[acb-hsp] A Scary New Form of Depression?

[peter altschul]

A Scary New Form of Depression Is Emerging That Doctors Don't 
Know How to Treat ...  And Its Causes Are Economic
  Charles Hugh Smith October 18, 2012
  Today I continue to explore the theme that Japan's two decades 
of economic stagnation may offer guidelines for what lies ahead 
"for the rest of us" as the global malaise deepens in the years 
ahead.  I have been a student of Japan for 40 years, having 
studied the language, history, literature, geography and 
art/film, in university and thereafter.  We have many Japanese 
friends and have visited a number of times.  (I have also been a 
student of the Chinese and Korean cultures.)
  Japan is quite different from the U.S.  and Europe, with a 
homogeneous populace and a culture rooted in Confucian values and 
social hierarchies.  Despite the many differences, including 
definitions of depression, I think it is self-evident that the 
rising insecurity and workplace changes in Japan result from 
long-term economic stagnation.  I suspect "new-type depression" 
may have some universal aspects, as rising insecurity and new 
demands in the workplace characterize Western economies as well.
  New-type depression--NTD--(also called modern-type) is not a 
classic depression.  It does not respond to anti-depressant 
medications, and it is triggered by events in the 
workplace--usually criticism from superiors.  Those who exhibit 
the symptoms--difficulty focusing at work, physical symptoms of 
stress, etc.--tend to be in their 20's and 30's.  With 26% of 
companies reporting NTD in their workforces, it is widely viewed 
as a threat to Corporate Japan.
  Outside of work, the person with new-type depression continues 
their social life as before, even as they find themselves unable 
to go back to work.  In other words, they do not suffer from 
generalized anxiety or anhedonia (inability to enjoy anything in 
life).  This leads older Japanese to dismiss the NTD's as lazy or 
spoiled, because the depression is often triggered by demands at 
work the young worker cannot meet.
  Psychologists in Japan are struggling to understand and define 
new-type depression.  Some feel it is a form of rebellion against 
a rigid society.  Others believe it results from poor 
communication skills on the part of both the younger workers and 
their senior supervisors.
  Why are poor communication skill suddenly an issue in 
hierarchical Japan? It turns out that Corporate Japan has adopted 
Western-style management techniques to cope with declining sales 
and profitability.  Job security is no longer absolute in 
Corporate Japan, and high-level social skills are now required in 
the "New Economy."
  This is also the case in America, where routine work that 
required only following orders has declined in favor of work that 
demands constant communication with work groups and and 
interaction with supervisors.  This "New Economy" workplace 
places a premium on high-level verbal, written and social skills 
of the sort that females generally score higher on than males.  
(NTD does not appear to be gender-related, as both males and 
females experience NTD.)
  The "New Economy" in Japan and the U.S.  places great pressure 
on those with poor communication skills and who take their work 
seriously.  Criticism or a failure to keep up pushes the 
anxiety-ridden worker into new-style depression.
  According to Japan's case of the office blues (Financial Times, 
free registration required), Corporate Japan has also flattened 
management levels, U.S.-style, diminishing the traditional 
mentoring relationship between senior supervisors and junior 
workers.  This relationship evoked certain aspects of the stern 
and demanding father-figure, the boss who might yell at you but 
who looked out for you and nurtured you within the corporate 
hierarchy.
  "It is a generation that faces a situation in which the balance 
between responsibility and authority is broken," says Mr Imai.  
"Also, in the past, there used to be a senpai-kohai [older 
worker, younger worker] system, where more experienced staff 
mentored their subordinates, but now everyone is equal, so 
everyone is alone," he says.
  More than 26 per cent of businesses surveyed last year by the 
health ministry said they had cases of workers resigning or 
taking leave of more than one month for mental health reasons.  
This was up from just 7.6 per cent in a survey conducted three 
years before.  The bulk of those businesses, or 84 per cent of 
respondents, said problems of mental health affected their 
business performance negatively.
  We can summarize the breeding ground of new-type depression: 
very demanding work that is beyond the capacity of people with 
poor social and communication skills and those who fear being 
left behind or failing.  Fearing failure, they wilt under 
criticism that seems unfair and irresponsible given that they're 
doing their best.  Facing an apparently no-win situation at work, 
they quit or take an extended leave of absence.
  This doesn't solve the depression or its causes, unfortunately.  
What seems to help is counseling that raises the emotional 
maturity of the person with NTD so they can better handle 
criticism, and counseling the senior supervisors to become better 
communicators with younger workers.  Placing workers with low 
communication skills in jobs where they can work independently 
and productively also helps.
  The demands on enterprises and employees alike are rising as 
the "New Economy" of pervasive insecurity and constant adaptation 
become the norm.  The take-away from Japan's new-style depression 
is that we need to understand not all workers are cut out for the 
high-social-skill "New Economy," though in the right positions 
they are admirably productive.  That will take a new level of 
management skills in Corporate Japan, America and Europe as 
definancialization and deleveraging unravel the global economy.