"There is no one without a heart. It is important for everyone to be considerate of others while valuing their individuality." These are
the words of Kosuke Hagino, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming.
The distribution of videos has begun, in which former athletes share their experiences of mental health problems and deliver messages to those who are suffering.
This video was planned by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and four former athletes, including Kosuke Hagino, a former Japanese national swimming team who won a gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and Kana Oyama, a former Japanese national volleyball team, shared their experiences in a dialogue format. And so on.
Hagino took a break from competition for about three months in 2019 due to mental health problems, and said, ``The moment the world of competing purely for speed at the Olympics is over, why are you swimming? Before the Tokyo Olympics, I couldn't get out of my room and couldn't sleep, so it was really tough."
On top of that, he said, "You may think that mental health is someone else's problem, but there is no one without a heart, and it is important for everyone to be considerate of others while valuing their individuality."
Natsumi Sakurada, who suffers from schizophrenia, said, "When I got sick, I couldn't accept it because I didn't know what was going on, but my family, friends, I was supported by connections with people around me, such as friends who had similar experiences."
This video was released on the video sharing site "YouTube" on the 10th and can be viewed on the official channel of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Kana Oyama "Recognize yourself and praise yourself"
Kana Oyama, a former volleyball representative from Japan who participated in the interview, talked about her experience of continuing to play while suffering from mental health problems.
She played an active part in the Japanese national team, such as Mr. Oyama participating in the 2004 Athens Olympics at the age of 20 with her strong spikes as a weapon, and she retired in 2010.
In the interview, he revealed that he had been competing while taking sleeping pills and tranquilizers since he was 20 years old, and said, "When people all over Japan know me, if I take one step out of the room, I will look at them. I couldn't sleep at night after I started gathering.It was very hard to hide my true self and play a strong person, and I had no choice but to store it up inside myself."
It was the words of her family and her teacher in high school that gave her support during the difficult times, saying, "You don't have to go through a hard time playing volleyball. It was very supportive to have someone who cared for me," he said.
And for those who are currently suffering from mental illness, "I think that people tend to look at what they are lacking or what they can't do, but at the same time, look at what they are good at and what they are good at." I myself have suffered from not being able to do that, so I want you to recognize yourself, praise yourself, and evaluate yourself properly."
About 1 in 5 people experience mental health problems
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, "mental health" is a state of mental health, and in some cases it takes time to recover because it is difficult for people around you to notice your mental health problems and it is difficult for you to tell them yourself.
A group of professors from the University of Tokyo conducted a survey of 2,450 randomly selected people nationwide over the three years up to 2015. It means that he was experiencing some kind of mental disorder such as panic disorder.
On the other hand, about 3 out of 4 people (74.6%) had never visited a medical institution or consulted with a specialist.
"Mental illness can happen to anyone"
"It's important to understand that mental health problems can happen to anyone," said Hiroki Tanaka, a psychiatrist working in the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Psychiatric and Disability Health Division.
And when you feel a mental disorder, "It can be difficult to notice it, so first of all, I want you to evaluate yourself when you feel a disorder. I would like you to consult with the consultation desk of the administrative agency or receive a doctor's examination."
On the other hand, when receiving consultation, he said, ``It's meaningful just to be by the other person's side or spend time in the same space. I'm here.
Tokyo Tower is lit up in silver on the night of the 10th, in conjunction with "World Mental Health Day" on the 10th.
This light-up was planned by an NPO in Yokohama City to make many people aware of the importance of mental health and to encourage those who are suffering from mental illness.
On the 10th, a lighting ceremony was held in front of Tokyo Tower in Minato-ku, Tokyo, and at 6:00 pm, it was lit up in silver, a symbolic color to deepen the understanding of mental health.
Shigeki Seki, the representative of the NPO "Silver Ribbon Japan", which hosted the event, said, "Mental health problems can happen to anyone, so I want many people to see today's light-up and deepen their understanding of mental health." was