Comments on: Strange confession note by boy who sawed off his mother’s head and brought it to the police http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/ Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:53:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Curzon http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-217502 Curzon Tue, 22 May 2007 14:35:05 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-217502 <blockquote>In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors.</blockquote> Too true. And yet Japan is one country that could really use a solid psychiatry practice, including counseling and prozac, both for the suicide rate, general mental health, family, anger, handling and coping skills, etc etc etc.
In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors.

Too true. And yet Japan is one country that could really use a solid psychiatry practice, including counseling and prozac, both for the suicide rate, general mental health, family, anger, handling and coping skills, etc etc etc.

]]> By: Mike Oxlong http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-217321 Mike Oxlong Mon, 21 May 2007 03:30:48 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-217321 Couselling seems to be rather uncommon in Japan. Prescribing medication appears to be the preferred treatment for any case of "mental disturbance". I don't get the feeling that even plain old assessment occurs before plotting out some sort of treatment. I basing all this on dicussions with foreign residents and Japanese friends. Does anyone have any information on how mental illness is actually handled in Japan? Couselling seems to be rather uncommon in Japan. Prescribing medication appears to be the preferred treatment for any case of “mental disturbance”. I don’t get the feeling that even plain old assessment occurs before plotting out some sort of treatment. I basing all this on dicussions with foreign residents and Japanese friends. Does anyone have any information on how mental illness is actually handled in Japan?

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Japan: Strange Confession Note http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-217272 Global Voices Online » Japan: Strange Confession Note Sun, 20 May 2007 02:52:08 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-217272 [...] his mother’s head and brought it to the police, courtesy of Mutant Frog Travelogue: “After the crime, he went into an Internet cafe, watched a Beastie Boys DVD, and apparently wrote the...“ Share [...] [...] his mother’s head and brought it to the police, courtesy of Mutant Frog Travelogue: “After the crime, he went into an Internet cafe, watched a Beastie Boys DVD, and apparently wrote the…“ Share [...]

]]> By: Ken http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-216988 Ken Fri, 18 May 2007 16:57:41 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-216988 <em>In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors.</em> Are witch doctors pulling that kind of cash? Count me in! In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors.

Are witch doctors pulling that kind of cash? Count me in!

]]> By: Jen http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-216965 Jen Fri, 18 May 2007 15:07:55 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-216965 Oh, you might be right. But at the very least there is no crime I desire in reality [Note: this line was a little hard to figure out. The Japanese is reproduced below:] 　あーたしかにそうかもしれません。でも現実でだけはボクの望む罪はないと思いますが。 * * * I would interpret that line as "Ah, perhaps that might be so. But I think that the crime I wish (to be persecuted) for does not exist in this reality." Oh, you might be right. But at the very least there is no crime I desire in reality [Note: this line was a little hard to figure out. The Japanese is reproduced below:]
　あーたしかにそうかもしれません。でも現実でだけはボクの望む罪はないと思いますが。

  • * *

I would interpret that line as “Ah, perhaps that might be so. But I think that the crime I wish (to be persecuted) for does not exist in this reality.”

]]> By: Mike Oxlong http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-216783 Mike Oxlong Fri, 18 May 2007 02:12:19 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-216783 "The reports that I’ve seen so far seem to regard this crime as a total aberration by a troubled youth, which it is. But it looks like this sort of thing could be prevented. It’s been reported that it was known that he had been skipping school and a doctor had already diagnosed him as “mentally unstable.” As hard as it is to rein in rebellious teenagers, it’s sad that there wasn’t more done to try and help (or at least medicate) someone with clear mental problems before he became a danger." In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors. Problems are hidden, help is not sought, and rejected when offered. The prevailing attitude seems to be "shoganai". “The reports that I’ve seen so far seem to regard this crime as a total aberration by a troubled youth, which it is. But it looks like this sort of thing could be prevented. It’s been reported that it was known that he had been skipping school and a doctor had already diagnosed him as “mentally unstable.” As hard as it is to rein in rebellious teenagers, it’s sad that there wasn’t more done to try and help (or at least medicate) someone with clear mental problems before he became a danger.”

In my experience, pyschiatrists & psychologists are viewed by the average Japanese as something akin to witch doctors. Problems are hidden, help is not sought, and rejected when offered. The prevailing attitude seems to be “shoganai”.

]]> By: Bryce http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-216692 Bryce Fri, 18 May 2007 00:38:19 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2007/05/17/strange-confession-note-by-boy-who-sawed-off-his-mothers-head-and-brought-it-to-the-police/#comment-216692 I blame the video games. Those Nintendo D-S Brain teasers are a real mind-f**k. I blame the video games. Those Nintendo D-S Brain teasers are a real mind-f**k.

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