Morita  Therapy

Morita therapy was devised In Japan in 1919 by Professor Masatake [Shoma] Morita, who developed Morita therapy in response to his needs.  He continued to practice and teach in Japan through the early years of the twentieth century.

Clinically, the conditions that Morita treated can be considered to be in the loose category of neurosis, sometimes called blushing or social phobia.  As indicated by Kitanishi, Nakamura, Miyake, Hashimoto & Kuboto (2002) 

Morita divided neurosis into the shinkeishitsu type and the hysteria type; the former (later called Morita shinkeishitsu) being regarded as the subject of Morita therapy.

Based on the symptoms, the shinkeishitsu type was further classified into obsession (being obsessed with ideas), ordinary shinkeishitsu (being obsessed with somatic symptoms), and paroxysmal neurosis (being obsessed with anxiety attacks and anxiety), although Morita did not recognize the essential difference among them. (p. 603).

They also indicate that the profile of Morita shinkeishitsu corresponds to DSM axis I diagnoses of anxiety disorders that blends with into a complex with mood disorders that are found in 25% of observe cases.  Personality disorders are also observe in about 50% of cases “especially cluster C (avoidant, obsessive–compulsive, and dependent personality disorders)” (p. 603). 

The proposed mechanism of symptom formation is called ‘toraware’ meaning “to be bound as by some intense preoccupation.” Kitanishi et al. also report that  Morita described shinkeishitsu as a “nervous-prone personality with a hypochondriacal base.”

Grounded in the philosophical tradition of Zen Buddhism has been primarily used to treat neuroses “characterized by obsessive shyness, oversensitivity and feelings of inferiority.” … Sansone (2005, p. 26).  

In treating these conditions complete bed rest may be the beginning treatment followed by relaxed / concentrated attention through focusing on the mindful present.

Sansone continues to describe therapy where:

The idea behind this technique was that any emotion will decline in intensity over time, and with extreme reactions diminished, the patient is prepared for treatment. This rechanneling of attention and energies away from the client and towards ‘constructive behavior' is now usually done in an outpatient method. Activities are assigned to clients that serve to focus them on the here and now, and demonstrate actions in accordance to what reality calls for being done. (p. 26).

Nakamura, Kitanishi, Miyake, Hashimoto & Kubota (2005) review the neurotic versus delusional subtype of  taijin-kyofu-sho.  

Considering the diagnostic concepts of taijin-kyofusho (TKS)and social phobia they compared the clinical diagnosis of TKS with the operational diagnosis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edition, revised; DSMIII-R).  

Found that overall 65.8% of 38 cases of TKS were diagnosed as social phobia where the neurotic TKS cases were highest at 81.5% while delusional TKS cases were at 27.3%.

Additionally 42.1% of the TKS cases also were diagnosed with a mood disorder where 60.5% of the TKS cases presented some axis II disorders. Those that did show axis II diagnosis the most prevalent type was avoidant personality disorder at 31.6%.

Gomibuchi, Gomibuchi, Akiyama, Tsuda, Hayakawa (2007) examine the obsession of hearing music from Morita’s perspective.   

They report that Morita called the obsessive-compulsive thoughts, or music, that disturbs one’s concentration among those who was wanting to concentrate on their studies “‘Zatsunen Kyouhu’ (idle thoughts phobia)” (p. 205)

This can be understood through Morita therapy’s basic concepts:
 

‘Hipokondorisei Kicho (hypochondrial temperament)’ signifies obsessive, introvert, sensitive and worrisome asthenic aspects of the character. However, ‘Sei no Yokubo (self-actualizing tendencies)’ signifies esthenic aspects of the character, which can be expressed as the desire to have good health, to live well, to be recognized by others, to develop and improve.  (p. 205)

They also report that:

Psychotherapeutically, Morita advised destroying or diminishing ’attention and psychic interaction’. Our suggestions of taking a rest and trying to study with an easy mind, leaving the music in the head as it is, were intended to help students escape from ‘attention and psychic interaction. (p. 206).

Morita therapy was successful in treating this neurotic condition among pre-school students.