Poverty Is Not Your Fault - Releasing the Shame of "Not Having Enough"
Poverty and Shame
Japan's relative poverty rate is high, with roughly 1 in 6 people living below the poverty line. Despite this, poverty is often framed as "personal responsibility," causing those in financial hardship to feel shame and hesitate to seek help.
Poverty researcher Robert Walker has pointed out that the shame accompanying poverty inflicts more severe psychological damage than poverty itself. Shame makes people hide, isolates them, and blocks access to available support. The fact that Japan's public assistance take-up rate (the proportion of eligible people who actually receive benefits) remains low is not just a systemic issue but also a shame issue.
A Common Misconception: "If You Try Hard Enough, You Can Escape"
One common misconception about poverty is that people fall into it because they lack effort. In reality, structural factors compound: the expansion of non-regular employment, structural wage stagnation, and social security benefits that fail to keep up with rising prices. Cases where people hold multiple jobs yet still cannot stabilize their lives are not uncommon. Being in a situation where "you're working hard but things aren't getting easier" is a systemic problem, not personal laziness.
How Poverty Affects Mental Health
Cognitive Decline
Research from Princeton University (Science, 2013) showed that financial worry reduces cognitive function to levels equivalent to pulling an all-nighter. When money worries dominate your mind, the cognitive resources available for other decisions and problem-solving diminish. For example, endlessly looping thoughts about how to pay rent make it impossible to concentrate on work tasks or caring for children.
Depression and Anxiety Disorders
The rate of depression among those in poverty is several times that of the non-poor. Financial anxiety, hopelessness about the future, and social isolation compound each other. Yet the contradiction that mental health treatment also costs money makes the situation even worse. Books on poverty and psychology can deepen your understanding
Shame and Physical Response
The emotion of shame is not merely a "state of mind." Chronic shame triggers sustained secretion of cortisol (the stress hormone), leading to physical symptoms such as elevated blood pressure, weakened immune function, and digestive issues. The complaint that "my stomach hurts when I think about money" is not a metaphor but a physiological response.
How to Survive While Preserving Your Dignity
1. Let Go of Shame
Poverty is not individual failure but a structural problem. The expansion of non-regular employment, wage stagnation, and inadequate social security: these are social factors that cannot be solved by individual effort alone. Letting go of the self-blame of "it's my fault" is the first step to preserving your dignity. A concrete method: when self-blaming thoughts arise, try saying aloud, "This is a societal problem, not a problem with my character."
2. Know the Available Systems
Public assistance, housing security benefits, welfare loan programs, food banks, community children's cafeterias, free or low-cost medical services. Japan has many safety nets, but many are not well known. By contacting your local welfare office or the consultation desk of the Self-Reliance Support System for People in Need, you can be guided to available programs. If visiting a window in person feels shameful, phone and online consultation services also exist. Using these systems is not "weakness" but "exercising your rights."
3. Prevent Isolation
When financially struggling, people tend to avoid socializing. "I can't afford to join gatherings." "I feel bad being treated." But isolation only worsens the situation. Free community activities, libraries, walks in the park: consciously seek out ways to connect with people without spending money. Self-help groups or online communities of people in similar situations are also effective options for easing isolation.
4. Regain a Small Sense of Control
One of the most painful aspects of poverty is the feeling of helplessness: "I can't control my own life." Keeping a household budget (making expenses visible), planning your day, tidying your room. Even small things, the experience of "I decided and did this myself" reduces helplessness. Rather than big goals, the accumulation of deciding "today I'll do just this" and achieving it gradually rebuilds trust in yourself. Books on rebuilding your life are also a good reference
A Pitfall: Trying to Boost Self-Worth Through "Cheap Buys"
When financially cornered, the urge to momentarily fill the void through "shopping" at dollar stores or bargain sales can arise. However, buying unnecessary items generates guilt after a brief pleasure and further strains the household budget. Making a wish list and waiting three days to confirm whether something is truly needed is one method of protecting a limited budget while soothing impulses.
Comparison: "Escaping Poverty" vs. "Dignity Within Poverty"
The world overflows with information claiming to show "how to escape poverty," but escape cannot happen overnight. Making escape a goal is important, but that alone creates new self-denial: "I'm worthless because I can't escape." What this article addresses is the skill of "preserving dignity right now, while in poverty." Actions toward escape and actions for surviving today can coexist. Keeping your day planned is both information-gathering for escape and recovery of today's sense of control.
Summary: The Next Step
Poverty is not shame. It is the result of individuals being caught up in structural problems. Let go of shame, use available systems, prevent isolation, and regain a small sense of control. Even in financially difficult circumstances, your dignity remains intact. The smallest step you can take today is looking up the phone number of your local government's consultation desk. You don't need to call. Just knowing the number creates the reassurance that "there's a place I can turn to if I need to."