Saturday, October 22, 2011
System Error: Shut Down Advised
Okay. Yeah, things are been crazy recently. I am not talking about the good kind of crazy either. Something has finally boiled to the surface after a long time of simmering. Something inside of me has exploded. I cannot say that I did not see it coming. In fact, I knew it would happen one day. For years I have known that one day I would crack up. I am struggling to understand exactly what do. Mental health is not something dealt with very well in Japan. From what I have noticed it is consider a weakness rather than a serious problem which needs attention. No wonder there are so many crazy ass people in Tokyo. There is just not a lot of help for people here. So what do I do?
Over the last few days my behavior has become beyond extreme. It is like there is another person living inside of me. It just kind of takes me over with little notice. I am not a doctor or an expert about this kind of stuff but I do know how my mind is reacting. I can feel something happen with me. It kind of like my mind is split a bit. Suddenly, I have these two every extreme side to me. One side is very friendly, warm, loving and forgiving. The other side is cold, brutal, aggressive and prone to random acts of hate. It started showing itself about eight months ago but my mind was still trying to fight it off. It was like when I computer get a virus. At first the computer attempts to contain it to prevent any major damage until the user finds a way to kill it. That is exactly what my mind has been doing. Although, the user, in this case me, did not deal with the problem. So maybe my mind has logically decided to split in order to maintain myself. Like I said, I am not a doctor but this is what my head feels like currently.
I kind of understand what triggers it. Anytime I feel fear, doubt, confusion, or threatened this other side of me takes over. I become angry and focused like a tiger in the wild. I say things which should never be said. I do things which might get me killed. In general, I become a totally different person. It is not always extreme. It could be something as simple as saying something brutal to someone who makes me feel threatened. For example, when I am crushed on the train words like asshole and `you fuckers` fly out of my mouth. I know the situation cannot be helped but I give static all the same. Other times it can be much more extreme. As another example, I recently ended up getting into a fight at a bar. There was this really drunk women at the bar and she kept hating on me the entire evening. Just being disrespectful and not nice at all. When she started attacking my Americanism that is when I snapped. We got into a heated argument about America. Her boyfriend asked me to leave and that is when I took a swing at him. This guy was twice my size and could have easily killed me. Instead, he gently took a hold of and `dude get the hell out of here.` I think he saved my life. Yeah, I am avoiding bars for a good long time.
I am unable to go with the flow anymore. It is like my mind is at war with it self. Communication is becoming difficult for me. Talking to people who are gentle to me or while I am teaching is no problem. Actually, I think my English lessons have been a lot better recently. It is like I put a lot of energy into teaching as a way to clear my head. It feels better than ever to see the smiles and efforts of the students. They give me joy.
I have got to work this shit out soon. I cannot be sure I am right about everything I have written here because I am not trained to fully understand the human mind. I am sure that there must be a way to get this under control. Actually, I must get this problem under control. If I can find a way to manage these outbreaks to the point in which they don`t happen so often then I should be okay. I wanted to share this with yall because I don`t have a lot of people to talk to about this.
Over the last few days my behavior has become beyond extreme. It is like there is another person living inside of me. It just kind of takes me over with little notice. I am not a doctor or an expert about this kind of stuff but I do know how my mind is reacting. I can feel something happen with me. It kind of like my mind is split a bit. Suddenly, I have these two every extreme side to me. One side is very friendly, warm, loving and forgiving. The other side is cold, brutal, aggressive and prone to random acts of hate. It started showing itself about eight months ago but my mind was still trying to fight it off. It was like when I computer get a virus. At first the computer attempts to contain it to prevent any major damage until the user finds a way to kill it. That is exactly what my mind has been doing. Although, the user, in this case me, did not deal with the problem. So maybe my mind has logically decided to split in order to maintain myself. Like I said, I am not a doctor but this is what my head feels like currently.
I kind of understand what triggers it. Anytime I feel fear, doubt, confusion, or threatened this other side of me takes over. I become angry and focused like a tiger in the wild. I say things which should never be said. I do things which might get me killed. In general, I become a totally different person. It is not always extreme. It could be something as simple as saying something brutal to someone who makes me feel threatened. For example, when I am crushed on the train words like asshole and `you fuckers` fly out of my mouth. I know the situation cannot be helped but I give static all the same. Other times it can be much more extreme. As another example, I recently ended up getting into a fight at a bar. There was this really drunk women at the bar and she kept hating on me the entire evening. Just being disrespectful and not nice at all. When she started attacking my Americanism that is when I snapped. We got into a heated argument about America. Her boyfriend asked me to leave and that is when I took a swing at him. This guy was twice my size and could have easily killed me. Instead, he gently took a hold of and `dude get the hell out of here.` I think he saved my life. Yeah, I am avoiding bars for a good long time.
I am unable to go with the flow anymore. It is like my mind is at war with it self. Communication is becoming difficult for me. Talking to people who are gentle to me or while I am teaching is no problem. Actually, I think my English lessons have been a lot better recently. It is like I put a lot of energy into teaching as a way to clear my head. It feels better than ever to see the smiles and efforts of the students. They give me joy.
I have got to work this shit out soon. I cannot be sure I am right about everything I have written here because I am not trained to fully understand the human mind. I am sure that there must be a way to get this under control. Actually, I must get this problem under control. If I can find a way to manage these outbreaks to the point in which they don`t happen so often then I should be okay. I wanted to share this with yall because I don`t have a lot of people to talk to about this.
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System Error: Shut Down Advised
2011-10-22T09:25:00+09:00
Jon Doe
Japan|lifestyle|mental therapy|stress|teaching|
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Corinne · 701 weeks ago
You're right, mental health care is virtually non-existent in this fucking country, but I'm guessing living in Tokyo, there might be somewhere you could go. Try and check it out??
Sorry, I wish I could offer more help or insight. Take care of yourself.
Momotaro · 701 weeks ago
I had a search online and found some places that you might be able to go to:
http://www.megurocounseling.com/index.html http://tokyocounseling.com/english/ http://www.japanpsychiatrist.com/default.html http://www.hicc.co.jp/english/
Unfortunately, these services do not come under the national insurance scheme; however according to the first site, at first you will need a session bi or tri-weekly and then after that monthly is ok, so I think it could be a financial possibility.
Another possibility is self-help with a book, perhaps a good first step may be something like: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Peaks-Valleys-Making-Good...
I know it might seem like pop-psychology crap, but it can teach you the fundamentals of training your brain with cognitive behaviour therapy and is worth a try.
I don't live in Tokyo, but if you ever want someone to chat with, I can email you my phone number.
Stay away from the bars with negative people (most of them?) and I hope you get better soon. Take care.
Momotaro · 701 weeks ago
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=7...
The first document under the treatment heading is a pretty easy to understand summary of various treatments and their effectiveness.
TokyoGhost · 701 weeks ago
@Wanda--Now is not the time...okay. Back off a bit please.
My recent post System Error: Shut Down Advised
Momotaro · 701 weeks ago
Chris B 113p · 701 weeks ago
TokyoGhost · 701 weeks ago
My recent post System Error: Shut Down Advised
Spoonerinthecorner · 700 weeks ago
I feelya, man. I'm a little older, but that just means I've been alone a little longer, especially when I was parked across the ocean from you, 2,000 miles from my hometown. I had survival on my plate, traveling to jobs, during the late 80's, but I tethered to the Portland area since I got to join my trade union there, even though the jobs were few.
I had all I owned packed away in the lockbox spaces on my pickup truck, but no home, so I adapted to spend most all of my free time in the national & state forests -- public lands. (I ramped-up pillows by the steering wheel & slept on the bench seat. for quite awhile.
If it's feasible to rent a car, I highly recommend getting away from the city if you can, to the remoteness of the mountains, for a clean break, to just relax. The views & the relative silence can be AMAZING. It became a routine for me for years. In between construction jobs, I always went away to awesome places in the mountains while all the rats were too busy, scurrying around in the cities. Plus when it was raining all the time in the valley, I'd go high enough to get snow. (Snow is 100x more peaceful for me.)
If you enjoy it -- if it does the trick to calm your nerves and give you balance -- it is awesome to ALWAYS KNOW THAT when things get crappy and a general sense of displeasure, disgust, or damnation comes around, you have refuges, place(s) you can dig on and groove in relaxation.
I found that people are generally such civilization-dependent pussies that the concentration of people drops off quickly outside the metro areas.
I'm thinking along these lines for you since you mentioned hangin' in the park spaces. Brother, I think you'll have a NEW pleasure, (and new, good thoughts kicking ass on the negative) after scouting out new areas at the local fringes & beyond (especially in the mountains). I think after some map studying and exploring, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to find relatively close-in locations you can simply drive right up to, or trail hike a small distance to, and be alone, completely at peace (outside the meat grinder of Tokyo).
Not something you can just jump into with success right off the bat, but I'd recommend trying to meditate, (just calmly focusing mentally, divorced from physical circumstance) praying, or reading spiritually inspirational stuff, like the Bible, but that's on you. I don't know how open you are to that.
Didn't call you by name since I don't know if you use it here, but I'm wishing you the very best bro!
TokyoGhost · 700 weeks ago
My recent post Tokyo Ghost:Reboot V2.0 Satanis OS
tlear · 700 weeks ago
One more gaijin · 700 weeks ago
In that moment, instead of thinking about you, start thinking about them, start thinking about how they feel, how people around you will feel because of your behavior. That might help you to see yourself from outside and understand that your reaction probably has no sense.
If the answer is YES, if the people around you is really responsible for your bad feelings, well man, go to Narita and find a different country. Some people is not compatible with foreign cultures. Spend time in Japan as a tourist is one thing, but living here is a completely different thing.
To have a good life in any place, you have to first love the people around you, love the culture, feel compassion for them, feel one of them. In that way you can feel good by living in any place. It's not only about finding a job, making more money or improve your career. It's about living your life with dignity and happiness. So think about what you really want and maybe you realize that this is not the right place for you or eventually you can find what is really making you change in this bad direction.
Good luck!
TokyoGhost · 700 weeks ago
My recent post Tokyo Ghost:Reboot V2.0 Satanis OS
Francisco · 700 weeks ago
Unfortunately this is the sad true. You just need to realize that the bad-boy ... is the american education of the self, giving more importance to the Ego. So what you are feeling is the conscious self rising up. Say thank you to Japan. Meditate, go to a zen temple, read books, calm yourself.
And instead of trying to communicate this to the outside world, try speak this with a japanese person and to understand what is going on.
Francisco · 700 weeks ago
"There are two dogs inside me, one of them is cruel and mean, the other one is good and docile. Both are always fighting ..."
So when he was asked which one of the dogs wins the fight, the Indian wise man, stopped, reflected and answered:
"The one which I feed."
TokyoGhost · 700 weeks ago
My recent post Tokyo Ghost:Reboot V2.0 Satanis OS