Accepting Depression Through Morita Therapy | Generated by AI
Question: Many people who become depressed or severely depressed also struggle to accept their depression, which makes things worse, similar to the approach in Morita therapy.
Answer:
Many individuals experiencing depression or severe depression resist or fail to accept their symptoms, often trying to fight, suppress, or eliminate them. This resistance—through symptom preoccupation or constant struggle—can exacerbate the condition by interfering with natural recovery processes and increasing emotional distress.
Morita therapy, a Japanese psychotherapy developed by Shoma Morita in the early 20th century and influenced by Zen principles, directly addresses this issue. It teaches arugamama (acceptance of reality as it is), viewing unpleasant emotions like sadness or anxiety as natural fluctuations in human experience, similar to weather patterns that ebb and flow.
Key principles of Morita therapy include:
- Accepting feelings without trying to control or change them.
- Shifting focus from symptom fixation to purposeful, constructive action in daily life.
- Engaging in reality-based behavior, even while symptoms persist, to improve functioning and allow natural healing.
Unlike many Western therapies (e.g., traditional cognitive behavioral therapy) that emphasize symptom reduction or control, Morita therapy encourages living with symptoms rather than being without them. Fighting symptoms is seen as counterproductive, as it heightens preoccupation and worsens the cycle.
This approach shares similarities with modern therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which also promotes acceptance and value-driven action, though Morita therapy emphasizes harmony with nature and modest goals over self-expression.
Evidence from studies, including pilot trials and meta-analyses, suggests Morita therapy can be effective for depression, particularly as an adjunct to other treatments, by reducing severity and improving remission rates when acceptance replaces resistance.
References:
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6549637/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morita_therapy
- https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/8/e021605
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30380592/
- http://www.moritaschool.com/read-me
- https://moritatherapy.org/exploring-morita-therapy-a-path-to-acceptance-and-purpose/