akujunkan: (Default)
akujunkan ([personal profile] akujunkan) wrote2009-03-25 11:45 am
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Today's Picture: 058

Is of:


my new library card. Yup, I finally broke the seal...although in my defense I held out for half a year. Half a year, people. In fact, I didn't even sign out my quota of books. And most of what I did sign out is for research and not pleasure reading.

Although when one considers the fact that I live a five minute walk from the central branch...well, we just won't think about that, will we?


That will be all.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] bran420-7.livejournal.com 2009-03-28 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
hehe...good point. Also, how hard is it to deal with meds in two different countries? Different doctors, different costs....sounds like a headache.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] akujunkan.livejournal.com 2009-03-28 07:23 am (UTC)(link)
Plus, depression was still being treated as a mental illness at least eight years ago here.

And by mental illness, I mean they were locking people up in psychiatric hospitals in the mountains for it.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] bran420-7.livejournal.com 2009-03-31 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Any good mountains? Near any good temples?


That's really spooky though...I never thought I'd be relieved to be in this medical community.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] akujunkan.livejournal.com 2009-04-01 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I couldn't believe it when I read about it...in the English language edition of the Yomiuri newspaper of all things. (They're a center-right paper, to give you an idea.)

The gist was that mental illness was still seen as a personal failing that reflects poorly on your family. So, if someone's depressed (and god knows Japanese society gives you no shortage of reasons to be), hide them far away from other people.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] bran420-7.livejournal.com 2009-04-02 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow. No wonder they have so many honor suicides. Of course, they still do label it illness here, too. Even medical advancement doesn't remove stereotyping.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] akujunkan.livejournal.com 2009-04-03 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Yup, unlike in the West, committing suicide is seen as the honorable and upright thing to do in some instances, not as a sign of cowardice or refusing to face the situation.

Re: Good girl!

[identity profile] bran420-7.livejournal.com 2009-04-03 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Man, countries can be WEIRD. I wonder what other countries encourage honorable suicides?