Experiences in the conquest of neurosis by Morita Therapy
[Experiences]
Conquering the fear of fainting by "taking things as they are"
By Mr. Kazuhito Shibata
From a Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) television broadcast.
This ETV special program aired on January 21st, 1998.
" To Live While Taking Things as They Are---Understanding the Age of Neurosis."
Suddenly the fear of fainting attacked me in my car.
Seven years after I began working as a salesman I was suddenly attacked by strong upsetting feelings while driving in my car in 1983.
On the way to meet my client, I felt an inexplicable anxiety and had difficulty breathing. I was taken to the hospital by an ambulance but there no physical disorder was found. However, after that, sometimes when I got into a car that gloomy fear attacked me.
Quotes from the NHK broadcast,
"I don't have any proper words to express my symptoms...My heart started to beat very fast and I couldn't contain myself and felt strongly upset. Then everything before me went blank so that I could hardly see a traffic signal."
I somehow kept working while taking tranquilizers. But four years later, the strongest anxiety I ever had attacked me, and it persisted all day. In the end I could not go to my office and took one month off.
My work as a salesman must have gone well, but I could not be satisfied with myself at that time.
Doing what I can do.
Quotes from the NHK broadcast continue.
"Thinking about my age, I was 29 years old, it was a very important time. I thought I had to work hard before becoming 30. My worries were such little things. I thought I had better change my job instead of staying at the present company. I felt sure that I could do much better than I was at the time. I considered myself a man of ability."
However I actually felt pressure from my company and an organization. I tried to exceed my true abilities in order to go beyond my circumstances. That stressful effort showed in my body.
Then I studied Morita Therapy at the Life Discovery Society. I learned how important it was to do each household chore such as washing dishes and making my bed. I carried each one out. At that time, I thought it was a serious problem that there was a big gap between my ideals and reality. But now I can work vigorously, and I don't have fear any more at work.
More quotes from the NHK broadcast.
"I came to realize that it was all right to leave what I can't do to others and to do what I can do. It is different from giving up. I have a firm belief to do what I should do now within the range of my abilities. It doesn't mean that I give up everything and try to do nothing. I think that it means 'to take things as they are.
In this way, I could conquer my fear of fainting by carrying out Morita Therapy, which is to do each necessary task one by one while feeling fear every day and to live as I am."