Photo/Illutration Commuters and others pack JR Shinagawa Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward on May 8, 2023. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

In the spring four years ago, while the nation was struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, a friend of mine advised me not to vary my daily routine even though I had stopped going to the office and was working from home.

My friend, a clinical psychologist practicing in Italy, where the disease had spread explosively, sent me emails explaining in great detail how to maintain my mental health.

Specifically, I was urged to get up and have my breakfast every morning as before, and get dressed before starting work.

In hindsight, I was feeling badly shaken by the emergence of the novel coronavirus.

Society at large was being overwhelmed by major changes, too, having to deal with unfamiliar situations such as social distancing, temporary school closings, state of emergency declarations, and so on.

My work also came with its own set of challenges that were confusing and unsettling. I was able to interview people only by phone or online.

A change of environment causes stress and anxiety, both physical and mental.

The Golden Week holiday period ended on May 6. I imagine there are people who have returned to their new school or place of work but are now having adjustment problems.

With the pandemic over, I hear that cases of “Gogatsu-byo” (literally, May sickness) are on the rise lately.

A kind of mild depression or lethargy, this disorder became noticeable in the late 1960s when Japan’s post-World War II baby boomers became university students.

Many displayed symptoms of adjustment disorder and lethargy around May, as a delayed reaction of sorts to the grueling competition they’d been through to get into a university of their choice.

Initially, only first-year university students were thought to be Gogatsu-byo patients. Over time, however, rookie company workers also came to be included among the ranks.

And according to more recent academic papers about this disorder, people who are meticulous and serious by nature are more liable to be affected, probably because they try too hard to adapt to their new school or job.

But a recent private-sector survey found that not only new employees, but also many workers in their 50s have been diagnosed with Gogatsu-byo.

Simply put, anyone can develop mental health problems.

To get better with minimal damage, venting your feelings is the way to go. If you have no family member or friend to do this with, you can always reach out to a professional therapist.

But if you are reluctant to talk to anyone, there is such a thing as automated artificial intelligence psychotherapy today. And it does help even if you only talk to yourself aloud.

—The Asahi Shimbun, May 7

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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