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mental health

Suicide rates for Japanese women/overall population reach historic low, with troubling exception

A decade of mental health improvement for almost everybody, but the “almost” part shows there’s still a lot of work to be done.

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Fewer people committed suicide in Japan last year than in any other year on record

Suicide rate drops to historic low.

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“There are many mentally unwell girls in AKB48” claims ex-member of Japan’s top idol singer group

Five-year veteran talks about indirect “cries for help.”

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Pokémon GO now doctor-approved thanks to Tokyo University study

Results of first scientific study into Pokémon GO‘s health benefits reveal game lowers stress levels.

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On the day of the highest youth suicide rates in Japan, a letter to troubled teens

”The world you’ve known so far is still such a small piece of our world.”

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A simple DIY shiatsu hand massage to relieve all that pent-up stress from work【Video】

Take things into your own hands and relieve that stress!

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Twitter debate erupts over Japanese book that shows man with Asperger’s refusing to work overtime

Opposing sides of the discussion offer differing interpretations of illustrated example.

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Twitter manga shows why “Quit your job” isn’t such an easy solution for suicidal workers in Japan

Author found himself waiting on a subway platform, with the train aproaching, thinking “If I just take one little step forward, I won’t have to go to work tomorrow.”

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Japanese library offers itself and its manga collection as refuge for emotionally troubled youths

Though summer vacation is a lot shorter in Japan than it is in the U.S., most tudents here aren’t exactly itching to go back to school once it’s done. Even worse, since it falls in the middle of the Japanese school year, the end of summer break is also the start of the second, and more demanding, semester.

Needless to say, a lot of kids would rather blow off school and kick back with a good manga, which is exactly what one library in Japan is encouraging them to do. The reason, however, is far more important than just finding out what happens to their favorite fictional characters .

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While discussing health-related issues is never easy, mental health is particularly challenging. A big part of it seems to be simply considering who your audience is, as what works for one person or group won’t always work for another. So, when it comes to discussing a topic that involves everything from domestic violence to positive behavior modification, knowing your audience is a huge factor.

Fortunately, Akihabara’s Yuu Mental Clinic has a handle on knowing their audience with a series on mental health in manga form, complete with wacky hijinks and impossible science fiction scenarios. They also managed to turn a simple pun into two glorious pages detailing the most absurd day-dream ever by a fictional junior high-age boy. How many of his “20 school rules” can you guess (hint: Swimsuits are definitely involved)?

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Suicides drop for second year in Japan, still leading cause of death among young adults

The Japanese government recently released its 2014 white paper on suicide in the nation. While the continuing downward trend in the number of people taking their own lives is encouraging, the statistics also revealed the sobering and troubling fact that suicide is the leading cause of death among Japanese aged 15 to 34.

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