Mental Illness in Japan Part 4: Sick Classmates

Warning: Triggering

She rolled up her sleeves and showed me the slashes there. Not just a couple of slashes either, but red slashes, cut over and over each other. I froze for a fraction of a section to collect myself. I felt shocked. A classmate who I loved and cared about was in pain.
I can't go into more detail because I don't want to expose this lovely girl's identity. 


Another classmate in Japan would frequently break down into tears. Her Grandma had died and due to the difficult economic situation  her best friend had to move to Hokkaido. She often looked tired. She would play with her food and plough through it wearily. She was in this state for a couple of months. Now, that I look back, I think she may have been depressed.

Yet another classmate had anorexia nevosa and anorexia. Her cheeks had concaved and the skin hung from her arms and legs in folds. She could not jump. Her classmates would loudly proclaim about how delicious their food was - a passive way of trying to encourage her to eat. But, I didn't see anyone actively go up to her and encourage her to eat. Her condition was the saddest I'd ever seen both on and offline - because her physical condition was the sickest I'd ever seen (and I have been inside an intensive care ward) and because she was such a beautiful, kind person on the inside.

There were no Qualified Counsellors available at the two highschools I went to on long term exchange.

TO BE CONTINUED...