。

When I see people that empathize with events in faraway places, being instantly responsive to the news and worrying more than the average person, I always wonder if they are the ones with healthier minds.
　このようにニュースにいち早く反応して、やや過剰に心配したり遠い国の出来事に心を痛めたりしている人たちを見ると、いつも思うことがある。それは「この人たちの心のほうがずっと健全なのでは」ということだ。

In today's society there is an abundance of incidents occurring both in Japan and abroad. Everything is uncertain and there is no one that can guarantee peace and prosperity in the next decade. The lives of people in disadvantaged positions especially have become harder over time. If someone sees incidents such as widespread disasters or terrorist acts and says, "It has nothing to do with me," or dismisses whatever is reported in the news, in reality isn't this a much less natural attitude? Perhaps these people turn off their reaction switch and become programmed for indifference.
　今の社会、国内でも海外でもあまりにいろいろなことが起きる。何もかもが不安定で、１０年後の平和や繁栄を確約できる人など誰もいない。特に、弱い立場にいる人たちの生活はますます厳しいものになりつつある。そういう中で、どんな話題が報じられても「まあ大丈夫じゃないの」と気にしないとか、世界各地での痛ましい災害やテロなどを見ても「私には関係ない」と無視するというほうが、本当はかなり不自然な態度なのではないか。もしかすると、そういう人たちは何かを感じ取る心のスイッチを切ってしまっているから、そんなふうに無頓着を装えるだけなのかもしれない。

But as a psychiatrist I can't just say, "Your reaction is normal," to patients who find it more difficult to sleep after hearing news of a consumption tax increase.
　とはいえ、精神科医としては「消費税引き上げと聞いて、ますます眠れなくなりました」と訴える人に、「それが正常な神経です」と何も手当てしないわけにはいかない。

The best I can do is to give the symptom a name such as insomnia and write out a prescription. But I'm always left with mixed feelings. Are they the ones who are "sick," or is it me? After all, I seem to turn off my reaction switch. "Consumption tax increases? Yet another contaminated water leak? Never mind about that for now," I think, pretend that everything is fine and get a good night's sleep.
「そうですか。じゃ、睡眠を促すクスリを処方しますね」と言って「不眠症」などと病名をつけ、処方箋を書くしかないのだが、いつも複雑な気持ちになる。本当に「病気」なのはどちらなのか。
　もしかしたら、「消費税アップ？　また汚染水漏れ？　いや、考えない、考えない」と心のスイッチを切ってしまい、何事もなかったかのように安眠している私のほうなのではないだろうか。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞　2013年10月08日　地方版