A persuasion therapy for panic disorder in old Japanese medical literature

Abstract

This report presents two panic disorder cases reported in old Japanese medical literature and commentary on their psychotherapeutic approaches with reference to more recent theory. The first case was treated and described by Dr. Gen'yu Imaizumi in 1850, and the second case was reported by Dr. Masatake Morita in 1928. Both Imaizumi and Morita referred to their treatment as the “persuasion” method. They presupposed a vicious circle of escalating panic phobia, and made their patients face their fear of panic by implicitly paradoxical injunctions in order to break this cycle and free them from both their phobic anxiety condition and their repetitive panic attacks.