@f9account - I say this with no judgment here.
Here are some suggestions that might help your friend out:
- Go see a professional therapist for some help.
- Consider getting an animal if they like animals. A dog? Bird? Sea otter? Cat? Turtle? Anything that actually brings them joy.
Again I'm not saying this to belittle his problem or whatever. Some solutions need to be smacked in our faces though before we are willing to try.
I'll pass along your goodwill.
Japanese culture is extremely competitive and callous--you stumble, the rest of the race passes you by. Therapy, psychological help, emotional counseling...these are not common solutions. You either get up on your own and succeed, or you die. It's very hard to get help when you need it outside of perhaps family.
The animal is a good idea, but, again, it's Japan, not a lot of options, especially in the incredibly cramped and tiny apartments.
That being said, you're right that he needs help, but there is only so much I can do from my angle. I think he might actually just need a vacation, like a literal vacation overseas to see other cultures to get away from his self-loathing culture.
