Therapist and university lecturer specializing in anxiety, low self-esteem, migraine and chronic pain, Dr Mira Simic-Yamashita practices clinical hypnotherapy and rapid transformational therapy (RTT), an innovative combination of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, neurolinguistic and cognitive programming. behavioral therapy. After living 18 years in Japan, she saw firsthand how the field of mental health has improved in recent years, with more professionals and support options, as well as a growing public awareness of mental health.
But now mental health professionals face a new challenge: dealing with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo warned spoke to Simic-Yamashita to find out how the virus that causes COVID-19 has impacted his work, what the future may hold for Japan in terms of mental health, and how everyone can practice self-care for a good mental health.
How has your job changed since the start of the pandemic?
I see a lot more clients with anxiety issues. Health-related anxiety is quite common, sometimes accompanied by obsessive-compulsive disorder, but so are general anxiety and panic attacks. There is also an increase in anxiety related to work and relationships. Meanwhile, a passive lifestyle, boredom, and lack of social responsibility caused many people to binge, gain weight, or feel listless and demotivated, causing their self-esteem to plummet. As a result, more and more clients have sought help with weight loss, motivation, and self-esteem issues.
As for patients with migraines (a neurological disorder with a huge mental health component), in general, I have seen improvement. People spend more time at home, in a controlled environment, avoiding trips, gatherings, noise and odors, all of which are stressors that can trigger migraines. This makes migraines easier to manage and control. On the other hand, increased screen time and zoom fatigue are triggers for some people as well.
How has the pandemic affected mental health issues and treatments?
I think the pandemic – and the sudden life disruptions that have come with it – have drawn attention to existing mental health issues and dysfunctional family dynamics. People who previously struggled with anxiety, depression, or relationship issues have now amplified it. I don’t think it’s different but more intense, and therefore less tolerable than before.
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