- Taijin kyofusho
Taijin kyofusho (対人恐怖症, TKS, for "taijin kyofusho symptoms"), is a
Japan eseculture-specific syndrome . The term taijin kyofusho literally means the disorder (sho) of fear (kyofu) of interpersonal relations (taijin). Dr.Shoma Morita described the condition as vicious cycle of self examination and reproach which can occur in people of hypochondriacal temperament.In the West, taijin kyofusho is usually described as a form of
social anxiety (socialphobia ), with the sufferer dreading and avoiding social contact. However, instead of a fear of embarrassing themselves or being harshly judged by others because of their social ineptness (as in cases in theWestern world ), sufferers of taijin kyofusho report a fear of offending or harming other people. The focus is thus on avoiding harm to others rather than to oneself.In the official Japanese diagnostic system, taijin kyofusho is subdivided into the following categories:
*Sekimen-kyofu , the phobia ofblushing (English term: ereuthophobia)
*Shubo-kyofu , the phobia of a deformed body, similar toBody dysmorphic disorder
*Jikoshisen-kyofu , the phobia ofeye contact
*Jikoshu-kyofu , the phobia of having foulbody odor (English term: osmophobia, bromidrosiphobia)Since it is not prevalent in
American culture , taijin kyofusho is not detailed in the DSM IV. This is under debate, however, as symptoms indicative of taijin kyofusho are sometimes found in patients in the United States.Treatment
The standard Japanese treatment for taijin kyofusho is
Morita therapy , developed by Dr. Morita Masatake in the 1910s as a treatment for the Japanese mental disorders taijin kyofusho and shinkeishitsu (nervousness ). The original regimen involved patient isolation, enforcedbed rest , diary writing, manual labor, and lectures on the importance of self-acceptance and positive endeavor. Since the 1930s, the treatment has been modified to include out-patient and group treatments; this modified version is known as neo-Morita therapy.ee also
*
Hikikomori
*NEET
*Anthropophobia References
*cite journal | author=Suzuki K, Takei N, Kawai M, Minabe Y, Mori N. | title=Is Taijin Kyofusho a Culture-Bound Syndrome? [letter] | journal=Am J Psychiatry | year=2003 | volume=160(7) | pages=1358 | doi=10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1358 | pmid=12832264 [http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/160/7/1358 full text]
*cite journal | author=Maeda F, Nathan JH | title=Understanding Taijin Kyofusho through its treatment, Morita therapy | journal=J Psychosomatic Research | year=1999 | volume=46(6) | pages=525–530 [http://neuro.caltech.edu/~fumiko/publications.files/Maeda_1999JPsychosomRes.pdf PDF version]
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