Morita Therapy is a lifestyle therapy initiated by Dr. Shoma Morita as a treatment for mental illness (neurosis, neurosis, psychopathy). It has gained the support of many patients and continues to be practiced today.
During my university years, while devouring books on mental illness and psychology, I became interested in Morita Therapy. I learned about the Morita Therapy self-help group, “The Discovery of Life,” and attended several meetings.
Regarding the theoretical aspects of Morita Therapy, known as Morita Theory, I found some of the terminology outdated, and some of the content was not entirely convincing.
For example, Morita Theory states that the cause of mental illness (neurosis) is a genetic predisposition to be overly meticulous, followed by fixation on symptoms and physical condition, leading to the onset and worsening of symptoms.
I felt that while this situation exists, it is not the essence of the cause.
I did not feel that I had become unable to behave naturally as a result of meticulously paying attention to improving relationships with others or being overly concerned with how others perceived me.
It felt like I suddenly and naturally became unable to socialize with people.
At the time, I had strong symptoms of scopophobia (fear of being stared at), and even when I attended a “Life Discovery Meeting,” I remember feeling exhausted from constantly shifting my gaze because I was so conscious of the stares of the participants sitting in front of me.
I experienced depression, inferiority complex, shame, and anxiety due to my symptoms and the resulting failures in social life, and these did not improve even with the actions based on Morita therapy.
Morita therapy claims that symptoms and emotions will improve as you continue to act and live your life, but it didn’t work easily for me.
Furthermore, I didn’t think I was particularly acting and living my life as it was to begin with.
And after attending the “Life Discovery Meeting” a few times, I stopped going.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand the good aspects of Morita therapy.
Now, I believe that Morita therapy is generally the best available method for living, acting, and treating mental illness.
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