I had just finished reading an article in the recent Shiatsu Society
newsletter, which is about the subject you have recently been
discussing, entitled "Shiatsu for people with 'Long Term Mental
Health Disorders' by Char Scrivener. Admittedly it is about people
with serious problems, and from the viewpoint of a Shiatsu therapist
(and also from an oriental medicine point of view) but the following
excerpts may be of interest.

The writer described how in her opinion many people labelled
schizophrenic are experiencing a psychological overwhelm and
feelings of helplessness. "Overwhelmed by their past and present
life, their identity or selfhood may scatter and they may fail to
distinguish between inner and outer, dream and reality. Anti-
psychotic drugs and electro-shock may prevent the person from
turning this experience around, as psychological helplessness is
compounded by brain dysfunction."

The writer goes on to describe how mental problems are worked with
in Japan: "There are several Japanese forms of psycho-therapy, which
collectively can be called the 'quiet therapies' due to the fact
that their main therapeutic tool is some form of silent meditation,
in contrast with the 'talking cures' so prevalent in the West. Among
them is the Morita therapy - which was developed by Japanese
psychiatrist Shoma Morita in the early 1900's and is founded on the
theoretical concepts and practices of Zen. It requires people to
acknowledge their feelings and take full responsibility for their
actions and they gradually learn to develop a degree of fudo-shin
(calm mind), realizing that if they do not react to their feelings,
these have no power over them, demonstrating their impermanent
nature. Instead of attempting to numb or remove symptoms, Morita
therapy regards patients as students, and teaches them to live
constructively despite any symptoms or feelings that might be
present."

Char Scrivener also mentions that childhood experiences or abuse are
the basis for many peoples' psychological overwhelm. My husband and
I have experienced this with some neighbours. Sadly to say the abuse
was generational, from the grandparents down to the children (who
passed it on to the siblings). I do believe this is one way that
bullies are created. We can talk with a fair amount of experience on
this having lived next door to them for over 5 years.

Best wishes, Theresa